Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-09-23
Who Shot
The Arrow:
1t Offered a Poor Boy an
Education Anonymously
By MARY A. BOWERS
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

grass one July afternoon in the center
of the square about which clustered
the village of Anterior. Humphrey
was typical case of a boy born to
the plow who yearned for something
better, at least more intellectual. He
wished to 60 to college and study
profession. He was ready to work his
way while studying, but just as he
was about to matriculate his father
died, the farm was sold out under a
mortgage. and the boys mother and
sister were thrown upon him for sup
port. To bear this burden and his own
as student appeared to him a matter
Of sheer impossibility. He must forego
his projects, accept a situation offered
him In country store and go to work.
He was about to arise and walk to a
corner Of the square where the store in
question was located to announce that
he would begin his duties the next
morning when he heard a whizzing
sound and saw a short distance from
him an arrow standing with its point
| imbedded in the ground. To the feath-
| cred end hung a bit Of paper, which,
| now that the arrow was at rest, floated
idly in the wind. Humphrey arose,
| went to the arrow, broke the string
that held the paper and found the fol-
lowing words written in pencil:
Go to college. Your mother and sister
| will be provided for
Humphrey swept with his eye the
square and the houses that lined it.
| The former was empty; the latter
| showed no sign of the person who had
shot the arrow. They were mostly
dwellings. and Humphrey knew nearly
all of the people who lived in them.
He began at once to con over those
among whom the mysterious archer
might be found. There was Peter
Owens, friend of his father, who was
well to do but Mr.. Owens was not
man to hide a charity under a bushel.
There was Harvey Dixon, his mothers
cousin. but Dixon had all he could do
to provide for his own family. There
was his intimate friend, Bob Clark,
| who had been left a legacy by his
grandmother. Humphrey knew that
Bob when he was younger had been
fond of archery. Besides. Bob's sister
Lucina had shown by her actions that
she admired Humphrey. Had not Lu
Gina something to do with the matter?
Humphrey thought all the rest of the
day about the proposed benefaction
and in the evening went to see Rose
Wyman. q girl in whose judgment he
had great confidence, intending to ask
her to find out for him who had shot
the arrow. Rose did not live on the
| square and. having no means. could
not possibly have had anything to do
with the message. He told her of the
circumstance and that he could not ac-
cept the favor without knowing the
donor and agreeing to repay in time
the amount expended upon him. Would
she help him?
Rose always took time to consider
before reaching her decisions. Finally
she said:
IF the person who shot the arrow
wished TO be known he or she would
not have taken that means of commu-
nicating To endeavor to discover the
donor would be ungrateful in you. My
|
is offered"
you've got lot of horse sense in
that head of yours, Rose" was the re-
!, ply. "Ill take your advice"
Humphrey left her, wondering how
a girl no older than himself could have
so much foresight. Relying upon her
judgment. he acted on her advice,
went to college that autumn, rang the
college bell for his tuition, did all sorts
of odd jobs and in his third and fourth
: year taught school, Besides this, he
J read the first books used by students
= of law.
The promise of his unknown friend
to provide for his mother and sister
was kept, but the amounts provided
were small and at times !rregularly
paid. Humphrey. remembering Roses
words that it would be ungrateful fol-
him to endeavor to discover who was
the donor. told his mother not to look
into any checks she might receive and
If any came that revealed the secret
not to tell him. The remittances were
all made by check. signed by the cash
Ter of the Anterior bank. But, obeyinl
|
her sons instructions. Mrs. Miller new
err inquired at the bank from whom the
money came. though 1t was not proba
BILE If she had done so she would have
received any satisfaction.
But the one clew Humphrey pos
sessed as to the identity of the I'm
known donor-the fact that Bob Clarl
, had been fond of archery when boy
took possession Of the students minC
and kept its place there all through hi
, college course. Attached to the clev
was a feeling which kept him in {
state of constant perpleXity. What /
, Lucina Clark had persuaded her fathe
to advance the means sent his mother
That Lucina had shown a predisposi
tion for him was evident. At the ent
IF his studies it was to be eXpectet
that the secret would come out. If Lu
|, | Gina had been instrumental in the mat