The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-05-06

NOT bad face-not an evil face.
Shutting out the rags and dirt, it was
really handsome face.
What's your name, my boy?"
Hammer Jim, ,ma'am; and sometimes
Ragged Jim" =,
81 mean, how were you christened 2'
Which'm?"
"Don't you know what name your
parents gave you?"
Oh-ye-es. It's down on the 'seers'
book, mum, as james Ammerton."
Vel, james, the hurt on your head
is not bad, and if you are careful not to
rub off the plaster, it will very soon heal
up. Are you hungry?"
PLEASE, mum, hain't eat nothing to-
day."
Mrs. Walsh brought out some bread
and butter, and cup of milk, and
allowed the little boy to sit there in the
wash-room and eat. And while he ate
she watched him narrowly, scanning
every feature. Surely, if the science of
physiognomy, which her husband
studied SO much, and with such faith,
was reliable, this boy ought TO have
grand capacities. Once more, shutting
out the rags and filth. and only observ-
ing the hair, now glossy and waving,
from her dextrous manipulations, over
a shapely head, and making the face
with its eyes of lustrous gray, and the
mouth like cupid's bow, and the chin
strong without being unseemly-seeing
this without the dregs, the boy was
handsome. Mrs. Walsh, thinking of
the little mounds in the church-yard,
prayed God that she might be happy
mother; and, if boy was to bless her
maternity, she would not ask that he
should be handsomer than she believed
she could make this boy.
Jim finished eating and stood.
James," said the little woman--for
she was little woman" James, when
you are hungry and have nothing to
eat, if you will come to this door, / will
feed you. don't want you to go hun
cry"
81 should like to cum. num-"
aAnd if l feed you when you are
hungry, will you nottry to be good, for
my sakeT'
The boy hung his head and consid-
cred. Some might have wondered that
he did not answer at once, as grateful
boy ought; but Mrs Walsh was deeper
than that. The lad was considering
how he must answer sadly and truly.
If they'd let me be good, mann, but
they WON'T" he at length replied.
"Will you try all you can?''
"Yes'm, I'll try all can."
Mrs. Walsh gave the lad asmall parcel
of food in a paper, and patted his curly
head. The boy had not shed a tear
since the wound was assuaged. Some
might have thought he was not CRATE
| ful; but the little woman could see the
gratitude in the deeper light of his
ewes. The old crust was not broken
enough yet for tears.
Afterward. Mrs Walsh told her hus-
band what she had done, and he laughed
at her.
"Do you think, Mary, that your
kindness can help that ragged waif7"
do not think it will hurt him,
6iIas7''
1t was not the first time Mrs. Walsh
had delivered answers to the erudite
doctor which effectually stopped dis
cussion.
After that, Jim came often to the
door and was fed; and he came cleaner
and more orderly with each succeeding
visit. At length Mrs. Walsh was in
formed that friend was going away
into far western country to take up
| land and make a frontier farm. The
| thought occurred to her that this might
be a good opportunity for James Am
merton. She saw her friend and
brought Jim to his notice, and the re-
suit was the boy went away with the
emigrant adventurer. And she heard
from her friend year later that he
liked the boy very much. Two years
| later the emigrant wrote that Jim was q
treasure. And Mrs. Walsh showed the
letter to her husband, and he smiled aud
kissed the little wife, and said ne wa:
glad.
And he had another source of glad.
/, ness. Upon her bosom his little wife
bore robust, healthy boy-their own
son-who gave promise of life and hap.
piness ia the time to come.
The years sped on and James Am
merton dropped out from the Ii that
Mary Walsh knew. The last she heard
was five years after ae went away from
Ellsworth, and Jim had then started for
the golden mountains on his own &C.
count, to commence in earnest his own
life battle.
But there were joy and pride in the
little woman's life which held its place
and grew and strengthened. Her boy
whom they called Philip, grew to be a
youth of great promises bright, kind
hearted, good boy, whom everybody
loved; and none loved him more than
did his parents. In fact, they worship
ped him; or, at least, his mother did
At the sge of seventeen Philip Walsh
entered college, and at the age of twenty
one graduated with honor but the Ions
and severe study had taxed his system
and he entered upon the stage of man
hood not quite so strong in body as b,
should have been. His mother saw i
and was anxious; his father saw it AM
decided that he should have recreation
and recuperation before he entered int,
active business. DIR. Walsh was no
pecuniarily able to send his son on a.
expensive travel, but he found oppor
tunitv for his engagement upon the sta
of an exploring expedition which woul
combine heaithful recreation with a
equally healthful occupation.
The expedition was bound for tn
W. stern wilderness, and we need nc
tell of the parting between the mothe
and the son. She kissed him and blesse
him, and hung upon his neck with NOR
kisses, then went away to her chambe
and cried.
Philip wrote home often while on hi
way out; and he wrote after he ha
reached the wilderness. His account
were glowing and his health was in
proving. Three months of forest iii
and forest labor, of which Philip wrot
in letter that had to be borne mol
than hundred miles to the reare
post, and then followed months {
e silence. Where was Phillip Why di
he not write?
One day DIR. Walsh came home pa