The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-12
A TINY HANDFUL OF BLOSSOMS.

| pose he is poor and can't help it."
He didn't use 20 be poor said Ben;
"he used TO have lots Of money"
Lots Of money" repeated Jimmy
What has he done with 1t all, theni'
"Squandered IT, grandpa says. lie told
me all about IL the day ! was there. and
| ne cried a little when / told him how the
old mans shlnty looked, and said, How
/ things have changed" lie said OLD Mr..
Hinkley-Nate's father-was the richest
man about here when he was a boy, and
Nate and his brother dressed better and
had more spending money than any OF
the other boys. He said Nate used 10
look down on Judge Benson because he
was a poor boy. Just think OF that! Judge
Benson. the leading man i'm the county,
father says; and old Nate used 10 feel
above him"
Hateful old thing! I'm glad he's poor
now snaried Jimmy. What else did
your grandfather tell you about him."
Gle said the Hnkley boys always
thought they were too good 10 work. an2
when their father died they sold the
farm. divided the money between them.
and went away. Amos, the brother. never
came back again. but died in some for
egn land. Nathan, though. married
little doll Of a wife and brought her here
years. and then Nate gambled and drank
tin his money was gone-or most Of II, at
least. Finally he came back here and
put up that little shanty. and has lived
there alone ever since. Grandpa says he
might work now-he's an able bodied man
but he won't do anything but just hunt
and FISH. he has traps all through the
woods. you know and along the river.
lie sells skins and gets enough TO buy
something 10 live on. now and then. but
do believe he'd starve If all our folks
didn't send him things every little while"
1.-THE lazy old thing" exclaimed jim
my. Indignantly. II suppose folks gave
him enough al Thanksgiving and Christ
mas and New Years TO last him half the
winter. Ia let him go hungry for one
while. and see then II he would go 10
work But he'd De down and die first
probably. If he's too lazy 10 keep his
house clean"
Wouldn't il be n good joke TO clean up
his house for him. said Ben Perhaps
Il would shame him into doing better
himself. Hc must have entirely forgotten
how he used TO live. / saw a handsome
china plate on the table that day. and
grandma said IL probably was his wife's
and he kept il FOR her sake: bat il was as
dirty as anything just the same"
The very thing cried jimmy jump
ing up and shutting his knife with "a loud
snap. Lets all go over there April Fool
day and clean him up
II wish We could, Said Ben, slowly;
but how could We manage itf He WON'T
let us in. and II he did he wouldn't let US
do anything"
"0h, we must get him out Of the way.
Your grandfather or Judge Benson VIII
help US. / know We must ask the gir's
TO help us, too: they know more about
such things than we do"
"They wouldn't dare to so into such a
place" said Ben. scornfully; they'd be
afraid OF a mouse. or something
Nonsense. they wouldn't, either. My
sister Sadie Is as brave as you are. and
she can wash windows as well as wo-
man. / heard mother say so only few
days ago. Come on. lett tel her about It
now" and he started on run for the
house. whittier Ben was Obliged 10 follow
him.
sadie Clark was In the sitting-room
monOtonously counting zone, two, three.
four" as she dutifuliy practiced her
music-lesson for the hour; but she stop
ped to listen 10 the boys plan, eagerly