Smyrna times., 1880-02-11
Earth's Lone Children,

A boy not over eleven years old. whose
PihGhed face betrayed hunger, and whose
clothing could scarcely be called bv tho
naae, dropped into Il carpenter shop on
urand River avenue tho other day. and
after much hesitation explained to Tho
foreman: NV
" We want to get a grave-beard for mn
She died last winter, and the graves ara 60
thick that We can't hardly find hers M
more We went up last Sunday, and wa
come awful near not finding it. We
thought we'd git a grave board, so wa
wouldn't lose the grave. When we thsuoht
we'd lost it Jack he cried, and Bud sho
cried, and nay chin trombled 30 | could
hardly talk ~ "'0
Where is your father?" asked the
carpenter.
"Oh, he's home, but he never goes IN
there with US, and we shsn't tell him about
the hoard. | guess he hated ma, for be
wasn't home when she died, and he
wouldn't buy mo coffin nor nothing. Son,a.
times when We are sittin' on the door.sten
talking about hor, and Jack and Bud are
cryln,, and I'm rememberin' how she kissed
US all atore she died, he saws we'd bettor
quit that or we'll get what's bad for MS
But We sleep up stairs, and we talk and crv
IN the dark all we want to. How much
will the board be?'
The carpenter selected something fit for
the purpose, and asked:
Who will put it up at the grave?n
Wen take it up in our cart" replied
the boy, "and | guess the graveyard man
will help US put it up"
You want the name painted on don't
your " ''O''
" Ss, sir, we want the board white, and
then we want you to paint on that that she
was our ma, and that she was forty-ene
wears old, and she's gene to Heaven, and
that she was one of the best mothers ever
was, and that We are going to be good all
our lives and go up where she is when we
die. How much will it all cost, sir?'
" How much have you got?"
Well, said the boy, as he brought out
little calico bag and smpted its contents
on the bench, Bud drawed the baby for
the woman next door and earned twenty
cents; Jack he wooded in tho garden and
earned forty cents, and he found FIVE more
IN the road; | run Of errands and made
kites and fixed boys cart and helped
carry some apples into store, and | earned
slxty-hye cents. All that makes hundred
and thirty cents, sir. and pa don't know
SSS ~ S@AoO We hNDL IL MA IN the
ground under a stone"
9 A grave-board will cost at least, three
dollars"
The lad locked from his little store of
metal to the carpenter and back, realized
how many weary weeks had passed since
the first penny was earned and saved, and
suddenly walled cut:
Then we can't never, never buy one,
and mas grave will get lost"
But he left the shop with tears of gladness
IN his eyes, and when he returned yester-
day little Bud and Jack were with him,
and they had cart. There was not only a
head board, but one for the foot of the
grave as well, and painter and carpenter
had done their work with full hearts and
done it we'll.
" Amt they awful nics-nicer than rich
folks have" whispered the children as the
boards were being placed on the cart:
wont the grave look nice, though, and
won't ma be glad!"
Ere this the mothers grave has been
marked, and when the night comes the
three motherlsss ones will cuddle close to-
gether and whisper their gratitude that it
cannot be lost to them even in the storms
and drifts of winter.-Frce Press.