The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-09-12
WHEN SAM FOUND HIS COURAGE.

By ELIZABETH L. GOULD.

gretfully; but just recollect that
Sammy asked me if I'd full as sooI
! call him Sam now he's seventeen, and
I've clean forgotten it ever since till
this minute, And he such boy. and
| me such drag on him. and forgetting
such an easy thing as that. I'll gee
my mouth fixed for it when he comes
| back Sam I'll say to him. Sam. I'm
! glad to see you back. Sam: and. Sam.
I've had a nice morning under the
trees. Sam | reckon the oftener |
say it for a SPELL the easier it'll come.
III practice it off and on the rest t.
the morning to keep my hand in" sal!
| Uncle Hiram. wisely.
Sammys thoughts. as he hurried
| down the road that led to the Lapharl
house. were not very comforting.
I'm nothing but what the children
call 'fraid cat that's all am" he
said. bitterly. Amy other boy would
| speak mp to the judge and make hir
remember and perhaps get 4 chance.
Uncle Hiram.minds. too. He's hardly
| talked about the old war-times, when
he was q drummer-boy and got ms
wounds. once. tor the last week He'd
rather be in an attic in Boston ard
know | was working my way up thar
| to stay here in Moorby: there's nobu ly
| here ne cares enough about to make
him want to stay. And | might ear
money enough to buy him a wheeled
chair before long. While mother liv"t
couldn't go. but now could"
Mrs. Lapham's house raced the south
and as Sammy entered the yard ~
looked for Mrs. Lapham's smile at tha
window of the room where all her
days were spent.
She had been bedridden for ten
years; the old sitting-room of her early
married life had been changed to her
bedroom. and every morning before
Mr.. Lapham started for his Harness
and Shoe Shop he dragged the bed
close to the window. All passers-bY
were used to the sight of Mrs. Lap
hams pale face propped into view by
many pillows. and her thimbie tapped
many a summons to enter on the low
est right-hand pane.
There was no face at the window
| that morning. although. as Samm"
drew close to the house. he could see
that the bed was in its usual place.
| As he stood a moment irresoIutely at
the turn where the path branched Of
toward the woodshed, a man hailed
him from a passing cart, saying:
"Hullo, Sammy. How's business witt
you these days.
Fair, returned the boy. soberly-
adding under his breath, Il wish peo,
pie wouldn't call me Sammy It's
such baby name.'
There came tap at the window as
| the cart ratified oUt of sight. and SAM
my turned quickly to see Mrs. Lap
hams face, white and drawn, at tie
pane.
Why she looked as if she was cry
ing" said the boy to himself. startled
out of thoughts about his own troubles,
as he entered the house.
Sammy" she cried. In a high.
| strained voice. The men are at work
in the judges meadow and he's there
with EN-. They're going to cut down
all my willows and my old apple-tr%e.
Sammy. John Roberts is there with
EN-. experimenting under the judge.
! tapped him in this morning just after
Mr.. Lapham had gone. and he told me.
IIHp II thnsn
trees belonged to me, My view'll 10
all spoiled. and it's everything | have
10 look at. that meadow is, Sammy"
"Yes'm. | know" said the boy. with
| quick sympathy. II suppose he thinks
the meadow'll be better without the
willows. and that the app!e-tree doesn't
bear much of any fruit. He doesn't
realize about you. Mrs. LaphaT. the
| Judge doeSn don't believe he even
knows about you. You see he's only
here in the summer and ne doesn't
see much of lis village people" added
Sammy. gently. Its an awful ply
Mrs. Lapham."
IF lie knew" said the Invalid. crush
ing her handkerchief between her
clasped hands. IF he knew. do yIu
suppose he'd leave the apple-tree
Sammy? Look. Here's where see
the buds on that long branch first;
and then the blossoms como, all whit
! and pink. and then the apples. And
the branches arc lovely eren VIII L
they're bare: and you know row they
shine in the snow and ice I've shown
you so often. The road is so narrow
how can the judge help knowing about
me. Sammy? And the willows shine
so in the sun after rain. shall be
gone before they could grow high