Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-06-25
THE JOURNEYS END.

advancing.
We'll, what do you want:" she de-
manded.
Can do some chores to pay for my
supper and a place to sleep tonight q
Oh! You're a tramp, are You!
Pretty Young to start out that way"
Il asked for a chance to work for all
ven let me have"
II don't know as I'm going to let You
have anything She took another step
and scowleI with pain. If you can find
the old hen-tmkeS, over there in the
meadow, ana drive her and her little
turks into the barn. maybe I'll give you a
bite. She ought to have eleven little
ones: if YOU don't Get every one i won't
give YOU mouthIui hyper along now,
there's big thunder shower coming"
III it wasn't for this rheumatism !
wouldn't waste a supper on that boy,
just for getting those turkeys in," she
muttered but I'll make him work it
out"
So as soon a. the turkeys were under
cover she set the boy at work in the
wood>hed splitting wood until supper
was ready.
After they had finished their suppers
Mrs. Skinner asked the boy:
What's your name?
Frank Withee." He wanted to ask
her name in return, but She looked so
angrily at him that he did not dare.
Where did you come from p
From Clockville. New York"
How did you get here!"
Walked the most of the way; once
in a while | got a ride"
It's a long ways from New York to
New Hampshire. Whatever possessed
you To start ON such tramp-run
away p asked Mr.. skinner
No, sir; | haven't anybody to run
away from. I've csme to take my
grandmother out OF the poorhouse." His
face flushed, and he added quickly: 1T
isn't her fault that she's there. She had
good farm and home, and all the chill
dren she had was my father and his
sister, suppose she's my Aunt Susan,
but I'll never call her aunt"
Mr.. Skinner moved his chair to the
window and looked out into the black.
rainy night.
The farm was going to be fathers"
Frank explained. but he said he'd give
M MS share To his sister if she'd take
care of grandmother as long as she lived,
and she promised to. Then last year she
put grandmother into the poorhouse.
I'm going go see her and tell her what |
think of such mean business" lie
clcnchcd his fists and squared his shout
ders. rs though in anticipation of the
meeting.
"Whatcvcr put it into your head to
come such an amazing distance just to
take care of her?' asked Mn. skinner.
Il promised father that | would. He
was sick Il long time, and we had to
Use the money he had saved to come and
get her; then he worried about her until
promised that Id come here and take
care of her"
How old are you?" asked Mrs. Skin
uer looking sharply at the boy.
Most II; I'm small for my age, but
there's lots of things ! can do. I've got
$50 that | earned myself, and father said
Grandmother is great manager, 50 |
guess we'll keep of the town"
Il guess you'll find that $40 won't 60
far toward Keeping two people; you'd
better keep your money and take care
of yourself OF thcrcll be two OF YOU on
the town instead of one"
Frank. rcsolutcly "She's my own
grandmother; she belongs to me"
Its time for YOU to go to bed; you'll
have 10 he moving early in the morning
and get To work, if you're going to do
such big things said Mrs. Skinner
sharply, as she took a lamp and led the
/ way To a small bedroom.
When she returned she took seat at
another window and studied the dark
ness outside After Il while Nh skinner
said:
/ e." don't know as care what that
little ~quiut of Il boy says; never heard
anything 50 foolish! Thinks he can take
care OF himself and her, too"
! There was few moments silence;
+ then he continued;
Il don't Sue as il was my fault, any
how. Twas all Your doing~"
There Was y longer silence; then:
~ on said Won wanted her ROOM SO You
could have a nice spare room like Other
'o.k>. and Won said she'd be more com.
.Wtahe over there this house i 81 cold.
"la II costs tno much TO keep fire ia
her roauI.
Tie moved about mcasjly. studying hcr
lace mtgntly Then. with long rau>2s
between his -rutouoS:
"AHNbolv can ste that he's used to
"@N. Tie took care of the turkeys and
smut htW zap lust as careful as you
I could. You're getting pretty rheumatig.
ue0 about pay their keep now. and. hy
and ~. @oUc. | need some Ae}p la,t
/ now too"
Again he waited for her to speak but
/ she didn't