The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-07-25

with me, and see.my mamma
."Jimmie ko too
"No, not now. We will leave jim
mie here till tomorrow:
"I tiss mamma andsJimmie good
bye," and she pressed a kiss to the
lips' of her dead mother. "Oh, mann
ma, YOU so told" Then she ran to
Jimmie. The poor boy clasped her in
his arms, while the tears ran down his
cheeks.
"Good night, little Jennie. You're
the only one left to kiss Scrags, now. )"
As the clock struck 10, Jennie and
T entered the home of my mother, on
Wabash avenue.
"Why, who have we here Z? she
asked.
I told her all about it. Jennie was
asleep in my arms.
"My y son, you have acted nobly and
right" And she soon had her tucked
away in bed.
In the morning she was seated in
mothers lap when | entered the dining
room.
'sDear little thing said mother.
"Your mother has gone. But I'm
your mamma now. Will you love
your new mamma 3
s'I love you now," lispcd Jennie.
At 3 o'clock I took her back to bid
her mother last farewell, and we laid
her at rest in the cemetery: l carried
Jimmie home with me, and the next
day took him down town and invested
SO in clothing for him. After his
hair was cut and the new suit donned,
Scrags presented quite different ap-
pearance.
Ny father had been dead some years
and I was engaged in no regular bust
ness, 80 had nothing for Sorags to do,
and ne could hardly undertake the
care Of them both. In fact We had
not room for Scrags, having but. a
small fat, so I rented q room for him
at 81 q week, not far from our home,
where he would be comfortable, and
told him that each Sunday he should
spend the day with US. That evening
I gave him a dollar, and the next
morning his voice was heard on one Of
the down town street corners: Morn
ing paper :? Here's your morning pa
per r
s'The next Sunday we carried Scrags
to church with US. After the seryi-
ces collection was taken up to aid
the suffering poor of Europe.
"Mt. Randall" said Scrags, when
we had left the church, probably if
wee lived in Europe, mother wouldn' t
haye died. Looks like they would
rather help people across the sea than
those at home" !"
It was many weeks before We could
induce Scrags to attend church again,
though he would attend services at
the newsboy's home. Scrags prosper:
ed as newsboy. He always looked
neat and clean, and no boy was on the
street earlier, or worked harder to sell
his papers. I have been told that be
sold more papers while he was news
boy, than any other of his time.
At the end Of three months he came
to me one day and handed me little
book. "It's my bank book" said he.
It was book showing his deposits at
dime savings bank down town, where
newsboys deposit their savings. 1t
showed $41 to the credit Of Scrags.
"I want you to take it all but one
dollar" said he, ''to pay back the slO
for my clothes and to pay on the fun.
eral expenses of mother. When !
make more will pay the balance, and
I want to put up headstone at moth
er's grave.
"Never mind paying me now,
Scrags," said I, "wait till you're
man. Only keep on as you have com
menced. Never contract bad habits
Never drink whiskey and you will YET
be more than Scrags."
IT shall never drink, Sir. 1promis'
ed mother"
Three months after that, one Sunday
he was anxious to. take Jennie to the
cemetery, 30 mother and I accompanied
them. We found neat marble slat
erected at his mothers grave, bearing
her name, and the date Of her birth
and death.
"How did you know the date o.
your mothers birth 2"
ssFrom this Bible, and he produced
a well-worn testament from his pocket
It bore her name and date of hel
birth.
The next spring 1 went to Europe
to pursue my studies, those of an ar
tist, and it was seven years before
| was in Chicago again. [ found my
dear mother well, and dear little Jen
ME girl Of elevenyears Of age ant
the sunshine Of our home. Aftel
greeting them both I inquired fo'
Scrags. ss,a
sst0h, he be in at supper time,
saidsmother. "He lives with us now
i We couldn t: get along without him
/ He's a reporter on one of the leading
dailies now.
"Why," said I, ri did not know
he was competent for position Of th'
kind"
''Competent," said mother; "ther'
never was a boy like him. I tell 70,
these night schools work wonders, ant
Jennie-you should hear her play
She is quite musician already, ane
very forward in her studies. F"
Soon Scrags came in. He was won
derfully changed. Seventeen years o.
age, and bright, smart, industrious
young man. :,
Yes, and to your dear mother y
eff your. mother-was alive now.
Sorags-or Jimmie
he smiled.
"Never mind, Mr.. Randall, occa
sionally some one calls me Scrags
yet"
"How proud she would be Of you
and Jennie.
"And how thankful to you" added
Scrags.
"Do you attend church now p
asked.
"No, Mr.. Randall, I teach in the
newsboys' home evenings when my
business will let me, and have class
there Sundays
I remained home three years, at the