Belding banner., 1909-04-29
The Reward of
Mrs. McCloskey
BY A. T. ATCHISON.

a hearty breakfast, his mother, who
had provided for the occasion new
laid egg, standing by while he was
disposing of it, accompanied by slices
of buttered toast, and declaring the
by amt attn enough to feed a
chicken"
The by" enjoyed the experience
of being coddled-as what boy would
not?-and did not, hasten his repast.
When 1t could be protracted no long
er he wiped his mouth on the back OF
his hand, stretched himself, and crush
ing his almost brimless hat over his
tangled hair, started off down street,
his mother standing in the door, with
her hand over her eyes, proudly watch
ing him.
He had not passed out of her sight
when little Rose Murray, whom he
had rescued from drowning, attired
as usual in dainty befrilled garments.
espied him, and at once flew to meet
him.
The big boy gasped for breath when
he felt the touch of the soft fingers,
and glanced down sheepishly from
his coarse blue jeans to her dainty
garments. But Rose felt perfectly at
ease, and was evidently proud of ac-
companying her hero down street.
When you was drownded my mamma
said you was wonderful boy" she
said. There will never be such an
other boy in the village" she said.
"An' my papa, he said, when you
was drownded, he wouldn't a been
s'prised to see you in parli'ment-that
Irishmen have gone from the cabin
to the house afore this, an you had
Just the stuff in you for that. An the
schoolmaster, whenyou was drownded.
said there was a CLINT in your eye.
which meant somethin' and the dust
wouldn't stick to your heels at school
when you liked
and the Sunday school teacher.
when you was drownded. said he could
not keep from takin' more than COM
mon interest in you, you was so bright.
An when you was drownded. Mrs
McShane said she loved you like her
own son. An all the women said you
was a favorite of theirs. when you
was drownded. An all the little girls
cried when you was drownded. Isn't
it nice to be drownded an have people
love your"
Yes replied McCloskey's boy.
dreamily. and after he had left Rose
be thus addressed himself:
$50 they were afther thinkin ! wus
good fur somethin' whin they tho't
wus drownded.
well, 1t would be cryin' shame to
disappoint 'em all" he said, when he
had recovered breath "Tll hav' to see
what l kin do"
II told you So" said the schoolmas-
ter, wagging his head, when II be-
came an established fact that McClos-
keys boy was "goin ahead of EN-
all" at the village school.
"No more than we expected"
averred the united head of the Murray
family.
"Ye needn't "a told us that" cried
a chorus of villagers delighted with
their own astuteness.
After a while McCloskey's boy got
to where the village school could car
ry him no further, and the schoolmas-
ter grew deeply concerned as to the
lads future.
What occurred during the summer
did not become known to everyone,
but in the early part of October the
boy set off for higher institution OF
learning.
The day he started, II he had been
some great potentate taking his leave,
the village could not have shown a
livelier interest. Mrs. Murray sat in
her bay window, and waved her hand
kerchief as he passed. The school
master gave an extra recess to the
children, and stood In the door of the
schoolhouse, shading his eyes with
one hand and swinging the other over
his head The men came out OF their
shops and shouted a CHEEKY word and
Mrs. Brady, Mrs. McShane and the
other women made some excuse to get
down to the train.
One summer early In May the train
drew into the usually quiet depot
AS tall young man stepped out OF
car cheer after cheer rent the air,
and dozen hands were reached out
TO clasp his. but the old gray school
master got the first shake.
The brass band struck up The
Maple Leaf Forever" and a process
sion, headed by the schoolmaster and
the young man, marched of up the
main street.
What is this all about?" asked
stranger.
"The new mimber-McCloskey
boy" replied Mrs. Brady, who, be
cause of her exuberantly excited In