The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-06-03

could you wash me, missus? I'd
be a deal comfortabler."
Perhaps in no other way could his
appeal have reached Mrs. Hawkins
heart. Her love of soap and waite,
was passion. She leaned out and
looked him over.
well, come in by the scuIlery IS
careful as you cam" she said "and
leave those horrid things outside. IN
wash you"
IL sounded almost like a threat. but
he did not appear to notice it. His
little face beamed.
I'm be deal comfortabler. he "a
peated
AT hrst she stood him on a chair by
the sink. and turned up her sleeves
and soaped flannel; but he was ST
small and so unsteady on his iron
boot, that she took him on her knee
at last, with the basin on the chair
beside her, and commenced operations
and when it was all over. and his If.
tie face clean and sweet, he put I'D his
arms quite naturally and kissed her,
ruDolng his soft cheek against her as
a kitten might have done.
You are kind, missus," he said.
Mrs. Hawkins arms were still round
him, and she could not move her face
away without an effort that might
nave rebuffed him. She was saving
over to herself the words that she had
said so often: Il keep myself to my
SER; and for the first time they
sounded rather meaningless.
The child moved about the room as
she tidei up, following her in and out.
and gazing in speeches. admiration ar
the treasures on the table When every
thing was quite clean she did not send
him away, but set him on the chair he
side her; and together they planned.
and fitted, and designed, and tied the
ribbons into gorgeous bows round the
waists Of the straw bottle holders.
Never had any artist a more apnre-
ciative audience; but when ~ O'Clock
struck he was out Of the chair in a
minute and making for the door like
the veriest Cinderella.
Father gets back by -" he said
and he gives US our dinner"
Mrs. Hawkins paused while one
might have counted ten, and then she
spoke
viii you stay and have a nice din
ner with me?"
NO; oh, no." trifle breathlessly.
Il don't know how to be neat and
clean-not like you say. I'll learn
perhaps, but you wouldn't want me If
you saw me behave"
And Mrs. Hawkins was surprised to
feel that she was disappointed.
But that was not the end. When
once you have opened your heart to
admit your neighbor. you have to be
always providing more accommoda-
tion. until every corner of 1t is full.
BY the time Jimmy Smith was
washed and dressed every morning.
and the other children brushed and
sent off to school. II was time for the
little lessons that were to teach him
to read to fill his empty day and be
such a surprise to his mother when
she was well again. There was really
very little time for fancy work, so all
the pretty trifies were bundled un-
tremendously into a drawer, and. by
and by there were secret measurings.
and the thimble and needle and cotton
were brought out again, and little
pinafores and frocks began to grow
under Mrs. Hawkins nimble fingers
and sometimes there were so many
dusty feet pattering in and out of the
kitchen, that II seemed q
waste of time to clean up after each
inroad; and the day Mrs. Hawkins said
to her husband, ''Oh, 1t doesn't mat
ter, Henry, leave it till night" was a
distinct crisis In her life. So also was
the day when she met him on the
threshold looking very pretty and
sweet and young. and pointed to the
open door in and out of which chill
dren seemed to be swarming like bees.
Mrs. Smith has come home" she
said. Jimmy is so excited / dread
his being sometimes when he Is
overtired he cannot Sleep"
Couldn't we ask him in to tear"
said Hawkins, awkwardly. He was
rather afraid of saying the wrong
thing.
But Mrs. Hawkins beamed Il think
It would be neighborly," she said
London Christian World.