The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-05

eddy called away to be gone for several
months"
Il see, sir" said Aleck. 81 will be
ON hand in the morning bright and
early. Good night, sir
The squire chucSled to himself as the
door closed. I've given him chance,
and if he's the boy take him to be he
will make the most of it. | shouldn't
have thought of it, though. if | hadn't
liked the way he was winding that yarn.
He had little idea that every time the
long arms of that swift went whizzing
around they were reaching out into his
future.
"lts a queer bargain, said Aleck
aloud. to the cutting north wind as he
went down the hill, but 1t Is a good
place TO practice the precept: Not what,
or where, but how"
You can keep an eye on him." said
Squire Eaton to Margaret, the house
keeper, next morning, 'but l hardly
think he is the kind of lad to turn out
like Percy Stiles; and mind, now, that
he never hears Percy's story"
Margaret nodded; and as the master
went out, John, her husband, said:
''Wasn' he queer one? The squire
has never had anything to do with boys
since then; and yet he dotes on boys"
81 know it, said Margaret; lust to
think how much he set by Master Percy,
and W bat a chance the lad threw away.
DO yOuremember how the squire looked
at first, when he really believed there
had been burglar in the house, and he
said you are hero, Percy. You
have saved our lives and our prop
erty!'"
81 remember" said John; ''but that
was nothing TO the scene after the mat
ter had been investigated, and he was
convinced that Percy was the rogue, as
well as the hero, when he called us all
into the library and sent for the poor
lad. He came thinking he was to re-
ceive reward for his bravery. 1t is
just like a picture in my mind even
now. The squire rising from his arm
chair with that stern, white face.
Percy with the eXultant air and look of
expectation changing to that of Gull
prit. Do you remember how his voice
sounded when he said: 'All the bows L
ever read about did something very
brave and dangerous to win for them
selves fame and gifts and friends, and [
wanted to be heron
YES" said Margaret, 81 remember
it, and the squire's reply; The honest
boy who does his simple duty and
makes the best of every day is the hero
that the world needs but think this
lal is made of a different kind of stuff. :"
"He's made busy winter of it, sir
said the old housekeeper when, one
April day, the squire arrived home I'M
eXpectedly and asked for Aleck. Hes
not been away one evening nor missed
u day at school the whole term. He's
made the fires, swept the paths, looked
after the hinges of the gates, the latches
OF the barn-doors, and the fastenings of
the blinds. He's petted the dogs and
eats and birds, watered and trained the
plants, and cheered up the time for
John and me as blithely as if we had
been his own grand parents. He has
not failed one morning of running up
to the widow Grey's before school-time
to see how she was getting on, and he
has never meddled with anything nor
been in mischief
''And he has written me letter every
Saturday." said the squire, ''giving
concise account of all the happenings
here" Going into the library and look
ing about, he added: "Ie has filed all
my periodicals and kept everything
ready for me to look over as easily as if
| had been gone only for a week"
"Well, Aleck, what have you made
of your work?" he said, as the lad came
in flushed with pleasure at seeing him.
81 have had a profitable winter at
school, sir. have read a good deal of
history, | have learned a great many
things of John and Margaret, and can
not tell you, sir, how happy | have been.
l am afraid have done very little to
pay forall these privileges, . and Alexis
voice tremhled.
81 have found boy that l can trust,
and that pays me, l." said the squire, and
his voice grew little husky. Now
we will make new bargain"
All that was years ago. Aleck is
SquiraEatOn's law-partner now, a sue
cessiul man, and, better than that, u
good man. He is fond Of helping young
people; he likes to have them improve
their time, and he often says: '' 1t is
not so much consequence what orwhere
your work is, as what you make of it"
---43Haje 4. Preston, IN Chicago Standard.