Democratic messenger., 1888-08-18

were all there were lets Of us, least ways
as far rs we know, for we haven't heard
from father for ever so long. We kept
house together I earned what l could
and Mother she worked as slong as she was
able. She wasn't very old, hut she was
always crying, only when she cheercd up
to make her little son happy-tha,'s what
she called me but she could not cheer up
for long. She grew sicker and sicker
and-well-I did all could for her; bu'
she died last week." The little fellow
was sobbing now Ms he leaned on the
broken shat that reminded him Of his
mother.
Ills tears were not the only ones, can
tell you. We nodded to the boss. and he
named price 80 small that the manly
little fellow looked up with amazcmens
that at last he had found something within
his means. lie quickly closed the bar.
Again, and counted out the nickels and
I1Npnies for his prize. lie walked about
forS>tew moments among the stones,
spelling out, as best he could, the inscrip.
tions, asked several questions about how
Il was done, and how long II took; then
hastily went out, like man of business,
saying: u N
I'M be after il N>porrowN
lie came toward\ ,miH bof the day,
when the morning Sre all sold
lie had little four sed cart, into
which he asked us TO loa~ stone and
never purchaser had lefty yard wps
a sweeter. sadder satisfacts than -
little hero. lie took the hsstt teSari
the cemctary-we knew for we watched
him-and more curious and interested
set Of men you never saw than were our
woIkmen, to know what had become, ,oi
our little newsman, rs we grew to cal
him. for he didn't seem like lMy TO us.
We have expected he would turn up
some day to learn more about the letter.
ing or something; but ac never came. and
our curiosity, We thought, was likely
never To be- gratiiicd.
One Monday morning, rs we gathered
nj our work. one Of the men who. We had
noticed, seemed particularly sober. startled
us with:
II say boys wouldn't you like to know
what bc came of our little ncwsman ="
"Yes. yes; what do you know of him y
came from several ut once and work was
forgotten for time Us we listened 10 the
story of our little hero TO the end.
well. said the workman" twill own
l have thought of the little fellow every
day since he was here and somehow
couldn't get rid of the thought that !
should like To know what become of him.
ii;iw T-tind out l couldn't tell; for not
one of us had asked where he lived. or his
name, or knew any one who could tell us
Yesterday thought Of n plan and so in
the afternoon started for the cemetary |
thought il likely he had carried his stone
to. was lucky, for at almost my first
question the man in charge seemed to
know whom | meant. and asked if
would know the stone IL saw II. told
him would, and he started with me to.
ward n corner Of the cemetery. that was
afraid was the Potter's Field. Iasked him
if he was taking me to the pauper's bury
ing ground, for I could ne somehow bear
to think that our little newsman's mother
had no better place to he laid away in.
lie answered:
NO; hut ifit hadn't been for one oi
your good churches down there in the
city, she would have Jared no better than
all other paupcrs. You know the big
mission church down there on the avenue!
We'll. they couldn't think OF burying their
Sunday. school scholars In the Potter's
Field, IL they were "only paupers," many
of them and so several years ago they
bought big lot up here just for them,
and there's where I'm taking you. Here
II Is. he said. as we stopped in front oi
n big lot. nicely fixed up-and sure enough,
there WAS our monument, NJ the head oi
one of the largest graves; knew II n,
once, just as Il was when il leil our yard
was going To say. until got little near
er to il. and saw what the little clap had
done, o boys! can't describe the letter.
Ing to you on that stone; you viii have to
go out and see II for yourselves. I will
confess that something blurred my eyes
so that couldn't read il at first. The
little man had tried TO keep the lines
straight. and evidently thought that capi.
tails would make II look better and bigger,
for nearly every letter was capital.
copied |, and here Ii is, In, you wan, to
appreciate II
MY MOTHER