The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-15
TWO HOME COMINGS.
BY Annie Hamilton Donncll.

DAYS. They were all poor. There
were seldom many errands to do,
and never, never enough to eat.
When a boy is only ten and lives all
by himself in the dreariest attic In
The dreariest tenement in the very,
yery dreariest alley in a great city,
and when the errands fail-well, is 1t
my wonder a boy gets downhearted?
Scarecrow was downhearted. The
invalid in the other attic across the bit
If a hallway had not heard him whis-
lie for three days. She could hardly
have imagined beforehand how she
would miss the shrill, CHEEKY sound.
When Scarecrow whistled 1t seemed
% make it easier for her to draw the
needle through the stiff white cloth
with her thin. weak fingers.
poor little fellow, he's a-dreadin'
havin' her come home. No wonder he
amt whistlin'w the invalid unused.
Was that what Scarecrow was
ireading? Or was it something else!
There were so many things to dread.
He crept downstairs again and out
through the noisome alleyway to a
corner on one of the busy streets.
There he waited on listlessly. 1t was
almost night when his good luck came.
"Errand, mister? Gotter errand fer
a Teller? Kin run? gimme try!
On'y q flyer to 60 mile-dat's de bar
gain price,"
"Eh, eh, what's thatT
The looming figure half halted and
looked down absently into the anxious
face. Then it went on. Scarecrow
ran along beside it.
"Gotter errand, mister-say?"
ooh, you want job. Ell? That's It."
"Yes, sir-wot'll yer bet does! De
doctor has prescribed dose er vittles
fer me stummick. oh, say, mister,
mister! Gimme a jobv
The figure slackened its pace again.
"But 1 haven't any job--well, well,
let's see. Come with me. suppose
you might run on ahead with the lit
tie chaps green's"
At florists up the street he bought
a load of trailing green vines and
cheap bright flowers and put them
In the boys hands.
"Take them to Chandler street-one
hundred and seven. Here's a quarter.
Now run! the sooner you get there
the better"
Scarecrow gazed through screen
of vines at the silver lying on his
grimy little palm. 1t took on enor'
nous proportions and twinkled glori.
ously. wealthily.
II amt got no change-I runs 'em
fer a fiver," he muttered.
The man towering above him
laughed good-naturedly.
"Well, run this one fer a quarter
It's worth tit isn't any common er
rand" he said. And his face as he
strobe away was radiant with a sud
den joyful remembrance. No, no, this
was no common errand! This was
an errand out of a hundred-a thou
sand!
The man smiled joyously. In anoth
er minute Scarecrow felt his hand OF
his shoulder again, and another sill
yer quarter dropped through the vines
into the small brown hand.
ats worth it. OFF with your Tht
man laughed.
1t did not occur to him to distrus
the tattered little messenger. He wa
not In a distrustful mood.
At Chandler street, 107, the light
were all lighted. 1t seemed to be ;
regular illumination. Scarecrow coult
see through the unshaded windows I
big, bright room. that seemed full an,
running over with eager-faced littl
boys. Tall boys-short boys-curl,
boys-straight boys-and one littl
killed boy who danced wildly about
One, two. three-Scarecrow COUNTIES
boys. There were six of them! AM
what was this they were doing? TIL
little street boy stood watching then
outside.
"W-e-l-c-o-m-e," he spelled slowly t
himself, as one by one the big gree
paper letters were tackled up over tn
mantel in the big. bright room. TIL
word, complete, meant nothing def
mite to Scarecrow. He puzzled owe
it curiously. Then he knocked loud
ly at the door beside the window. !
troop Of boys answered the knock wit
headlong rush.
"Oh, oh! It's the flowers!-Daddy'
sent 'em! A boys brought 'em"
1.-THE flowers have comew
"An' the smile-axelr'
They're red an pink an yellow
IN they smell-my"
"Goody. goody-hoorayw
In an instant little Scarecrov's arm
we're empty. and the rush ba.k to tn
bright-llghted room had begun. Scar,
crow plucked the sleeve of the rea
boy boldly and whispered:
Say. wot's de gamer" he aske
eagerly. "wot's dem letters in del
spell out?'
"Why, don't you know?" the lit
fellow exclaimed in astonishmen
"They spell Welcome because mot
er's coming home tomorrow. To-mo
row morning-yes. Stree! They
cured her at the hospital. and she
coming home. We've got pieces
speak, and singing. and we're going
drape the picture with vines and fio'
ers. 1 tell you there's times. whit
your mother comes homer
Little Scarecrow crept away in Il
darkness. Even the bright silver qua
tiers clinked. unheard. in his pockt
He was thinking.
There are "timss'-l tell vou!