The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17

"Um-h'm! We'll. now. I'll tell you. You're dirty lttle thief, as said be- fore. And I'm going to treat you as one. If you wear those pockets hang ing out. or rip 'em out. and come in here before you leave every day dressed as you are--pants and jacket and skin and empty out your basket for us before you go. until I'm satisfied you'll do better, you can come"
 The old lady looked at her husband as if she thought him pretty hard on a very small boy. But she said nothing. Crow glanced appeaiingiy at her be- fore answering. And then he said. seiz- ing his pocket: s.
 "Is you got air pair O scissors. iadyf" Mrs. Cary wished her husband would relent even while she brought the scis- sors. but he only cried:
 "out with 'emf' T Suppose you cut them out 3yoursslf. Solomon" she interposed. kindly. hand ing him the scissors. You'll have all this work to do yourself. We can't make you good"
 When. after several awkward efforts, Crow finally put the coarse little pock- cts in her hands, there were tears in her eyes, and she tried to hide them as she leaned over and gathered up his treas- ures-thres nails. a string, a, broken top. and q half-eaten chunk sof cold corn- bread. As she handed them to him she said: And I'll lay the pockets away for you. Solomon. and when we see that you are an honest boy I'll sew them back for you myself" .. As she spoke she rose, divided the hss evenly between the two baskets. and handed one to Crow.
 If there ever was serious little black boy on Gods beautiful earth it was ht- tie Solomon Crow as he balanced his basket of figs on his head that day and went slowly down the garden walk and out the great front gate.
 The next few weeks were not without trial to the boy. old Mir. Cary contin- ued very stern, even following him daily to the banquette. as if he dare not trust him to go out alone. And when he closed the iron gate after bim he would say in a tone that was awfully solemn: "Good-mornin', sir!''
 That was all.
 Little Crew dreaded that walk to the gate more than all the rest of the or deal And yet, in a way, it gave him courage. He was at least worth while. and with time and patience he would win back the lost faith of the friends who were kind to him even while they could not trust him. They were, indeed, kind and generous in many ways, both to him and his unworthy mother.
 Fig-time was soon nearly over. and, of course, Crow expected a dismissal; but it was Mir. Cary himself who set these fears at rest by proposing to him to come daily to blacken his boots and to keep the garden-walk in order for regu- lar wages.
 But" he warned him, in closing. don't you show your face here with pocket on you. If your heavy pants have any in 'em, rip 'em out" And then he added, severely. You've been a very bad boy"
 "Yassir." answered Crow. T know is. I been a heap wusser boyn you knowed I was. too."
 Whats that you say, sir7''
 Crow repeated it. And then he added, for full confession:
 'I picked green figs heap O days, and kivered 'em up wid ripe ones, an sol 'em to a white oman fur preserves" There was something desperate in the way he blurted 1t all out.
 '"The dickens you did! And what are you telling me for?'
 He eyed the boy keenly as he put the question.
 At this Crow fairly walled aloud: