The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1911-03-09
VIM. Thompson.

lady / knew back home used to say
about her strawberries, they're plen-
ty but they're skurce."
When l started in thought l woul
never write of great people | had
known unless they had also been
good people, but someway when one
goes to thinking for a subject he ran
always think of ten rascals, who were
great to one good man.
Now there was Brother Thompson.
Brother Thompson was deacon in the
Methodist church and he was the
store-keeper. | have described many
contortions Of the mouth from a
sweet and pensive smile to the silly,
sihpering, sickening grin of the half
foolish youth, but can find no words
to describe Bro. Thompson's smile.
1t was smile 1t wouldn't be iair
to call it grin, but too, it was a
little broad little too evident TO
suit our notion of a smile. He always
wore it. | think he had forgotten
how to not smile.
am always urging my friends to
smile. think smiles are like sun
shine-we can get along without
them but it's mighty hard shedding.
But, Bro. Thompson's smiles-well
don't know. OF course l was a poor
widows son, and | knew him pretty
we'll, maybe his smiles were like sun
shine to other people, | don't know.
Bro. Thompson was a great man.
He would have been Rockefeller If
he had struck OIL He had the knack
of making dollars and making dol
lars make dollars, and he had the
knack of making the cost of making
dollars SO small that the saving there
In made many dollars, and so on, Ind
SO on. He also had the knack of say
ing pennies. | sat by him one day
in Sunday School. The superintend-
ent had been urging special contrl-
buttons for special cause. Brother
Thompson kept interrupting him 10
say "Amen, Amen" and before TAX
ing up the collection the superintend-
ent asked the brother to pray.
kueelou ny blo. houPSoh
and heard him pour out his soul
that is | suppose he poured it out.
for l never saw any signs of 1t around
him-for a blessing of generosity,
and reluctantly my fingers ungripped
from the penny mother had given
me for the donation and fastened on
the nickle l was saving to buy some
fish hooks. Oh that was great pray
er Bro. Thomson made. l heard
many speak about it. But-when the
box was passed around after ! had
dropped that much cherished nickle
into it, saw mind you, Brother
Thompson sort out two pennies from
a pocket full of change and drop
them noisily into the box. / asked
mother about that She didn't seem
ITO know just rightly what to say in
explanation, that sort of christian
liberality Il remember finally she made
some sort of lame excuse that not
.all gave money-some gave work
and Bro. Thompson had, of course,
given that prayer. But this l know
that smile never had any generous
expression in my eyes after that.
Bro. Thompson also sold coal. ]
wanted a pair of skates very bad.
Thompson paid 80 cents-l think it
was-for shoveling coal. Mother didn't
have the money to buy me skates
but she said if could earn the none
might have them. l struck Thomp-
son for job shoveling coal. | don't
know whether it was so cents day
or not, but anyway | worked ill !
had 81 coming and the skates |
wanted only cost 10 cents. Brother
Thompson greeted ME with smile
when the work was done. He picked
out the brightest pair of skates in
all the bunch, and then he threw
in a pair of straps and key and he
said:
Thar now, bless me but you'll have
a dandy time skating home on them
won't you? | guess now were square
haint We? However, seem its you
| guess maybe you can stand little
CANDY" and he put about three cents
II
ed it in my coat pocket. Straps were
worth ) cents a piece and ! had lots
of them at home anyway. but what
could a little boy say to big man
who was patting him on the 'ame
hack and throwing in some candy. !
had counted on that quarter 10 Duy
nv sister Christmas present. re-
member that by the time l got nome
uttered the fervent wish that Bro
Thompson might squeeze it till IL
turned into pennies and that ! might
have the happiness of laying the pen
MES on his eyes. But Sister Rose
told mother and mother threatened
to spank me and talked so sad about bout
whore I might go if l didn't quit
thinking evil of folks that | did my