Smyrna times., 1908-03-11
The Mistaken
LdentityqT0mmy
By ADDIE T. MITCHELL.
Copyright. 1907, by (. c. PARCELS.
By ADDIE T. MITCHELL.

4 Copyright pO', by K. c. PARCELS.
Mrs. Vaughn put down the letter she
lad been reading. with Il troubled lit
ale sigh Her daughter Madge looked
ap from the step
What's the matter, mother? You
look as if you had been reading your |
death warrant"
Il have-the death warrant of our |
summers peace. Aunt Mary North |
writes to ask if we won't keep her
Tom while she and Mr. North 20
abroad for the summer"
Who's her Tom?" asked Madge sue
cinctly
Her stepson. I've not seen Aunt
| Mary since she married Mr.. North, and
know next to nothing of the North
family. But Mrs. Wilson knew Mr..
North when they were living in Chi
cagO (that was in the time of the first
Mrs. NOrth). and she said there were
two girls and a boy. The boy was in
kits then, and that was five years ago.
so he must be about eight or nine
years old. Aunt Mary says he has
been i'll with typhoid and that she re-
members with hope for his health that
the air at Pinecroft is healing"
But we can't have him. mother
Think of having an eigbt-year-old boy
on our hands the whole summer! We
can never get enough cooked for him
to eat, and he'll be drowned regularly
once week and break all his arms
and legs on the other days. And
wanted quiet. heavenly rest this sum
mer before | have to go back to that
awful office. And it will be-wen the
other kind of time with 4 Tommy
around. that is certain
But. Madge. | can't refuse Aunt
Mary. She was your fathers favOrite
aunt and always so good to him. No,
Tommy will have to come. whether we
want him or not
, "Well. then. when:"
The letter says next Tuesday un-
less they hear from us that it is not
convenient"
Tell Aunt Mary l have the small
pOx or that died suddenly ut the
news-anything. Please, mother.'
q was wondering" said her mother
whether an eight-year-old boy would
he afraid to sleep in a room by him
self Shall we put a bed in the alcOvC
. off my room or fix up the south cham
ber?"
n "All the boys I've ever seen" an
swerel Madgc. were afraid neither o
the things under the earth nor of thos
upon it. Give him room to himself
and then you'll be saved the everlast
S ing clatter of fishing tackle and knive
and toads and things in your room"
Still grumbling, Madge helped he
mother get ready the south chamber
As she worked she grew interested an
even took from the walls of her ow
room some interesting prints whic
she thought would be suitable for
boys room.
81 can't see. though, why Aunt Mar
didn't take the little wretch abrOa
with her-the sea air would do hi
good. Take out all the fancy thing
mother, as you value them"
IF you only understood big boys ;
we'll as you seem to understand Il
small ones you would not be twent
lOHf anu sun clI5lCs ACeAHCu III n.y.
er.
Il do. mother" said Madge veh
mently. Il understand them altOget
er too we'll and that's the very reas'
/ am still single"
There was no immediate reply
J, this. and Mrs. Vaughn t ned her
), tention to the room.
;, Get all your old picture books a
put them on that shelf. Madge, and
think I'll bring Jim's old hObbyhol
down from the attic. He may desp
it. but you never can tell"
- 81 suppose could make him sol
{ kites" said Madge There's all IL
red and blue paper and miles of yell
string. Perhaps if | make big
- he'll get fastened to it and fly OF
Mars. And while I'm up in the at
Pm going to bring down some of Jill
old overalls.
ARRANGEMENTS were finally comp
od and Madge rather looked forWi
to the coming of the little boy so [
when Tuesday came she willin
drove TO the station for him, tho'
she protested that st. Lawrence
his g1.idiron were as nothing to
torment she was undergoing. She t
along a bag of cookies, Just to
mn his mouth so he can't ask q
tions." she explained.
The train was late, and Madge g
uttle cross as she waited in the c
n tran with the hot sun beating d'
unon her. The pony was restless
- she dared not leave him to go in
Of tba station. When the train fin
steamed in. however, she gave
reins to a porter and went to hnd
Young charge. She watched the
who came out of the coaches nerV
~. with one eye on the dancing p
but as far as she could see no S
OUb 80 IVoor;,,or !