The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-08-14

favorite gait and was not reproved.
It was two days later that the boy
opened the gate and came up thu
path in the wide spreading shadow
of the great oak.
The old lady was sitting on hel
vine covered porch. She shaded hel
eyes with her hand as he approached.
He took off his cap.
How do you do, ma'am?" he
said. IT hope you are we'll" /"
She knew him then.
''Its the young man who runs, =
she said. IT am glad to see you
again. Will you seat yourself onthe
porch?"
"I'll sit here, ma am, thank you, :"
he said and balanced himself on the
edge of the porch flooring.
She looked him over carefully, not
ing again the red spots on his freck-
led cheeks.
And which shall it be1" she ask
ed. Water, or milk, or buttermilk?"
''It will be buttermilk, ma'am," 4"
he answered. "If not too much
trouble"
She speedily brought him the pitch
er and he drank two glasses with a
great relish.
"It's fine," he smilingly told her.
"And are you still continuing the
treatmentl" she asked him.
"Yes, ma am" he answered, IAN
it's helpin' me great deal. I've
lost three pounds in week"
Her compassionate look came back.
"And have you no homer" she
asked.
mo, ma am" he answered. "I
can't remember that 1 ever had
home. I'm just boy out of the
streets. I've taken a lot o. hard
knocks, but I've never seen tn day
when l didn't have enough to eatan'
some kind of place to sleep. An.
that IS about all there is to it, ma a'am."
She shook her head at this some
what grim bit of philosophy, but be-
fore she could answer 1t he had drawn
away from the porch.
"This won't do, ma am" he said
and his eyes kept up their twinkling.
'I'm forgetting the treatment.
Every moment I loiter here adds an
ounce or two to my weight. Good
by, ma'am, an heaven keep you."
And he loped down the walk to the
highway and disappeared behind the
high hedge.
''I wish old DIR. Phipps could see
him" said the lady. "Ifeel sure his
treatment is too severe. Poor boy,
with no home, and nowhere to go in
his last illness. TIL talk to DR..
Phipps about it."
Next day the good lady was urging
old Billy to faster gait when the
boy, walking briskly, came along
side the ancient phaeton.
"Good mornin', ma'am.''
"Gcod morning." She looked at
him closely. "Did you sleep we'll
last night?" she asked.
Never slept BETTER" he answered.
An I've lost nearly another pound,
ma'am. If can get rid of two more
I'll be In fine shape"
He laughed as he said this and
nodded comically.
Her heart warmed to him. He
was so light hearted, SO careless, so
Indifferent to his own condition.
"I'm afraid it's not the right treat
ment," she said. IT wish to call in
old DIR. Phipps. l will gladly assume
the expenses. Come and make my
house your home while he studies
your case"
She spoke gently yet earnestly and
the boy was much affected by her
words.
You're very good, ma am" he
said. "Better to me than anyone
ever was before. You don't know
who or what / am, an yet you offer
me home. I amt worth it, ma a'am.
I'm a bad lot. You're all mistaken
about me. Listen, ma am, an I'll
tell you the truth. I"
But before he could say more a
sudden interruption startled them.
From cabin few hundreds of feet
from the highway, came a shrill
scream.
The old lady stopped the fat horse.
That's Bob Harris beating his
wife," she said. "The miserable
wretch must had glass too much.
Liquor makes him fighting mad"
Another scream rent the air. The
boy squirmed uneasily.
"He's a cowardly dog" he
growled.
"He's an ugly BRUTE" said the old
lady. "An' he's big and dangerous. F"
The boy hesitated.
Ell would like to give him a
wallop or two that he wouldn't for
get, but I'm afraid" he said. "I'm
afraid of getting hurt"
He flushed as he said this, but the
old lady didn't notice him. Her
gray eyes were fixed on the cabin
door.
"He certainly would hurt you"
she said.
The boy drew quick breath.
"The first thing remember hear
ing," he said, twas the scream of
my poor mother when my brute of
father whipped her. 1 made up my
mind that there would be no wife
beating in any part of the town
where happened to be-and here l
am, afraid the first time / hear a wo-
man scream. But understand me,
ma'am. I'm not afraid In my mind,
but in my body. A single blow
would spoil all the good work I've
been doing. It's shame, ma'am.
1t makes me blush"
"I don't blame you," said the wo-
man. you're weak and i'll and Bob
Harris is ugly and big and strong. l
"a 4