The age-herald., 1900-01-21
CHAPTER III.

For three weeks after reaching the Mec- | ca Of his hopes, Fred did not begin his studies. It was of course better for him from all points of view to enter for college work at the beginning of the new term. l Fred did not waste any time during the | three weeks, but on the contrary, each l day found from a half to a dollar added | to his little store.
 He had in his pocket an unexpired Y. M. C. A. ticket and hds few hours of leisure
 were spent there He had presented his card of membership and had been enrolled | immediately on his arrival in the city. The genial young secretary had formed h1s ac- Quafntance which had rapidly ripene1 into | a warm friendship.
 On tine Sunday preceding the day of his intended matriculation, Fred walked into
 the parlors of the Y. Me. A. thinking to read for an hour or more. As he seated | himself before table hts eyes fell upon the paper which the former occupant of his chair had been reading and neglected to file. Thoughtlessly his glance ran through the want columns, more from a
 constant habit of being on the lookout for
 work than from deliberate purpose, when
 bis attention was caught and became rivet-
 ed upon the following notice:
 "A boy named Theodore Scovdlle was lost
 by his guardian eleven years ago in Rich
 mond, Va. He was of fair complexion,
 Night hair and gray eyes, and was four
 years of age. Any one informing the un-
 dersigned of his whereabouts will be am- ply rewarded.
 DONALD DICKENS DELANCER. Knoxville, Tenn.' Fred read and re-read the advertisement He did not exactly know why, but it seem- | ed to fascinate him. He almost immedi- ately discarded the thought absurd that | 1t someway bore reference to himself. He took up another periodical and began to | read. but his thoughts would return to | that little notice. He remembered sudden | ly that the two or three little garments l which he treasured as bit of what he be- Meved O be happier past, had his initials | stamped upon them. It seemed clear to l him now that these were T. s.. instead of | a faded F. S., as he had before thought. | He finally acted upon a sudden impulse l and reaching for pen and ink wrote an an- | swer to the advertisement. This done and | the letter mailed, by pure force of a strong 1 will he dismissed the matter from his mind and proceeded to walk in the dfrec- tion. of the university buildings. As he drew near he saw Harry and Will burt coming toward him. Cordial. greet ings were exchanged and they seated them selves under tree near the campus for long chat
 The boys had many college yarns and jokes to narrate and were also much inter ested in Freds account of his good for tune in having obtained work and of tine warm friendship with his friend the secre- | tary.
 But, boys.' said Fred, Thursday, you | know, l expect to begin studying, and I | am still without home"
 | Sure enough, you will be unable to do l the work you now have If you enter school It strikes me. Fred, you are undertaking l a gigantic task to do work of any descrip- l tion and keep up all the classes you count l on. Goodness, boy, have jack on two, l and do no outside work, and I have to l grind to keep up. There's Tom and the old captain, you know; they get on all right but by the ghost of Ceasar, Harry | and I have to dig for what we get," and Wltourt heaved a tremendous sigh from ibeneath his snowy shirt bosom and strengthened his flowing cravat "All the more to be appreciated when
 you do reach the treasure. Is it not so, old
 boy?' replied Fred q think I can sym
 pathize with you"
 NO, that you can't. Sometimes I think
 am only clod of the earth earthy, and am tempted to give up the effort to culti- yate my mind I tell you honest Injun,' if 1t were not that I recall the M. M. M and think of all it means. I assure you I would yield and give material things the prefer ence"
 "You know there's a race next week. eh. Fred?" interrupted Harry. Be sure to see 1t. Toms in to win. We count on him. ! Be there to halloa for him." | "A racei What"
 "A foot race Did you think Toms rac- | ing is all done at the other extremity? | You just ought to see him train He Is in | good trim, made the distance in eight min 1 utes and three seconds last time he prac- | ticed. = Good for Tom. I'll be dn for the first | football of the term won't I? '.Yes, we've told the fellows all about you | and several teams are counting on you but | of course you will belong to us till you have | had time to choose for yourself" '; By the by, what's your plan for | school?" inquired Harry.
 Well q vet planc haua s,oh i ized. I am on the lookout for home where l I can do chores for board and lodging i Everywhere l have applied they seem | afraid that can not do what they require
 before and after 3. My friend, the sec l retary, has spoken for job for me that l will only occupy a couple of hours a day. Whats that?'
 "Enlightening the public" he laughingly replied, but observing that they were pug zled to the he continued: ''I mean attend ing to the city lights. That will pay me enough for incidentals and now if can ar- range to get my board I am O. K.
 Harry said Wilburt," do you suppose our friend. Mrs. Thompkins might not need a boy to help?
 Why. perhaps so. Suppose we go with Fred and see" and full of hope that the thought would prove to be a valuable one they proceeded to the boarding house kept for students by one Mrs. Angin Thomp- kins. go
 Why, yes, that's precisely what I have
 been calculatin' on doin'.' she said to the
 boys, after hearing their errand. land if
 this young fellow can work and study both
 jest about think the plan will suit us
 both" Thus Fred found home-a home,
 too. better than any he had enjoyed for
 many a day. The good woman was elated
 on her own account to find her burdens so
 frightened by Freds strong arms and for
 Fred she rejoiced to be able to make it
 possible for him to succeed in attend'---
 school. When he conffded to h.fs. --..r
 his ambitious longinRs .-rr- some of
 it had seemed to -stsd Row impossible
 proportio~- v overcome obstacles of such