The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-09-20
too late to begin now"


two fine iron gates standing Hospitality
open and paused at the door of the por-
ter's lodge, where stalwart commits
sionnaire met him.
"Have you called to see one of the
boysT said the official cheerfully
"No; I'm a stranger. It's good
many years since was in these parts
before. In those days there used to
be q news here and some warehouses
at the back, with few old shops
"Oh, / expect so, but that is long be-
fore my time. The Mary Arson home
was founded ten years ago, and it took
two years to build. It's one Of the fin
est charities In London. Would you
like to look roundT
as that allowedT
Certainly. Everybody Is welcome
If you go in by that side door there,
you'll find an old man who has moth
ing to do but take visitors to the chief
departments. Bless your heart, we
lose half our boarders that way. Peo-
pie come here see the excellences Of
the training we give and offer situa-
tons to boys who are old enough"
The man appeared to be surprised by
the commissionnaire's affability. He
did not know that civility and kind
ness were essential there If any en-
ployee would retain an excellent post.
He passed on, measuring the tessel'
lated court with q backward sweep Of
the eye. In the sunlit street beyond
the arch stood the policeman. The Wis
itor grinned again, an unamiable and
sulky grin, and vanished.
The policeman crossed over.
"What is that chap afterT' he In
quired.
Nothing special" was the answer.
LAST time he was here the place was
a news, he said"
"Unless / am greatly mistaken, he
has ticket in his pocket"
"You don't say! Do you know him?'
"No. I'll look him up In the album
in the station when I go off duty"
"Well, he can't do any harm here.
O'Brien takes visitors over regular
round, and, in any case, the man SEEM
ed to be honest enough in his curis
osity."
"You never can tell. They're up to
all sorts of lodges"
Thanks very much. I'll ring for
O'Brien's relief and tell him to keep an
eye on them, as the old man Is blind as
bat"
Meanwhile the stranger was being
conducted up wide staircase by a
somewhat lettering guide, who wore
on the breast Of his uniform the Cri-
mean and Indian mutlny medals.
AS he hobbled in front he told, with
a strong Irish brogue, the familiar sto-
ry Of the Mary Arson home-how II
fed, lodged and clothed 600 boys of
British parentage born In the White
chapel district; how 1t taught them
trades and followed their careers with
fostering care; how it never refused q
meal or a warm sleeping place to any
boy, no matter where he came from OF
what his nationality, provided he salts
fed the superintendent that he was
really destitute or needed his small
capital for trading purposes next day.
The great central hall where the COO
regular inmates ate their meals, the
dormitories, the Fairgrounds, the drill
shed and gymnasium, the workshops
the library, the theater, were all point
ed out, but the big man with the star
ing eyes was not interested one jot IN
any of these things.
"Who was Mary Anson" he asked
when the we'll worn tale was ended
"and how did she come to build such q
fine place here|'
"Ah, We may well AK that" said old
OBrien "Sure, she didn't build it al
all at all. She was poor wildly Twin
alone-st wild one son, Mr.. Philip that Is
now. She was born lady, but she
KEN down In the worruld and died, for
lorn an forgotten, in little shanty il
Johnson's News, as it was called IL
those days."
II remember II WELL"
Eye do, eh? Mebbe We know my ould
shop, the marine store near the ell
trance to the court?"
Eyes"
"Arrah, We don't tell me so. Me eyes
are gettin wake, an can't make out
yer face. What's yer name?"
"Oh, I'm afraid we didn't know one
another. l can't recall your name,
though recollect the shop well enough.
But, If Mrs. Arson died so poor, how
was her son able to set this great house
on its legs? 1t must have cost mint
Of money"
"Faix, ye're right Quarter of q mil
lion whit afore there was boy under
It's roof. And they say it costs 100000
year to keep it goin. But Mr.. Philip
would find that aud more to delight the
soul of the mother that's dead. Sure
it's aisy for him, in way. Isn't lie
the Diamond King!'
"The Diamond King! Why Is he call
ed that?"
"Dye name to say you nivver-- Man
alive, what part of creation did we live
in that We didn't hear tell of Mr.. Philip
Arson, the boy who discovered an ex-
trn spishul diamond mine of his own,
no one knows where? Sure, now.
what's wrong wild yep
For the visitor was softly using
words which to O'Brien's dull ears
sounded very like a string of curses.
"I'm sorry" growled the other with
an effort. 1--WE been to Africa, an