The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-07-28
Mother For
John Philip
By Harriet G. Garfield
Copyright. 1904, by Hamlet C. Canheld

John Philip Brown sat up very
| bic. Mrs. Rachel Noah. at the other
| end, could not see his little bare feet
| playing tag beneath the table.
| Aunt Rachel looks just like my
| chicken hawk-anyways she would if
he wore spit curls," he said to himself,
with Il little chuckle. Il bet But John
| Philips bet was never recorded, for Su-
san appeared just then, red and gig
| CLING.
Mrs. Noah stared at her reproyingly.
Il did not ring" she said sternly.
Nom, know you didn't, but She
| she's here, an -
"'SheT Take your apron down from
| your mouth and talk connectedly. Who
| is herc!"
Columbia - Columbia Farley. She
says that's her namc, uam, an she's
from the Orphans horN-a little mite
| of Il thing, an that funny" Here Su-
san retired again behind her apron.
What does she want?" Mrs. Noah
asked grimly.
well, ma'am," Susan exploded, ''she
wants to stayw
stay" her mistress repeated blank
ly, while John Philip, unreproved,
squirmed with delight. Here was some
thing doing at last.
"Yes'm," Susan went on, ''She's had
her eye on this house, she says, for a
long time, but it want till this morn
in that she decided she'd live with
you She's a-settin' on her satchel out
in the kitchen"
Mrs. Noah fairly snorted with aston
ishment and Indignation. Much oblig
ed to her, I'm sure" she said sarcas-
her in our favor"
1T was John Philip, ma'am," Susan
said, choking with laughter. "She-she
| says she wants to be Il mother to him."
John Philips face matched his hair
| in color now; even the fred4es took on
a livelier red. "Consarn he!' he said
under his brcfh.
ANY more" his aunt asked, with
| the air Of one prepared for the worst.
"Yes'm; she asked what your name
was, an when | said Mrs. Noah she
was that surprised. She said she'd
heard about you an Mr.. Noah ut sun
day school, but she had no idee you
was Twin yet"
Anything more? My oatmeal is get
| ting cold Don't stand there giggling
like an idiot"
she wondered how old You was,
ma'am. an when l said l didn't know
| she thought she could tell by lookin'
Mt your teeth, like the hired man at
! the home done when he bought n
horse"
| \ great wave of color rolled over
Mrs. Noah's face and broke on the
| beach OF spit curls' outlining her high
forehead. Bring her in," she said,
| closing her thin lips tightly over her
store" teeth.
| Susan disappeared and Il moment lat
er ushered columbia Farley" into the
| august presence of her mistress. She
was truly II mite of Il thing" with
great dark eyes and most engaging
smile.
| How do you do, Mrs. Nuah?" she
| said, holding out her hand in Il quaint
old fashioned way. TO John Philips
surprise, his aunt took the little hand
| i'll hers.
$50 you'd like to live here?' she said
| not unkindly.
Yes, awful well. Don't you need
me:" she asked naively.
Il think not" Mrs. Noah said, very
gently for her, land, besides, couldn't
take you without the consent of the
matron ut the home"
| 'Oh, she won't carc" the little girl
exclaimed eagerly. There's too many
| Of us now and
Well" Mrs. Noah interrupted, you
can stay to breakfast, and then I'll 30
with you to the home" The child had
| crept thus quickly into warm corner
of the grim lady's heart.
She was eating her oatmeal when
John Philips father came down to
breakfast and asked so kindly, Whose
| little girl Is this!" that Columba's
| heart went out to him tEcn and there.
Il don't know" she said simply in
reply 10 his question. They amt
| found out yet Mt the home, but | know
| now on L am. Ill gong on seven.
| I'm little, but maybe I'd do for him"
she nodded cheerily at John Philip
It'll he got Il really. truly one"
"a really. truly WHAT" Mr. Brown
| asked smilingly.
why, Il mother of course. learned
how to be one from Mis- Jones. She
has eight children. She lives near the
home. You just help EN- be good, and
they WILL cause you love EN- so. It's
| awful nice to have mother" she said
wistfully. Il asked Tommy Jones if
he didn't think so, and he said, Sure
thing""
| John Philip tried to scowl, but his
forehead refused to quicker, and when
his father said MShall we LET her adont