Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1881-08-18

stFaightening up--"n1e and some other
fellows. Somstimes We begs, sometimes
We. take the. barrels. Whom Ne get .
haul Il sin't % bed, but when We don't
We keteh'i She's drunk tonight and
drove us OUT" Hs. .a ~
She pushed he heavy hair back from
his forehead. aIs Nanny Sal your
mother she asked = ~ 7'
"NoT cried the boy, almost fiercely,
and then added sullenly, II amt got
none.n salsEis - Ss-s }s1E s93 a2ss $50
Slowly the glosed hand passed back
and forth over the yellow hsir. The
iady's eyes were looking far away; the
boys face was ike, 50 strangely like
another face. 's'
aAre you hungryf' she asked sud-
denly 81 ~ s5la isi.ss st.rs
The wide7open gray eyes would have
answered her without the quick sob and
the low "Yesm."
The carriage stopped, and the monu-
ment again accomplishing descent,
openened the door; ind stood staring in
blank amazement.
IT am not going in, John" |" said his
mistress. "Drive home again" And
she added, smiling. "This little boy
crept in out of the cold while the car
riage was waiting. I am going to take
him home. Drive back as quickly as
possible ni 3l4 ass
As the hewildered coachman shut the
door and turned to his perch the boy
made spring forward E.s. ~.
az emme out!" be cried. "I don't want
to 90 home. Lemme outr'
"Not your home" ssaid the lady gen.
tly-"my home, where you can get
| very warm, and have q good dinner,
and long, long sleep, on soft bed.
Will you ike thatf'
Tom drew long slow breath but did
not answer. 1t was too wonderful He
-one of Nanny Saps boys-to 60 to
the lady's house where the children lived
whom he had seen go in that evening!
He looked up suddenly. "Were those
children yourn9" he asked. With a
sudden movemen, -. Grew him very
close to her, and then answered softly:
mo, not mine I had little boy
once, like you, and he died."
When the carriage stopped again Tom
was fast asleep-so fast asleep that the
still bewildered coachman carried him
into the house and laid him on q bed
without waking him. The next morn
ing, when the boys eyes opened, he lay
looking about him, hardly daring to
speak or move. Best of all, the lady
of the night before was standing by
the bed smiling at him, and, auliling
back, he held out his arms to her. la
| wish you could have seen him little
later, when arrayed in jacket and trous-
ers that made him think with disdain of
certain articles of the same description
which he had but yesterday gazed at
lovingly as they dangled before little
table by the sunny window taking a
short, a very short, preliminary view OF
a gigantic beefsteak still indignantly
sputtering to itself, a mountain of
smoking potatoes, an imposing array
of snowy rolls and golden butter, and
pitcher of creamy milk. And I wish,
too, you could have seen the same
table still later, for the table was about
all that was left.
That was the first time that ever saw
Tom. Since then have seen him very
often. And now will tell you, only
am afraid you will hardly believe me
about the last time, and that was moi
very long ago.
I was riding along one of the prettiest
!, country roads you ever saw, and when ]
!. came to certain gats, my horse, without
waiting for sign from me, turned in
: As we drew near the house I caught sigh
of two figures standing among the flow
. ers. One was handsome old lady will
! white hair, the other q young man. Sh,
was armed with an immense pair O
shears, and he held in his hand his ha
filed to the brim with flowers. Th
sunlight, creeping down through tn
. trees, fell upon bis close-cropped hal
!. and yellow beard. As I drew in m,
|. horse and sat watching them, it al
! seemed to me like q fairy story. But
want; for the tall, handsome ma
!. booking down with such projecting ten
!. derness upon the white-haired old lad,
: was really Tom-poor, little, thin, cold
: hungry Tom. ss fi@92