The Washington herald., 1908-02-12
MISTAKEN IDENTITY OF TOMMY
By ADDlE F. MITCHELL.

Mrs. Vaughn put down the letter she
had been reading with troubled little
sigh. Her daughter Madge looked up,
from the step.
What's the matter, mother? You
look as If you had been reading your
death warrant
II have-the death warrant Of our sum-
rner's reacc. Aunt Mary North writes
To- ask If we won't keep her Tom while
she and 1Ir. North 20 abroad for the
summer
"yho.s her Tome" asked Madge, sue
cinouy.
.Hel stcpson. I've not seen Aunt Mary
since she married NiT. North. and /
know next 90 nothing Of the North fam
Hy. But Mrs. Wilson knew Mr.. North
when they were living IN Chicago Chat
was In the time of the first Mrs. North
and She said there were two girls and a
bov-the boy was in kits then. and that
was five years ago So he must be about
eight OF nine years old. Aunt Mary says
he has been III with typhoid. and that
she remembers with hope for his health
that the air az Piuecroft is healing
But we can't have him, mother. Think
Of having an elght-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 I wanted a quiet, heav-
emily rest this summer before I have 70 go
back to that awful office. And # viii be
well. the other kind Of a time with a
Tommy around. that Is certain"
But. Madge. I can't refuse Aunt
Mary. She was your fathers favorite
aunt. and always so good to him. No,
Tommy viii have TO come. whether we
want him or not
well, then-when?+
"The letter says next Tuesday, unless
they hear from US that st is not con-
venient"
Tell Aunt Mary have the smallpox
or that died suddenly at the news-any-
thing. Please. mother"
7 was wondering" said her mother,
whether an eight-year-old boy would be
afraid to sleep in a room by himself
Shall we put a bed in the alcove of my
room or AK up the south chamber?
"AU the boys I've ever seem answered
/ Madge. were afraid neither Of the things
under the earth nor of those upon # Give
4 him "a room to himself, and then you'll
/ be saved the everlasting CHATTER Of fishing
/ tackle and knives and tOads and things
/ in your room
/ Still grumbIng, Madge helped her
mother get ready the south chamber As
/ she worked she grew Interested, and even
/ took from the walls of her own room
some interesting prints which she thought
would be suitable for a boys room.
Il can't see, though, why Aunt Mary
didn't take the little wretch abroad with
/ her-the sea air would do him good Take
/ ont all the fancy things. mOtheT-as YOU
value them.
IF YOU only understood big boys as
well as YOU seem to understand the small
ones, you would not be twenty-four and
/ still single" leased her mother.
/ Il do, mother" said Madge vehemently
"I understand them altogether too we'll
ard that's the very reason I am still sin
gle
There was no immediate reply to this
and Mrs. Vaughn turned her attention tC
1 the room
Get all your old picture books and put
them on that shelf Madge-and 1 think
/ I'll bring Jim's old hobby horse down
/ from the attic He may despise it-but
you never can tell
Il suppose I could make him some
kites" said Madge There's all that rec
and blue Daper-and miles of yellow
string. Perhaps II I make a big one he'll
get fastened to it and fly off to Mars
And while I'm up in the attic I'm going
to bring down some of Jim's old over
/ alls"
/ ARRANGEMENTS were finally completed
and Madge rather looked forward to The
Il coming of the little boy. so that wheI
II Tuesday came she willingly drove to th'
l station for him, though she protested tha
II St. Lawrence and his gridiron were al
nothing to the torment she was undergo
ing. She took along a bag Of cookies
lust to stop up his mouth so he can
ask questions" she explained
The train was late-and Madge got
little cross as she waited In the open tral
with the hot sun beating down upon her
The pony was restless and she dared no
leave him to go inside of the station
When the train finally steamed in, how
ever. she gave the reins to a porter ant
went to find her young charge. Sh
watched the few who came out Of til
coaches nervously-with one eye on III