Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-02-03
Looking for Bobby

"It's good to see a man around the
place at last, even If it's only a boy" /"
was the general comment on the ar
rival of Robert Henderson Hillman
at the Sherin home. Years had passed
since men had been admitted within
the sacred precincts of Sherin Hill.
Mrs. Sherin's great love had come
late in life, when she was widow
with five daughters. She had fairly
worshipped the unworthy man who on
the eve of their wedding had eloped
with chorus girl, Mrs. Sherin had
turned recluse, and forced her daugh-
ters to follow her example
But somehow Ray, the eldest daugh-
ter, managed to meet and fall in love
with Bob Hillman, tourist, visiting
the little town. She married him first
and asked forgiveness afterward. The
forgiveness was refused but she was
very happy with Hillman. The shock
of the tragedy of their double death in
hotel fire brought the belated par
don and opened Sherin Hill to the lit
tie 6-year-old who had been left alone
in the world.
Nearly whole year had passed
before Robert really began to
miss his boyish playfellows and
realize that even four very pretty
aunts who adored him, were no fair
exchange for one boy chum. Aunts,
despite their prettiness, cannot climb
trees or coast or white and so it
happened that Bobby struck up
warm, though surreptitious, friend
ship with Ned Huntington, who lived
to the east of Sherin Hill and who had
looked long and longingly after the
pretty aunts with no happy results so
far.
A broken sled started the friend
ship.
Going to fix it," Ned asked, and
Bobby nodded solemnly.
It'll take a lot of time" he said,
ruefully And you'll have to wait three
days before you can go coasting again
Just because there is no man up at
your house to use a screwdriver and
a hammer" Ned asked, pityinGly.
"You poor little chap. Pass the sled
over here and I'll have it fixed in no
time at ALL
Very unwillingly Bobby passed the
sled over the low wall and followed it
over himself He trotted beside Ned
. as that long-legged young man sped
toward the Toulouse, and he was lost
in wonder at the display of tools in
the little workshop.
He did not intend to make secret
of his visits to Ned's, but some innate
delicacy prevented him from telling
the willing aunts that he had found a
playfellow more to his liking, so it was
several weeks before Dell Sherin, who,
being the youngest of the pretty aunts,
was Bobby's most frequent playfellow,
began to notice that the boy no long
er came to her with please that she
coast or skate or throw snowballs.
Wondering why he should suddenly
find new amusements, she slipped out
one afternoon to see what took him so
often to the east lawn. Careful
ly she parted the branches of the
hedge to peer through. Bobby and a
young man were pelting each other
with the newly fallen snow, and she
gasped with Indignation as she saw
the young man occasionally throw
SNOWFALL with what seemed to her to
be brutal force.
She was about to push through and
demand that the game cease when
Ned suddenly sent ball whizzing
toward Bobby's head with such force
as to cause the youngster to duck.
The ball sped on and struck the hedge.
The branches broke it's speed, but with
no light shock it broke against Dell's
snug little fur cap. She gave a scream
of terror that brought Bobby and Ned
running toward the spot. Dell was
more scared than hurt, but it was with
a white, anxious face that Ned leaned
over her, and sought to assure him.
self that no damage was done.
Il had no idea that there was any
one back of the hedge" he cried in
distress. 1T was very thoughtless
of me, but-you all seem to keep away
from this side of your property. Only
Bobby ever comes here"
1T was to see what he was doing
here that l came" she explained II
was afraid that he might be getting
into mischief"
He was only seeking his own
kind" declared Ned. "A small boy
has right to father or an uncle or
some one masculine and since Bobby
was not provided with any of these
very essential relatives, l sought to
supply the deficiency.
You are very good" she murmur-
ed, realizing for the first time that
the young man was good to look upon
She struggled to her feet, swaying
slightly, and Ned caught her arm to
save her from fall.
you must let me see you to the
house." he said with a gentle impera-
tiveness that was new and very pleas
ing to the girl.
Mrs. Sherin and the three elder