Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-05-18

been in the habit of scattering quar-
tiers broadcast among boys, whereas it
had been a long time since he had given
one even a penny, for any service
Now all the Dwigans family, howev-
er wastefu1 and shiftless they might
have been, had always been regarded
as strictly honest. And SO when the
next night a store, or / should have
said the store, which sold cigarettes
was broken open and the entire stock
of cigarettes stolen, nobody for an in
slant suspected Sammie. Particularly
as Sammie the next day, appalled, by
the enormity of his deed, carefully hid
away the ill-gotten goods and forbore
to smoke, although cruelty urged to
do so by the pangs of appetite.
'Does seem as if luck was on Jacobs
SIDE" commented Mr.. Ravens. Here's
Sammie smoked up his quarters worth.
and now there won't be any for awhile
for Sammie to get hold off,
Meanwhile Jacob Monasmith found
the peace and happiness of his life
broken in upon. Although temperate
himself, he knew the strength of appe
tite, for Miss Ravens was mistaken
when she said he had no powers of OBJ
servation. He had very great powers
of observation and great sympathy
for the tempted. And he was not long
in discovering the identity of the
| thief.
Twas Janeway giving him that
| quarter that started it, he unused.
"Sammie hadn't had any for quite a
| spell, and when the quarters worth
was gone he got desperate and STOLE"
| And Jacob sighed as he put on his hat
and went to seek his stepson.
| He found him, after some search, be-
hind the barn, sitting listlessly on an
old, overturned wagon-bed. Taking a
seat beside him, Jacob said: "Where
| have you hid them, Sammie?''
The boy started up in terror, but his
| stepfather laid a OBTAINING hand on
| his arm. 'Sit still!' he said, kindly
but firmly. There was silence a mo-
| ment, during which the strength of
will that lay behind that OBTAINING
hand was making itself felt all through
| Sammie's deranged nervous system.
And when the question was repeated:
"Where have you hid them, Sammie ?''
the answer came in a whisper: up in
the loft
Then he said: ''Do you love your moth
er, Sammie?'
Eyes, l dol" came the answer, and
| the boy burst into tears.
81 love her, too" said Jacob. "Now
| We'll see what can be done. We don t
want her to find out about this, Sam
| mie.''
The boy listened with bated breath
Snn love hor RI
promise me never to steal any more
That is what I'm asking you, Sammie.
Do you love your mother well enough
to promise me, because you love her,
never to steal any more?"
eyes, sir" he answered, respectfully.
''Then," said Jacob, removing his
hand from the boys arm and rising,
Il love her well enough to get you
out of this scrape. But there's one
thing more I'd like to ask you. OF
course you don't love me, but do you
respect me enough to promise me to
quit smoking those things?''
II do!' said Sammie solemnly
'I'm not wanting to ask too much
of you,'' said Jacob, ''but any time you
should feel it in your heart to call me
pa I'll be proud to hear you, son.
| 1AIu tneu JdcOD walked away.
Nobody stood by to see the tumult
in Sammie's small nature that day. and
nobody saw his spirit burst its bonds
and stand ready to begin a larger
growth. For Jacob had gone to right
things with the burglarized store
keeper, who was a firm friend of his.
You can keep your mouth shut, ]
know began Jacob, when the two
were alone. Now I've found out who
took those cigarettes, and I'm ready
to pay for them. Least said, soon
est mended. How much were they
worth to you?'
The storekeeper named a sum and
Jacob promptly paid it. 81 could have
brought them back to you,' he re
marked, "but 1 didn't do it because
1 didn't want them to be here tempt
ing boys
For moment his friend, the store
keeper, looked at him. Jacob" he
said. with admiration, you were cut
out for a father if ever man was"
Jacob blushed all over his homely
visage. 81 kind of thought was wher
1 married Sammie and the three girls,
he answered. modestly. 1.-The children
have lots of good in them, if body
knows where to find it,
And as months passed the town O
Ganabrant began to see dimly what the
stepfather had all along seen through
his large vision.
Years went by and Sammie was ou1
in the world for himself-doing well
too, although Jacob thought. with {
sigh, that he had never said pa
Then Jacob fell sick Tho yoo4ba,.
frightened and distracted at tn,