The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-03-01


the others below.
There, with frosted fingers and frozen
feet, sits boy OF Burt's size, thinly clad,
| his pinchcd features telling of past hun
GER present suffering and shyness.
"Hello" says Burt, show did you get
in this fix?" No answer.
30, say. you needn't mind me; want
you to talk. You didn't start out to
mako regular tramp of yourself, now,
did you?' Still no answer; only sup
pressed moan as he draws one foot up in
his hands from the snow-water with
which the cook has been trying to draw
out the frost.
Let him alone, dear" says his moth
CIR: "whcn his feet hurt him less he'll
tell me all about himself, I'm sure. Dry
| his feet with this towel, and then help
me wrap them up with cotton and tur-
! pentine to relieve the soreness and
swelling. I really fear he's going to
lose them BOTH see how fast they are
turning dark"
| With this the boys tears began to flow,
and as he wipes them on his sleeves he
says: I'm no tramp; I'm only runa-
way"
"a runaway is bad enough" replies
Mrs Medford. "From whom or what did
you run away?' Again no answer.
SIS your mother living?"
"No, ma'am." Then, after pause,
cts because wouldn't break my prom
ise to her, when she died, that had to
run away"
Instantly Mrs Medford was interested.
Il l., Il
him from home. She must know more
about it. Drawing chair near to him,
she says:
"Now tell me all about it. I am a
mother; see, l have boys, too. I want to
know your troubles. What was your
promise?"
81 promised her for certain, sure, that
Id never drink beer nor liquor of any
kind, nor sell it, nor help anybody to
sell it, and | had To run away or break
my promise"
How was it? tell me-"
I'D rather not, madam" and his eyes
glanced toward his young listeners, in
Guiding julia who stood, silent, near
her mother.
"You needn't mind telling all of us
about it," continued Mrs. Medford. "My
children are sorry for a boy who got
into trouble because of so excellent
promise as that to dying mother. Now,
let's hear just how it was"
"Well, then, it was this way. My pap,
he keeps a saloon, and here lately he
got little lame with the rheumatism,
and told me to stay out of school and
wait on his customers, SOS he needn't
be on his feet so much. Then / had to
tell him about my promise. He said that
was all foolishness, and that | was to do
his bidding. I told him would in every
thing but that Then he got very angry
and said: DO you mean you are not GO
ing to wait on my customers, to help me
while I'm lame?' and 1 answered, I can
not break my PROMISE
"Then he came at me with a cane he
was using for his lameness, and said:
I'll thrash that nonsense out of you,
mighty quick, sir, and he beat me until
turned so sick with pain that / fell to
the floor. Then he dragged me into
room by myself and left me. The next |
morning, before daylight, came away.
| think pap had taken more than usual |
on account of his rheumatism, or he |
never could have been so rough with |
me. But it makes me hate the stuff |
more than ever, if it can make a man so
hard on his own child"
That's just what it can DO, you poor
boy" said Mrs. Medford. "See, every
one here is in tears; they are so sorry
for you" Then she added:
"Now. you know there are very bad, |
designing boys, sharp and scheming, |
who could manufacture such a story as |
yours for the sake of getting shelter
and care; but I'm inclined to believe |
what you've just told me-"
so, ma'am!" cried the boy, with wide |
eyes and excited voice, "every word I've
told you is true. | can give you the
names of people who knew my mother.
Besides, I'll show you my back-its sore
and lame yet" and off came coat and
vest in a twinkle, leaving the poor back
almost bare, so imperfectly did his torn
shirt cover it.
And what a sight met their gaze
Julia had turned away, on seeing the
rapid movements of the boy, but the
united EXPLANATIONS of the others turned
her quickly about. The back and shoul-
ders were completely covered with green
ish purple and red blotched welts and
ridges where the blood had settled along
the line of the blows, and where the
broken skin had let the blood ooze
through it.
"You see," the boy exclaimed in
tremulous tones, sd be afraid of him |
after that, and so had to run away.
amt used to begging, and didn't know
how to get along without money,
and when / reached the city last
night | didn't know the ways that city
gamins have to keep from freezing; and
the weather turned colGur after | went
to sleep in my hiding place, and that's
how l froze my feet"
"The keeping of that promise has,
indeed, caused you cruel suffering"
says Mrs. Medford with brimming eyes,
''but I'm sure you'll be rewarded in the
end. You shall be nicely taken care of
right here until you are well, and /
know of many noble women who will be
glad to help you in the future. For the
present the cook, here who has been so
kind to you, will bring cot from the |
bedroom and make you comfortable,
even to change OF clean underwear |
from Burt's wardrobe, and doctor will |
soon be here to see what else you need. |
Now, children, come, Wen go up and
see Arthur, who feels his penalty so
keenly he keeps to himself"
But no Arthur is there. He has not