The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-14
BY ANNIE JAMES.

E IS name was not Mug-a-tug. It was HV James Andrew Smith. But his mother had called him Mug-a-tug, for it seemed to fit him so we'll He was dear. chubby, freckled faced fellow. eight years old, and had the manners of little man.
 One reason why Mug-a-tug had the man. ners of a man was because he had no father, and he was the real head of the house, so his mother always told him. You see. his father had died when Mug-a- tug was only bit of a bald-headed baby, and the little fellow had never known what it was not to be the head of the family,'' for not only was he the only boy, but the only child of his parents.
 Mug-a-tug's mother sewed for their liv- ing and Mug-a-tug went to school every day, getting smarter and smarter all the time. so that in few years he might be able to make the living and allow his dear mother to rest and do nothing but to look after their home. Many and many were the plans for the future that Mug-a-tug made, and they were plans for his dear mothers comfort and their joint happiness.
 Always on the holidays Mug-a tug gave some sort of gift to his mother-whenever he could earn enough pennies to buy one On Christmas he had given her a pretty new collar. On New Year he had given her new belt. (These articles of wear Mug -a-tug had bought at ten-cent store, where one might find anything on earth that one could possibly desire). And the money with which Mug-a-tug had made his purchases had been earned by him selling papers in the evening after school.
 And now St. Valentines Day was ap7 preaching. Mug-a-tug heard the school children talking about it, and from what they said 1t was day on which to give valentines to your best girl" Now, al- though Mug -a-tug liked Stella Adams very much, indeed he could hardly call her his best girl, for the boys had told him that "best girl was liked better than anyone else in the world And Mug a-tug did not love Stella Adams better than anyone in the world. He loved his dear mother best, and she should have any valentine that Mug-a-tug could find the money to buy.
 But for the week before St. Valentines Day Mug-a-tug did not sell any papers, for he could not go out in the cold rains on account of a very bad sore throat. And so he had no pennies with which to buy a valentine for his mother
 Just the day before Vantentine's Day Mug a tug was able to go out to do some marketing for his mother. And as he went along the street he noticed the fine display of valentines in the windows or the little toy shops How lovely some of them were, and how comical others were! Several times Mug tug stopped to ad- mire the various valentines thus tempt ingly displayed, and as often lamented the fact that he had been kept in the house for a week by bad throat when he wanted so much to be out selling pa- pers, so that he might have enough profit to buy valentine for his mother. Believe I'll just step in and ask the price of that great big one with heart ful of verses and the blue ribbon bows. Gee, she's dandy"
 But the shopkeeper almost took Mug-a- tugs breath away when. TO the little fel- lows inquiry, he stated the price of the valentine that had caught Mug-a-tug's eye Fifty cents, sir,' the salesman said. Af Mug-a-tug held the valentine lovingly in his hands, Then, looking up into tho saesman's face, asked: Say, mister, can do some errands for you to pay for this valentine? I'll do lot of work for 1t, will.'
 The salesman reached out hand and took the valentine. replacing 1t in the showcase. Nope. kid" he said, shaking his head. i've got all the help l want.