The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-01-10
The Fresh Air Boy

Mira P.ikins bad ICE. sat dovn 10
: basket OF needing when her husbsu,
Q came into the kitchen, Where 10 Ton
mis2 be said He has s0ns mp to hi
J room. Mrs. Perkins replied. He said yol
g told him be would have to be up by
O'Clock tomorrow morning to ride will
you to the depot, and that he bad bettel
/ go right to bed.
Yee, told him thst. ssid Mr.. Perkins
but 1t was because | wanted 10 hsve . tslk
with you aud did no want him 10 hear il
that / sent him to bed When | venI
out TO the baru about 80 hour sso beard
him tslkiog He did not see me, so
stopped to see what be was doing. He
went from one stall to smother, pstting
each animal o. d saying something kind.
When he got TO Dobbin's stall he put bis
arms sronnd the horses neck and said
on, Dobbin, | must 60 home tomorrow,
and | shsn't see you again, bat | will new
er forget oil the nice rides | have bad on
your back Iteli you, Jane, q great lump
came up 10 my throat then, and | got out
OF that barn as quickly AMI as quiet
ly as possible | waited outside
quite a while before he came ont. Hls
eyes we're pretty red, bot ! did not appear
to notice. l said: Well, my boy, you
had better ran in and get to bed. ss you
will have to be up by o'clock to morrow
morning snd ride With me to the depot.
He did not ssy snyt ing, bat went toward
the hohse. saw him stop st the pump
aud wash hIs isce before he wen. in. /
uess be did not want you to know be had
been crying He has been good boy
since be came. hasn't he2
Yes. replied Mrs. Perkins, and be wac
real useful those two days last week when
you were sick
Well, what do you say to our keeping
him?
Mrs. Perkins looked up from her mend
ing and gszsd speeobless .. her husband
for some time. TLen she exclaimed. hi
ram Perkins. srs you crOzy2
Guess not be replied. l think l have
as many OF my faculties at the present
time as ever possessed. You think it
over am going down to Ezra Psrker's
now; we are going to the village to look
at yoke Of oxen be 10 thinking Of buying.
You must decide by the time get back
The other Fresh Air children are oil to go
home on the O'Clock train.
Mr.. Perkins then went ont but 10 q mo
ment be came back and said: Jane. what
is the use OF keeping tbst trunkful Of
clothes up In the attic any loneer2 You
know you have to look them over every
little while to see il the moths have got 10
to them. They could be fixed up for the
little fellow upstairs.
Mrs. Perkins did not answer. Her bus
band went on, and closed the door softly
behind him.
After be had gone bis vile laid aside
her work. folding her hands 10 her lap
and let htr thoughts go back ten years. AT
ter while she got up and lighted lamp
snd went upst.irs, She stopped 9 mo
ment st the door OF the room Tommie 90
cupied; it vas open little way, every
tbiog was quiet TIE child is asleep she
said TO herself, Then the vent up one
N ore flight oi stairs, opened door and
v ent iuto the attic. The place vas sacred
10 her because it contained so many things
that had belonged to her boy. There we're
bis sled and bis rocking horse. bis books
and bis toys. Under the ewes was large.
Did fashioned trnnk; she pulled it ont
from the wall. SAT down 10 front OF it. and,
taking hey IRON her pocket. unlocked
md openad it. Ole by one tse little gar
nert, were tsk out examined and fold
ID up aud pu. back again. There ere 90
u otbs in them yfi, che s.ij. She closed
be trunk snd locked 1t, snd thou laid her
head upon it aud cried ss only 9 mother
,sn cry. Alter while she arose, pnt the
RINK back 10 its place, picked up ter
amp and webt ou, oil the room.
When Nrs Perkins resched the door OF /
ror mie's room she stopped sgsin. 1t !
vas not 90 still there this time. She look E
ID 10. Tommie vas lying With bis eyes .
vide open, snd % the stood st the door be 4
poke TO ber.
have bsen trying TO 90 to sleer, be 9
aid, bat | cant. csnse | keep thinking 4
bat % us, go away from this nics plsce
omorrow morning. | sish you wcuid 61 I
/ 90 1 could stay here ,lssys. II you II
ill uill be good boy. ,rulJ will.
Ms. Perkins opened tbs door Of the b
Dom vide 90 ! wslked 10. She placed
hair clote to the bad snd est down. Ton 9
,ie. sts said, sm going TO tell you some II
bios sbout my little boy His father E
I'd | we're - proud OF hin: se xeie very
lsppy. We three; bot be sent to live 10 |,
issssu.
Why. itst i. shefe ny mother Is. FL q
lsined Too uie. Il
Yes. kpos. sid Mrs. pfkips. srd 20 d
su gong TO sst you to, ,tsy here. q
All the tinef fIclsined Tounie. b
Yes, sll The tins Iomorrow We vil
cod word 10 tee people thlt you have K
een living With that vs sili keep you. b
| viii be good boy. said the delighted II
4,