The Monitor-register., 1896-05-22
"Whosoever Wins"

third verse meant" said Roy, as they
ended their morning reading. The chap
ter was the twentieth of John.
Father, mother and grandma were
away, an d there were only Aunt Rachel
and sister Ray, little Bess, and Martha
Blodgett, the help, beside Rob himself.
But they were used never to omit
prayers and the morning chapter, since
the older children had been old enough to
read plainly, and to repeat the Lords
prayer.
1t seemed unusually cozy around the
fire that morning, and auntie had a per-
suasive way of her own, for you found
yourself telling her your perplexities
without meaning to. So she went on
"Of course l know what people used to
say it meant, and what a mess they made
of it, but now, and really, l don't see.
We haven't anything to do with each
others SINS"
"Haven't we ?" asked auntie, smiling
rathoI Sooerly.
Sometimes we have" said Ray,
softly. 81 see a little what it might
mean. but 1 don't know if it does"
"Tve been so sorry afterwards, some
times,'' she went on, hesitatingly.
$50 have l." said Martha Blodgett,
and ashamed. If you haven't ever had
any reason to feel that. whether you
meant it or not, you've managed to fasten
somebody's failings a good deal snugger
than they was for the time bein', that is,
why, you've one reason to be thankful!
Mebbe, though, you haven't got to that
yet" she added, gently. sit don't
all come out in one year, or two, or half
a dozen. Anybody's religion that's good
for anything has to be Experienced
right along, and it takes a lifetime to
work it in and out" and Martha, shutting
her lips as if they had already let out
more than she was willing, reiterated to
the kitchen.
The clock struck as she closed the door,
and Ray remembered some unfinished
tasks, auntie followed Martha to the scene
Of the mornings work and Rob took up
his Latin. Each carried the mornings
lesson, and applied in his or her own
fashion.
But we have to do with only one OF
them-Rob.
"Be sure to get those apricots," called
Martha as he started for school. "Youl
aunt's depending on 'em for supper"
SAIL right, " he answered, and presently
stepped into the corner store to leave the
| order.
Its proprietor was a short, nervou,
man, whose quickness of speech and o
temper had earned for him the sobrique
of "Peppery Parker" 1t was the deligh'
of the Academy boys to fan the eve
ready fire and stand by to watch tn,
scintillant sparks. Three or four of then
were in the store now.
I'VE were just telling Mr.. Parker,
said Tom Brown as Rob entered, 'swha
a fine speech the professor made on 9TH,
Independent Voter at the lyceum las
evening"" and he gave Rob a significan
look which the latter readily interpreted
Mr.. Parker was a radical of radicals
and nothing more quickly aroused hi
indignation thar an argument for
different cause. Another time-thougl
never beginning nor openly abbetting tn
~dispute-Rob might have fingered {.
listen to it, but to-day he had no relisl
for it.
So Rob only said and quite carelessly
Shave you Oh, by the way, Tom, hav
you constructed that middle passage
I'D like to compare with you. Min
bitches a little. There's a clause bother
me. Wouldn't there be time to run owe
the Cicero before school if we went il
now ?"
"Fred has it, l guess" said Ton
unsuspectingIy. "His TRANSACTIONS ar
smoother than mine. Yes. we might q
over it. Come on Fred"
And Fred came, the rest of the grou,
following.'a s Rob had foreseen.
At recess why should Ben Nevins tax
pains to tell him what Julian Hathawa,
had said about his-Rob's-last thesis
"Faint praise it was, and especial,
irritating to Rob. Whose fault was i
that there was a latent rivalry that nigh
easily become envy. and even enmit,
between the two2 Was it inevitable
ut shan't last, mine or his" he deter
mined. and said only: ibid he? Tha
was q fine composition of Jules, Friday
wasn't it? Best in the form l thought
Ben, n~onplHssed, expecting to have ha.
a different answer, and equally ready t,
bring and carry. stared and turned away
Then there was Hal Leavens on his wa,
to the sub master with a problem b,
declared was "a sticker." But Rob
when it was pointed out to him, recog
nized it as one Of the simplest of demon
strati0ns, and remembered that Mr.. Car
had been more than noe reproved by the
head. master for his too-rsady help and it
indiscriminasing bestowal.
s'Tbey impose on him, these boys" b
said to himself. "Hal would worm on
the whole lesson before he left him. H,
shan't have the chance this time. Carr
too easy"
Rob stepped to z ne~ighboring black
"nnn41 -