The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-02
FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT
By RICHARD BARKER SHELTON

Making a Speech the boys fingers
spelled in reply. " F
what about?" Sumner signaled.
Political corruption" was the re-
Spouse.
Good Lordv' Sumner observed to him.
self, and for the first time in many months
something akin to merriment lit up the
dull eyes momentar1ly.
Where's your father?' he signaled q
moment later.
Dead the boy signaled back. My
mother teaches at Mrs Thorpe's school,"
want to come over and see me?" Sum-
ner queried. .
The boy smiled and nodded. IF Mary
will let me-" he supplements in the finger
language.
That was the beginning Of Summers ac-
quaintance with Howard Roger Peters.
Every afternoon the orderly went across
the street to the apartment on the fifth
floor and escorted Howard Roger Peters
to Summers apartments. Howard Roger
and Sumner became great friends, and
with his new interest in life Sumner be-
gan to mend.
To Sumner, Howard Roger was at once
an enigma and a marvel. That twelve
short years could have produced youth
SO mature was beyond comprehension,
and in searching for the causes of this
maturity he learned much of Howard
Rogers personal history. He discovered
that the boys father had been a political
reformer and that a speech in the streets
of the slums on an inclement November
evening had been mainly responsible for
his leaving his family his worldly goods,
which were woefully inadequate for their
| material support; that to exc out their
| scanty fund the boys mother taught in
Mrs. Thorpe's school and that Howard
| Roger, left all day to Mary and his own
devices, had conceived the idea Of fol-
| lowing in his fathers footsteps and daily
| practiced his speeches before the pier
glass in the tiny parlor. And SO between
the man to whom life meant nothing.
and the child. to whose starved life the
sole idea was martyrdom, there sprang
up great and deep affection.
| They were sitting together one after
noon when Sumner suddenly leaned for
ward and slapped his knee emphatically.
Say, little craven image he often
referred thus to Howard Roger-"1 don't
believe you ever were a boy
Il don't know that ever was" How
ard Roger politely acquiesced.
Ever go to a ball game?"
Howard Roger shook his head.
when I was your age said Sumner
with half closed eyes, Il used to be a lit
tie bare-legged chick called Sunny by
my pals. I used to go swimming in the
, creek and fish for trout up and down
, Stone brook. My pals and I used to have
, a bandits camp in the woods Saturdays
ana roast eggs
"Oh" Howard Roger was drinking in
every word, his eyes as big as saucers.
"See here Sumner said quickly, you
, have done me no end of good these past
:, few weeks, and to show you I appreciate
it I'm going to teach you to be q boy.
y I'm going to show you what a ball game
a is like. I'm going to teach you to catch
trout and suckers Well have bandit
y camp and I'll show you how to roast
. eggs and broil bacon a stick. No, by
= George we won't wait for that! Wei
. begin now. john" he called to the order
g ly, "go out and get an air rife and some
4 slugs."
:, When the orderly came back Sumner
" and Howard were sitting by the oper
window, and Sumner, pointing to some
!, sparrows on a neighboring roof, was ex.
II planning it would not kill 'em, but JUS
. make EN- jump, you know" He tool
:, the air rifle, gave the orderly handful
q of cigars and told him to go out and
t enjoy himself.
g ; It was growing dusk when the orderi,
It returned. AS he mounted the stair a pea
l. Of laughter from Sumner greeted his ear
7. and the shrill treble Of Howard Roger!
p voice excitedly exclaimed: II hit him
s I hit him! See him jump? Ten to thre
e that makes it. Oh, I say, Sunny, I'v'
y got you trimmed to DEATH
Mutual benefit society, it seems t.
1t me-" the orderly observed to himself as h
went below to finish his cigar.