The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-04-18

us Mluu, Dut he WIS TOO weak 10 ask
them and soon dozed off again.
When he was at last able to sit up-in
bed and talked little he learned by
degrees the history OF nearly two
months. Parts OF 1t affected him a
good deal.
'Mr. Wheaton has been like son TO
me-" Mrs. Blake said when Edward
was able TO hear HE sent for me as
soon as the doctor declared your case
dangerous. You have had typhoid.
Ned, and have been very sick. At one
time we feared"-
"Was It so bad as that?"
'It certainly was. / don't know what
| should have done If Mr.. Wheaton,
HAS Wheaton been carrying my
papers?"
Eyes. He said your route was con-
venlent for him to handle, and he has
been doing that and his own too. He has
collected every Monday and given me
the money each week. And. besides
that, Ned. he has sat here with you
forenoons and insisted on relieving me
n good many nights. He's splendid.
Christian boy. and feel proud to think
you have won such a college friend"
said Mrs. Blake innocently.
Edward did some hard thinking. His
dislike for Wheaton had been caused
by two things mainly. One was
| Wheaton's habit Of going around with
Bible under his arm and talking re-
ligion so much; the other was his
poor scholarship, which seemed to Ed
ward ineXcusable. And yet. he now
asked himself, is it any worse to carry
Q Bible around under ones arm than
| 10 puff cigarette smoke into peoples
faces. as half the smart boys in Hope
were in the habit Of doing? And when
came TO scholarship. WINS Wheaton
to Diane If his mental ability was of
a second rate order?
"Mr. Wheaton told me-" continued
| Mrs. Blake timidly, that he has been
praying for your recovery and hopes
you will become a processing Chris
| tian."
Edward felt uneasy. He wished that
| his mother had not said anything about
that. OF course he said to himself. he
felt grateful to Wheaton for the way
| he had acted. 1t had been an unself-
| ish, noble thing for him to do. But he
disliked Wheaton's praying over him
and talking about his Christian life
And yet why not Edward Blake, NOR
al stickler for truth and righteousness!
| Is it so common thing that one man
| should have an earnest solicitude fol
another mans eternal welfare that II
can be carelessly or even impatiently
| treated, as you seem to treat this feel
| ing of another soul for your soul?
There was long silence in the room
| Mrs. Blake did not know anything
about Edwards thoughts or expert
ences along the line of n personal
| Christian life. He had never written
her anything about it, and the two
( had seldom talked about it. Edward
had always avoided the matter
"How are the folks at home?" Ed
| ward asked as Mrs. Blake rose to ar
range some medicine.
"They are all well. Freeda has man
aged matters beautifully in my alb
sence. She wanted to come on here
and help, but it was not necessary
| Miss Seton has spent part of the
summer on the farm, and Freeda has
enjoyed her company. She has taken
hold and helped Freeda and Aunt Sa
rah wonderfully. You would think she
was born on n farm instead of In q
city. Freeda wrote you several letters
| to read when you were able. | was to
| give them to you one at time, one 9
day, as you grew stronger.
"Give me one OF them now, mother y
81 don't know. You have talked
good deal Aren't you tired?"
Edward protested that he was not
| and his mother let him have the first
letter. During that week he enjoyed
| reading the letters one day. They
were written in Freedas brightest
| style and gave accounts of the happen
| ings on the farm. In several of the
later letters Ida joined with Breeda in
| hoping that Edward would speedily
recover and sent her regards to him.
1t was during the week Of his recov
cry that Edward had little interview
with Wheaton which was not altogeth.
| or satisfactory to either of them.
Wheaton came in one forenoon. and
| Mrs. Blake went into the little bedroom
| to lie down awhile.
Ppm awfully thankful to you. Wheat
| on, for your kindness during my sick
ness, about the paper route and al
| that Mother has told me. | won't
| forget it."
Wheaton looked somewhat haggard
but he was naturally thin and some
what consumptive in general appear
ance.
That's all right, Blake. was right
here and haven't had much to do this
summer. You would have done the
same for me-"
do you think SOP
"Of course I do. Why notY' asked
Wheaton, who was not one Of the thin
skinned students and complacently
took any quantity of snubbing and
scorn from the smart set In college
Or perhaps his real anxiety for the
souls Of other men made him indiffer
ent to their sights. Edward could
never quite make up his mind which OF
| the two was more probable.