Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15


big and gruesome. "Im not afraid, Aunt Matilda"
he called from the topmost step-'Pm-Im not
bt-afraid"
Mrs Darter sat for awhile thinking, and then
said to herself that she afraid he had set the
bed curtains afre, and she would go up and
about it. She went softly up the steps, and as
softly entered the door. The little fellow in
his night dress kneeling by his bed. Il didn't
suppose she had raised him to that, she said to
herself
Il came to see if you had set anything a-fire,"
she informed Jamie when he had risen to his feet
land I'm going to take the candle back with
me-"
II don't care, Aunt Matilda, don't mind the
dark. What's the hired boys name, Aunt Matilda?
| might want to speak to him. It's not quite SO
lonesome if you speak to anybody-n the
dark. Do you just call him the hired boy?'
His is Frank" And Mrs. Darter picked
up the candle and started down the hall
Aunt Matilda, wait minute" called out the
little white-robed figure running after her. Il for
got something forgot to kiss you goodnight"
Mrs. Darter stopped and received the kiss.
The hired boy, who had thrust his head out of
his door, this little episode, and drawing back
into his room shut the door and resigned himself
to suppressed but hearty laugh "The idee," he
b0dyr'
The next morning Jamie awakened quite early;
the chirping and singing of birds under his window
had much to do with this early waking, but the
stirring about of the "hired boy in the next
room had more.
"Say, Frank" jamie called, knocking on the
door between them, "are you going to milk the
cows now?'
"Yes-why?"
Because I'm going with you Aunt Matilda said
l was to help you milk and do everything
"All right" replied Frank "come on down when
you are ready"
the acquaintance begun unceremoniously up
stairs was continued in the barnyard, in fact,
cemented; for 1t was case OF love at hrst
sight" with the boys and lasted all their lives
oiobf tho chnr
that Frank had known. For four years he
had been Mrs. Darter's hired boy" we'll fed, to
be sure, but much scolded and hard worked But
somehow everything had gone easier this week.
OF course Jame's help had been nominal-not so
his company-it had been great deal. 1t was
what flood of sunshine is to a cellar plant or a
shower to thirsty vine. And then too, he could
not account for it at all, but Mrs Tidy had not
scolded much as usual.
On Sunday morning, Jamie came for Mrs Darter
to hear his Sunday school lesson.
And she heard it-with one arm around her
shoulders and his fingers at the verse he read:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor thyself. On these
two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets"
It was we'll that jamie found the verses himself,
for it would have caused Mrs. Darter some trouble.
She had not looked in Bible for years.
"I wonder if I'll be in your class, Aunt Matilda?
It's time for Frank to be hitchng up-old pony
we'll be late"
Mrs Darter did not interdict the order, and
it came about, that after six years absence from
church, she allowed herself to be taken back by
this child. Some of the deacons had offended her
years ago in insisting her increasing the amount
of her subscription; and the preacher had preached
a sermon covetousness right at her. she
thought In of her conferences with herself
she had remarked: "The parson meant every
word of that for YOU. Matilda Darter, and the next