The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-02-10

lew mOmenC. hOUeTG uelu Iue Wy tHe
hand, and asked that I might remain
also.
Z Then, when we three were alone he
told at the masters request, the story of
his troubles. How simply and how
franklyeh spoke, and. what unxtudied
patl.os there was in his wordsl The
school masters eyes were full of tears
and in answering the poor little boy, his
voice became choEed, and more than
once he left a sentence unfinished. AS
to myself, I could not help weeping out.
right.
The next day Robert was absent. He
had taken cold while he lay on the wet
ground. and as the weather, was now
stormy, his mother had not ventured to
send him. Hisabsence afforded the master
an opportunity of talking to the other
pupils in way which he could hardly
have done had the little boy with the big
boots been present.
school-fellows had, however, already
begun to think-begun to put themselves
in Roberts place, and imagine how they
would feel if their mothers, who so loved
them, were poor and .careworn, and sat up
at night, trying to make old things an
swer for their dear boys, hoping that the
other buys would not notice the difference,
or at least would not speak of ito con.
slider how it would be ii, when they came
to school, all this anxiety aud toll were
Knocked by unfeeling voices, and oil the
dear things of home were insulted, through
a senseless derision, by those who had
the good fortune to possess parents whu
could buy them new coats, new mittens,
and new boots. There is almost every
thing in thinking, and at last the boys
thought.
Master Tanner, spoke kindly to them
on thesuhject. Though he could be stern
at times there Nas now notone atom OF Sc
verify in his tones. His heart had no room
for anger; but, as he spoke, he became
eloquent. 1t was soft, winning kind oi
eloquence; and the most thoughtless boy
in school was visibly affected-many Of
them to tears.
Whether or not Roberts mother knew
what had tanspired, cannot tell; bur
the succeeding day he came again. wearing
The same coat and boots rs before. buI
the btvs saw them not, or saw them
only to feel heartache, and new. born
mpathy for the poor little fellow who
would not have worn them if he could
have helped it. The tide of impulse had
:urned. Nothing was overdone, but there
was kindness OF net aud tone; and the
bip boys showed that they were doing
what they could, in gentle, unobtru-
Sive way, to make Robert forget that they
had ever treated him ill.
The next day was Saturday and there
was no school. Gu Monday, Robert did
not come, and we learned that he Was ill
with fever. Tuesday was Christmas
and on the morning Of that day, Mrs
Brown Carried into the sick room of her
little boy new pair OF boots, and a COM
plete suit of warm. handsome clothing.
Ivercoat aud all. Late ON the previous
evening. these articles had been left in
her charge, to he mornings surprise for
the young patient.
That afternoon, number OF the
school. boys called upon him, and | was
IF the party. The same boy who had
tossed Roberts coat from the nail in the
entry was one of us. Robert sat up in
ued. and for few moments all his illness
seemed to have departed. The new bout-
we're where he could look. at them the
oyercout was also close to his hand, land
50 were all the other articles of the
Christmas gilt. The young visitors had
seen all these things before Robert saw
hem, but they did not say SO.
On, how unexpected had been such
Il token ofsympalhy! Nothing was said
ofthe past; but the boys brought him uut>
aud sweetmeats, which, however, he must
keep till he should be we'll and they
told him of hundred things which he
aud they would do beture the close of win.
Ter. But the we'll day never came. He
WAS very sick, even then; and it was only
the pleasant excitement, aud the feeling
that the old cause of sorrow had been ali
swallowed up in kindness that made him
appear molnentarily better.
Only once after that saw him alive
aud the picture Of his little pale ace,upon
the pillow remaus with me yet. His
mother had placed the new boots where
he could touch them with his hand
When i entered, be rallied;f a moment
and seemed almost we'll. Putting his arm
about me as leaned overhim, he said
"I have seen little Mamie. She was
here last night.a<I saw her Just as she
used 20 be. The school. boys-lhey didn't
mean any harm, did they? only they
Iidu't think. They like me now, and like
them"
And then be said something more o
little sister, and something Of getting
we'll; but presently he seemed exhausted
and partly lost. cried softly To myself
for could not help it.
Tho day following we heard that he
was no more. All the school children
we're at the funeral. Master Tanner wa;
there, too. The undertaken opend the little
casket that held the dead, and we al
came softly and looked down upon the
white face. All'the past ca re back-the
scene with the oyercoat i'll the entry, The
jeers at the big bouts, the. distress Of the
poor little buy as he flung himself ON tht
damp swsrd-all these things were re-
member.d. Aud now, how pale and still
ue wasI No wonder that the school-boy.
cried no wonder that the masters fucs
was wei with tears.
1t was, US l have said, more than forty
years ago; but in an old burial groune
not far away. I could point. out 10 my
readers small white stone, with Robert:
name and age, aud by its side another
stone, inscribed to Little Mamie'
They were placed there by Roberts <ailo
brother, who, the same winter, returned
from long sea voyage.
How often l look at these small memo
rials, and 60 back in spirit to the ole
schnol.uouse and that bleak November
day, when the threadbare overcoat wa,
flung contemptuously from its nail
and little Robert, in his ill.fitting boots
went, with heart full of distress, tt
pick up.and replace that which he knew
his mother had taken such care to brusl
and mend.
n da,,ass t;ttlo bnvI hn,, ln,r tbo ooapk