Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-07-03
A LITTLE CITY CHAP.
Why Miss Keziah Changed Her
Mind About a Boy.

Mind About Boy.
Miss Keziah Shelton, with red face,
was frantically engaged in driving her
neighbours fowls from the 1owerbeds
that she had lately planted.
IF 1t amt enough to try the patience
of Jobl'' she groaned, excitedly tanning
herself with her sunbonnet. "They've
gone and scratched up all my choicest
seeds. Why can't folks keep their
chickens home, instead of allowing
'em to run around destroying other peo-
pies property?"
A very tired little chap, dusty and
foot-sore from the long distance he had
travelled looked in from the gate.
"Please, maam," he said, ''if those
palings were fixed, they couldn't get in.
There's quite number of EN- missing,
you see."
'Eh?' calculated Miss Keziah in sur
prise, for she had not noticed him.
"Why, so there are. I've meant to
send for Brown, the carpenter, all
along, but it's somehow slipped my
mind"
IF you'll let me- ma'am," said the
boy, eagerly, 'I'll do it cheaper. I'm
looking for work"
who are you?" asked Miss Keziah.
"Only a boy from the city," was the
response. but I'm tired of it, and
thought might find something to do
in the country. Mothers dead, and
fhnrafc 1nfh To- ~
"Well," said Miss Keziah, rather
doubtfully, "if you think you can fix
the fence, there's no harm in trying,
suppose. The palings that came off are
out in the barn, and I'll get you the
Ratchet and some nails"
While the sun grew low in the west
the boy industriously worked away,
while to him on the soft air came the
appetizing odor of Miss Keziah's
cookery.
''My, but it smells goodr' he said,
with a very hungry feeling at his
stomach. I'D like to live here If
only could. wonder if she doesn't
want a boy to do her choresn
Miss Keziah looked out of the win
dow of her little summer kitchen and
saw that the work was satisfactorily
completed.
"There, ma'am," said the boy, as he
came and handed the Ratchet up to her,
"it's all done, and pretty good job
don't think the chickensll get in now"
"You can wash up and then eat tho
supper I've got ready for you," said
Miss Keziah.
He needed no second urging, and was
soon seated at a corner of the table raw
enously choking down the cold meat,
hot biscuits, blackberry jelly and seed
cookies she had placed before him.
All the while Miss Keziah kept look
ing at him in undisguised astonishment.
Dear mer' she said; what an appe-
tite you have gotv'
He poured the last drop of tea in his
cup down his throat.
mo, maam," he said, apologetically,
mo more than other boys. I've not
had anything to eat since morning"
why, you poor boyr' said Miss
Keziah, commiseratingly; "if you'd
told me I'd have given you a piece of
pie"
81 thought I'd wait ma'am," he said,
us he arose from the table with sigh
of satisfaction. I'm split some wood
for you now. Your piles getting pretty
low"
He chopped away till dusk and then
brought in a bucket of water from the
well. Miss Keziah had silver half
dollar in her hand to give him.
"You don't want boy, do you?" he
asked, wistfully.
"Salxes alivev said Miss Keziah, un-
easily, what would | want with q
boy? I've lived here all alone and done
my own work for years"
81 didn't know but you might" he
said, disappointodly. THANK you,
ma'am, for the money. It's getting
dark and I'm SO tired can hardly
walk; would you mind if slept in your
barn tonight"
Miss keziah was very cautious
spinster, but her heart was touched
with very strong feeling of pity.
Up in the cemetery on the HILL where
blackberry vines and golden rod ran
riot all summer, little Ephraim, the
child her dying brother had left in her
charge, lay sleeping What If he were
out in the great world instead, friend.
less like this little chapP
"Ill give you a bed tonight" she
said, rather huskily, land you can be
on your way in the morning"
He wiped his shoes very carefully or
the mat and sat down in one of the
stiff backed chairs of her prim sitting
room.
II don't suppose you care to hear the
Bible" she said, austerely, us she Ii
the lamp al always read it before
go to bed You can go now If you
wish"
mo-" he said, in low tone, I'D like
TO hear it. Mother used to read 1t Il
, me"
So Miss Keziah put on her gold
trimmed spcctacles and read on in {
hard, rasping tone from Luke, glancinS
up at last to see that he was noddins
his head and having very hard tim,
to keep his eyes open
"llumph!" said she, closing the book
~ guess you'd better 20 TO bed
~ nm SiccDv" he confessed DRAWN.