Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-02

John was alarmed. and went at once to inform
Lizzie. She looked anxious.
I'll gang ben an him. John. Stay you wi
fayther"
Dye no think sud go an get the doctor, wife?'
"I1l see, John. Dinna vex yerser It's maybe no
that serious"
She went to her son.
"Is yer throat bad dearie?" she asked him. sitting
down beside him.
ITS no bad, but-but it's hurtin me-"
1T maun be bad, if it's hurtin ye, dearie Is yer
feet warm7" She began to unlace his boots
"Ay"
"1s yer held sair?"
"N-naw"
She drew off his boots Eyer feefs cosy enough"
she said, feeling them 'NNait till LIGHT the gas"
But Macgreegor caught her hand. "Dinna LIGHT the
gas, Nav" he cried chokingly
"But I want to see your tongue an yer throat
dearie"
He held her tighter and shivered.
"Nfa man." she cried, softly in her fear, "wht
is't? Is yer throat sair?"
He tried to speak. "Its jist-ifs jist-"
Tell me, dearie"
'Its st sar wi'-wi sorriness" he whispered, drop.
ping her hand and burying his face in his arms.
Came then the miserable confession, or rather the
broken to the mothers painful questions
'I never thocht laddie o mines wud play sic
dirty trick" said Lizzie SADLY looking down on the
culprit II wud faur rather see We at the fit o the
cless-"
II wis at the fit the day. Nav"
Lizzie ignored the appeal whit gard ye dae ita"
she suddenly demanded 'Wis is the saxpencea"
"Ay"
"But ye didna spend ony o the saxpence when ys
had the chance. Hoo wis that? Wis ye feart?
NAV"
Lizzes face softened thought. wis ye sorry?"
GAY, Nav"
There short silence Then Lizzie said quietlys
"Im no gaun to say ony mair ABBOTT it, Macgreegor.
I'm gled ye wis sorry in time, but ben' sorry dsns
max up fur daein' wrang Mind that See hoo sorry
we've made US al Moo I'll haze to tell yer Paw an
yer Granpaw, an gle him back his saxpence"
Macgreegor groaned with shame.
GAY; maun tell them dearie"-the tender word
escaped her ere she knew"I maun tell them, fur ye
deceived them, an'-an ye wudna like to keep on
deceivin them-wud yep She stopped for his
81 kent ye wudaa, Macgreegor"
She moved to the door, but sound from the bed
recalled her. She bent over the boy for a moment.
From the door she said mo ye best TAX aft yer
caes, an gang to bed proper" She closed the door.
1t was heavy blow to John He said nothing at all.
Old Mr.. Purdie was greatly distressed. He blamed
himself bitterly Il had business to bride the pur
laddie. If it hadna been fur me he wud never haze
thocht O daen' the thing. An him learnn' the wrang
lesson, puir lamb An he's lynn in there wi
sair conscience efer no ben able TAX his nice egg,
an efter gettn' nesty medicne--'deedl Lizzie, I'm
ashamed O. mascr! am thatl Fur Macgreegors
no a bad wean-"
II never said he wsw said Lizzie sharply. when
he does wrang, he's sorry. There's mony ladde
wud haze spent the saxpence an thocht shame
1t was very grateful glance that John gave his WIFE
She affected not to see it, but few minutes later
she said carelessly: q
"Tohn We MIGHT gang an see if Macgreegor's seepn's
Apparently it took John about hour to find out.
When he returned to the kitchen his face wore
sobered but not unhappy expression. Neither he
nor his son had exchanged word, but the big hand
had said something to the small and the small
had replied
"IIes maybe no jst sIeepin' yet" said John, as he
lit his pipe for the first smoke of the evening "Wud
We gang ben an see him ?" he asked Mr.. Purdc
mo yet, John; I'll gang in wee while" replied
the old man. who still nursing the feeling of guilt
But long he rose and toddled from the kitchen.
Opening the other door, he peeped in Macgreegor'ss
back was to him. Macgreegors garments lay on
chair the side Of the bed Mr.. Purdie stepped
steahily forward sealthiy slipped the sxpence into
a trouser pocket and stole quietly from the ROOM
is he seepn'?" asked Lizzie
II couldna fur certain" returned her father, still
trembling with excitement.
Lizzie went to for herself
Are ye seepn' Macgreegor" she whispered from
the doorway.
mot yet Nav"
Are ye hungry"
"Awfup
1t is perhaps worthy of record that the following
Monday afternoon, Macgreegor brought home the
-honorably gained but it is only honest add
that he never did 50 again.