Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1903-03-13
P<e<e%e%o<s<se<e~e<e<e>s>s
} lHIT@THE !
s EVENING !
, BY Richard Barker Shelton
, Copyright, 1902 by the
S. s. Mcclure Company

the temporary quarters OF HalI uOZcu
or more homeless mongrels. II the
neighbOrs complained Of the unearthlY
howlings, he would smile patiently and
say: "Well, what's to be done? Would
not have me turn 'em out to starye,
now, would you" And something in
the round, frank face and the deep,
CHEEKY voice always made the neigh
bors say, mo; oh, no." most apologet-
ically.
Tommy was n craftsman In the big
molding mills on the outskirts OF the
town. The little home provided by his
wages was presided over by his moth
er. a frail little woman, to whom Tom
my was at once an idol to be wOr-
SHIPPED.
THAT soft heart Of his will be his
DEATH" she often remarked. why,
only last month he gave his coat to q
dirty beggar and caught fearful cold
coming home without IT,"
The family physician, to whom she
confided this bit of news, smiled i'm
/ moderately.
"I'll tell you, Mrs. Sanders, I'd be
willing to have good many colds II
/ had heart like Tommy's."
"And that last stray pup he brought
home the other night got up from the
cellar and chewed up Tommy's speech"
she went on.
"The office at the mill has dinner
next week. you know, and Tommy is
to be one Of the speakers. And it was
a real good speech he wrote too. He
had all but the last Of it by heart,
and of course that was the very part
the pup chewed up. Land! I've been
all day trying to copy it over"
The doctor grinned. What did he do
TO the pup?' he asked.
"He" said Mrs Sanders. "Oh, just
Poor old dOggle, trying to steal my
thunder, weren't your"
Tommy laughed heartily that night
at his mothers account of her attempt
10 copy the damaged speech. The part
which was chewed into illegibility he
set about to rewrite with the meddle-
some pup wriggling about In his lap,
and when he had finished his writing
and committed the whole 10 memory
he and the pup had frOlic which left
the manuscript OF the speech In sad
tatters.
No one but Tommy knew just how
much he counted on sitting at the long
table with the officials Of the mill and
the invited guests. On his part he was
determined to do his best. To this end
he went over the lines again and again
until he felt sure he could start In the
middle and go either way. And on the
evening OF the eventful day. arrayed
in his dress clothes, he placed the pup
on a chair and. standing before him,
exhibited the heavy dignity Of the ora
ton.
Tommy left the house with light
heart and his mothers injunction 10
button his overcoat way up ringing
In his ears. His mind refused to stray
from his speech. AS lie turned the
corner he was mumbling TO himself
1T is with some hesitation | rise to re-
spond." when he was suddenly aware
Of a little group on the sidewalk gazing
upward Something on the spire of
the old Wesley church attracted their
attention.
what is it?' he inquired of one Of
the men.
Kitten" was the response.
Tommy strained his eyes, and in the
fast dying light he could make out
tiny speck well up on the spire. In a
moment speech and dinner were for
gotten.
where's the sextonT7 he asked, with
sudden energy.
"In the house there next the church.
some one answered him. A moment
later Tommy was tugging at the door
bell.
"You the sexton" he asked, and, as
the man nodded, Kitten on the spire
there"
The sexton made some profaDe ob-
servations concerning trespassing fe-
lines.
"Get a lantern and come on" said
Tommy. The sexton looked his dis
gust and then emphatically expressed
il.
Tommy fumbled In his pocket and
thrust a bill into the sections hand.
That changed the complexion OF things
The sexton got a lantern. and together
they climbed the rickety stairs of the
tower. At last they reached the top.
Above them was a small trapdoor.
"Roof of the bell deck, ehT said
Tommy.
"Yep." said the sexton, raising the
lantern. Tommy had shed his coat and
overcoat and was fumbling with the
hasp.
"Ain't going out thereT the sexton
questioned incredulously.
Sure" said Tommy. He flung the
door open and crawled out. The keen
air made him shiver. He grasped the
lightning rod and stood up. Below
him-far below him-were twinkling
street lamps. and momentarily he was
dizzy. He looked up. The lightning
rod ran straight up the spire, and be-
side II, clinging tight and mewing
family, was the kitten. That decided
him. From the group below came a.
faint cheer. Grasping the lightning
rod. he began to climb steadily up
ward.
IL seemed an interminable climb.
His breath came hard, his temples
seemed bursting. but always he worked
slowly upward until he was abreast
of the kitten. kitty, kitty he called
softly. and, cautiously reaching out
one hand. he drew In the trembling lit
tie wretch and thrust il In his trousers
pocket. Then he let himself slowly
downward until he reached the trap
door. crawIed through and sat down
on the rickery steps to regain his