Smyrna times., 1880-05-12

and repeat it and if we come to anything
we can't make out, take it over to the
teacher in the evening; she is very kind
she tells me-"
Very kind Who would not be kind to
such boy? felt the tears coming to my
eyes at such a hidden vision of this son
doing girls work, while his poor old mother
held the book in her twisted hand and tried
to help him to learn.
" But all this does not earn money INV
boy. How can you hope to save if YOU
give your time indoors?"
"Oh, | don't do girls work all day; no,
indeed | have worked out our taxes on
the road. 1t wasn't much, but helped the
men to build a stone wall down by the
river; and Deacon Ball let's me do a great
many days work for him, and when get a
chance to take any one from the hotel to
ride, he lets me have this team for almos
nothing, and pay to him whatever make
And | work on the farm with the men in
the Summer; and I.have a COW of my own,
and sell the milk at the tavern and we
have some hens, too, and we sell the eggs
And i'll the Fall cut and pile the Winters
wood in the sheds for the people who
haven't any little boys-lnd there's good
many people about here who haven't any
boys" he added, brushing fly from the
old white horse with the tip of his whip.
After this we fell into silence, and rode
on through the sweet New England roads,
with MOnadnock rising before us ever
| nearer and more majestic. 1t impressed
with sense Of rugged strength--one of the
hills "rOck.ribbed and ancient as the sum-
but | glanced from the mountain to the
little red headed morsel Of humanity at NV
| side with sort of recognition of their kin.
| ship. Somehow they seemed to belong
| together. felt as if the same sturdy stuff
was in them both. 1t was only a fancy, but
1t was confirmed the next day; for when
came back TO town after seeing nay invalid
| friend, ! went to call on Deacon Ball. |
found the deacon white.haircd and kindly.
! faced. He kept the village store and
owned a pretty house. and was evidently
very well to do. Naturally wo talked OF
| John, and the deacon said To me with tears
| in his old and watery blue eyes
| Why, bless your heart, sir, You don't
think I'm going to take his money do you?
| The emily son Of his mother and she widow
and all tied into double how knots with the
rheumatics besides True enough, let hi,
father have the money, and my vile, she
says to rae: Well, deacon my dear. we W
not a chick nor child, and shall be lust Il.
we'll OF u hundred years from now if the
widow never pays cent; but cording tC
nay calkerlation it's better to let the boy
think he's payin'. She says | might a!
well try to keep Il barrel of vinegar from
workin' as to keep that Toy from workin'
It's the neither in him tud its got to work
We think good deal of the widow, Mand,
and nae. did before ever | saw Mandy
but for all that we hold the mortgage, ans
Johnny wants to work it out, Mandy anC
me, we are going to let him work"
l turned away, for was going to sup a
Johnny's house; but before 1 went asked
the deacon how much Johnny had alread,
paid.
"Well, don't know; Mandy knows
pass it to her-she keeps the book. DreI
in before you 60 to the train, and I'll shov
it to you"
dropped in and the deacon showed tn
account. | was the book of a savings banI
in a neighboring town, and on its page
were credits of all the little sums the bo
had earned or paid, and saw they wer
standing to Widow Beebe's name. GRASP
ed the deacOn's hand. He was lo0kin
away over the housstOps, to where Monad
mock was smiling under the goOd.nigh
kisses of the sun.
Good'by, sir, good by" he said, return
ing my squeeze with interest. Muc
obliged, Im sure, Mandy and me, too, bu
don't ye be worried about Johnny. Whe
we see it we know the real stuff it takes t
make a man, and Johnny has got il
Johnny is like that mountain over there
, chock full of grit and lots of backbone.