The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-02-07
Mother For
John Philip
By Harriet C. Garfield
copyishs. 1904. by H.ni-. C. c.ns.B


John Philip Brown sat up very
straight at his end Of the breakfast ta-
BILE. 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 a little chuckle II bet''- But John
Philips bet was never recorded, for Su-
san appeared just then, red and gig
Cling.
Mrs. Noah stared at her reprovingiy.
II did not ring" she said sternly.
''No'm, l know you didn't, but She
she's here, an =
"'SheY Take your apron down from
your mouth and talk commercially Who
Is here?
Columbia = Columbia Farley. She
says that's her name, ma'am, an she's
from the Orphans home-a little mite
Of thing, an that funnyr' Here Su-
san retired again behind her apron.
'What does she wantr Mrs. Noah
asked grimly.
"Well, ma'am," Susan exploded, 'she
wants to stayr'
"Stay?" her mistress repeated blank
~, 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, Pm sure" she said sarcas-
tically, "and may I ask what decided
her in our favor%
1T was John Philip, ma'am," Susan
said, choking with laughter. "She-she
says she wants to be a mother to him"
John Philips face matched his hair
In color now; even the freckles took on
a tvelier red. "Consarn hep he said
under his breath
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 at Sun
day school, but she had no idee you
was Twin yet"
Anything more? Ny oatmeal is get
ting cold. Don't stand there giggling
like an IDIOT
"She wondered how old you was,
ma'am, an when / said 1 didn't know
she thought she could tell by lookin'
at your teeth, like the hired man at
the home done when he bought a
horse"
A great wave of color rolled over
Mrs. Noah's face and broke on the
beach of "spit curls'' outlining her high
forehead. Bring her tn," she said,
closing her thin lips tightly over her
''store" teeth.
Susan disappeared and moment lat
er ushered columbia Farley" into the
august presence of her mistress She
was truly "a mite of a thing with
great dark eyes and most engaging
smile.
How do you do, Mrs. Noah?" she
said, holding out her hand in a quaint,
old fashioned way. To John Philips
surprise, his aunt took the little hand
In hers.
$50 you'd like to live here?" she said
not unkindly.
Yes. awful well. Don't you need
meY' she asked naively.
II think not" Mrs. Noah said, very
gently for her, "and, besides, couldn't
take you without the consent of the
matron at the home"
"Oh, she won't carer 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 go
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 thisT' that Columbia Is
heart went out to him then and there.
II don't know" she said simply In
reply to his question. ''They amt
found out yet at the home, but know
how old I am. I'm going on seven.
I'm little, but maybe I'd do for him"
she nodded cheerily at John Philip
It'll he got really, truly one"
"a really, truly whatT Mr.. Brown
asked smilingly.
why, a mother, Of course. l learned
how to be one from Mis- Jones. She
has eight children. She lives near the
home. You just help 'em be good, and