The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-04-10

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and mind all the time. Oh, sir. if
| yon wouldr'
He said that he would see what he
could do, and then, led on by his
questions, she told tho poor little
story. cts my sisters little boy.
she said. 'And he wasn't much
/ good, his father wasn't-he'd ALWAYS
! been Spoi.t - nobody ever took no
notice of how he was and, when he
died, people said it was good
thing" She pictured in few broken
sentences the lifo he had led and
| the terror he had caused those about
him. "And my sister, she got
married again-and has other chill
dren now, and she don't like johnny
to he with them much. He's like
bis father, she always says, and I
! guess he is. But he can be made diff
fercnt, cant he, sir? He won't have
to be like Kim, will he? if try hard
! to make him mind? He's awful bad
sometimes, but love him so" Brown
! glanced at the tow-headed figure DO
fore them and marveled. But there
was no mistaking the love in the little
aurt's eyes, as they rested for an in
slant on her charge. $50 I've been
bringing him here for week every
day-to make him want to be like
you all some day-aood, brave and
fine"
Her outspoken admiration made
Brown turn to the boy to hide his
smile. do you want to be a SOL
dler?' he asked, and the blue eyes
suddenly glistened. "You bet, >" he
answered, and did not seem abashed
at the sight of his aunt's reproachful
eyes-nor her admonitory "Johnnyl"
Brown seized this opportunity and
delivered a grave lecture to the child.
who listened in half abashed silence.
But the girl listened eagerly and
smiled her thanks to the man when
he had finished aud was turning from
them to rejoin his companions who
had again come up to them. They
/ seemed inclined to laugh Mt their com.
| rade's new acquaintances, but this did
not prevent him from seeking them
out the following day and putting
Johnny through a course of question
| ing that the little aunt smilingly
! listened to, for the few words had
worked wonders, and, as she con
| fided to her new friend later, Johnny
| had never been so good in all his life.
THANK you so much for helping me,
Sir" she added. You see I take
most of the care of him, in vacation
times especially, and he won't always
mind me, but he just thinks you're
| fne?"
1t was very evident that some one
else thought him fine, too, from the
sparkle in the dark eyes, and it was
! possibly owing to this fact that the
three met ever.r morning for a brief
chat after the exercises were over.
| Or 1t may haze been that it was a
comforting thought for young Brown,
FAR from home and on his way to the
Philippines, where bullets or fever
waited some of them-perhnps him
self--to feel that he was doing some
thing that perhaps might infu-
ence some life, no matter how
slightly; and it was easily seen that
1T was great comfort to the womanly
| child, whose hopes for her neph-
ew's redemption were rapidly grow
! ing. 1t was pleasant break, too. in
the long days OF waiting to be ordered
ON their way, and the soldier and the
two children became great friends
He called her "Little Aunt Margery."
| and treated her with certain respect
that seemed to be demanded of him
by her quaint dignity, that was so un-
/ usual for one of her years.
He began to realize, later on, that
their friendship was not a one-sided
affair. Little by little, rs he talked
with her, he began to appreciate the
depth OF nature that at first had
only impressed him as that of a child
and more than once he was kept
from doing something that he would
afterward have been ashamed OF by
the thought that Little Aunt Mar
gerry, - would be so sorry if she we're
TO know.
She listened with interest to what
little he told her Of his home life and
Of the life he was then leading: and
once, after he had been speaking of
what they would be likely TO cncouu-
ter. in the Philippines, OF the dan.
gers, The privatious and perhaps Tho
glory, she broke ont with a note in
her voice no had not heard before.
con. I'd like 10 be man, 60 go and
hght Tor my country It would he so
Emo 10 do something really aud not
just dream about it,. It's so much
better 30 be "a man who can go and
fight than TO be womau.-tO stay
home and wait-aud wait" And her
voice was 20 earnest that no did not
even smile at the idea Of her calling
herself woman, but recognizing tho
truth she 10 poorly expressed nodded
gravely.
That's 20, Iitdc Aunt Mareery.
hc answered. cts @ great blessing
that wc have But I'm glad You can't
go Go war. Just thini; how badly J
would feel 1t you were killed. and I'm
afraid yOu would be-"
Ilcv little hand was put on his
great one But it you arer she
cried ooh, IT you should bo killed
Il would want TO die, too. Thats
never been any ono so good 10 mo rs
you. There's never been any one TO
help me before. and Johnny, why
Johnny never be able TO thanl. Won