The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-27
The New Boy.
BY ALEXANDER TowNLEY.

him about things in the text books so that they became real and partly because she gave him other interesting books to read; Ills fortunes prospered, too. Every one in Miss Gilberts neighborhood bought papers from him and there were always things to be done after school and on Saturday that brought him more money than he had earned when he stayed out of school to work
 Larry was 15 now and friends of Miss Gilbert's In the West wanted to adopt him.
 It's good chance for you. Larry" give you fine start in life '0u anu
 rhaps they wouldn't like me-" sug- gested Larry.
 T think they will They are willing to take you on my recommendation. Don't you see, boy, that it Is the chance of a lifetime for you?'
 Yes, 1 see, Miss Gilbert. but it's kind of hard to think of going away from the place you were born in and everybody you know. and the kids are awful fond
 Yes, I understand, and if did not think you were a brave boy, who would undertake a hard thing l would not ask Arrangements for Larry,s going to +bo S,inderwoods ,in were soon completed. Even HIS drunken father sobered up the day to tba ne rai started on his Journey and went i9 fg, the rallroad station to see him off Ills mother was there and the three younger children. Everybody kissed him and cried, and they gave him candy and peanuts In paper bags that kent burstine out, and little Mamie begged him to s.,ls talss her doll that had lost one leg and one arm. e one Larry had looked very white ana ha been very miserable while all of this f,,ss fi'su was being made and was relieved uibar' usS he tne bod conductor aa shouted Al aboardp and and Lanlliiar landmarks slipped by him he he gan to feel i'll and had an incIination = Jump or the train. 'o see you're not going Into the sn1olx lng.car, said the fat man opposite hin, at that moment. iiiAl No, replied Larry
 l Neither am I. Going far9 o,,oh. . All right; let's be friends. Hara,s' enY ., card. Give me yours" iiere my Lawrence Healy. They mostly us my cd11 names | Larry" call me On the card that the fat man bandaa Jus Whitcher.S and underneath % wa rneopht- oIs1t ten in pencil. friend of Miss Anita Mds wTlf iI-
 "Ws,, "UWh. do you sSdls,s know herr" asked Larry. ranch in Wyoming now Ever been on or ranch? We'll, it's big place. and ov vo,, d used to oiie i've sna on vlsit sar me s%omeime so the Gilberts had a place up there and and nsed to come to 1t in the summer. Just l into Anita Gilbert and shook hands u,sh l her and says: Sorry I can't ston ",,t h,,t I'm off for the Vest Look out for Drs my es West to harey tbe 1Tndarod Healy, rm sending him | after me. spotted you right away uiee es the kind of boy Anita Gilbert would be likely to send to the Underwoods I knouy them, too for they used to come to Very mont in the summer" 'ei-
 Larry. found in MT. whitcher very pleasant travelling companion. and the novelty. of the trip soon diverted him | from the sorrows of parting. The last week had been mad .whirl, fn which af 'aii aiI | There had been a lot of shopping Iie had a large; new trunk full of ali kinds Of clothes different from any. that he had ever owned He himself had been through Turkish bath and was dressed in a brand new, outfit. from the skin out His bag contained more brushes and other toilet articles than he knew how to use He had a new pocketbook. containing besides his railroad ticket. s1o. and he had ed In vfSs Pas r9und his neck his side but when he was not talking with MT. whitcher he was interested i5 looking looking out t, the window He was just be- Mr. Whitcher looked at his watch and said said: .. Tine , for dinner, think. Come Larry ga wss ss ssd shs KY tS %hebr fe snRs with him, for there were so many things to eat that he could not have decided for him. and all he had to do was to eat and wonder If he were awake or dream Ing.
 At Chicago MT. whitcher left him, but Mir. Underwood met him; so that they had good chance to get acquainted be- fore he reached his new home. Mir. Un- derwood did not talk as much as MT Whitcher. but Larry decided that he liked him.
 Mother. this is our son Lawrence. that God put 1t into the heart of Anita Gilbert to send to us.'' said MT. Underwood as he and Larry entered the wide hall where Mrs. Underwood was waiting for them
 My son, I am very glad to see you" Mrs. Underwood said, taking him by the hand and kissing him on the forehead "I will show you your rooms. and I hope you will be very happy In them. Here Is your sitting-room, or study, or den whichever you choose to call lt-and this l Is your bedroom"
 The next three years sped by so rapidly that Lawrence Healy Underwood did not have time to realize that he had become 1 another person. He did not forget his | family or Miss Gilbert, and he wrote to them regularly; but his life was so filled