The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

THERE came to the back door of
 beautiful home in Schenectady on'
 x spring afternoon a boy of 16 whC
 asked if there was any work he migh dc. It was the maids day off and the lady of the house, Mrs. Gerald, answered
 the ring of the bell The boy looked SC downcast when she told him there was no wood to split, no coal to carry, no od6
 job to be done that her kindly, sympa thetic heart was touched.
 "Would you like something to eat? she inquired.
 Not unless I can work for it, the boy answered rather doggedly.
 Mrs Gerald was not accustomed to that and was a bit perplexed. She looked al the lad keenly and then an idea came to her. Boy" she said, q am sure you are hungry. I'll fix up something for you to eat and you can come back some other time and do the york;
 The boy thanked her, but shook his head. He could not come back, he said, because he would be going that night or next morning.
 ..Don't you live here in Schenectady" she inquired.
 He said he did not and then she asked what in the world a boy of his age was doing In a strange city. He said he was on his way to Buffalo. He had come from . town in eastern Massachusetts.
 And how did you get here?" she asked.
 Most of the distance, he told her, he had walked. Part of the way he had rid den on freight trains.
 Did you come into Schenectady on freight train?" she asked.
 '.No," he answered, q walked from AL bany here today"
 .rwhy! child,'' she exclaimed. its r or IS miles, Then she glanced out of the window. The earth was soft and the roadways muddy from the spring thaws. clothes showed the signs of wear, but were neat, and his shoes were clean.
 You say you walked from Albany to- day" she repeated.
 ''Yes," he answered. "Its long way
 The lines frightened a trifie about Mrs. 0eralds mouth and she looked as stern as it was possible for so sweet and soft hearted woman to appear, but not for long. She studied the boys face as she looked at him. There was trace of sul- lenness there, but there was a touch of too, and womanlike the sadness made a strong appeal. She sighed, and then, telling him there was no good in his offering objection, for he must do as she ordered, she made him sit down. In a few minutes she had cooked some eggs and bacon, made some coffee, and the lad, after vain protestation, began to eat When he finished eating she questioned him further. He was dlffdent and it re- quired some time to get his story from him, but finally she had it.
 His mother was dead-had died five or six years before. His father, a German, had married a second time, and the step mother had a son of her own. The two boys could not agree and the stepmother father and the son there had been only a mild attachment, and this, through the influence, not only had been destroyed, but the father became embittered against him. Beatings were frequent. reproacnes were constant, and at last the boy had left home. He had an uncle in Buffalo whom he had never seen, but he knew he would be welcome, for the uncle was his mothers brother, and besides the boy was handy with tools, and the uncle who was cabinetmaker, could use him.
 Mrs Gerald could understand it now. The beatings and the stepmother account The memory of his mother. mention of whom brought mist to his eyes, ex- plained the settled sadness.
 Mrs. Gerald always was impulsive, and never more so than when her sympa- thies were aroused. She also was most positive. She told the boy it was un- thinkable that he should travel as he had Schenectady until he earned enough to pay his way to Buffalo. She could get work for him. She felt sure of 1t. Schenectady was busy city. It had no locomotive works. electrical works, agri- cultural implement manufactures and and other industries. She had friends who were large employers of labor and she would ask them to find place for him. She would see one of them that night Meanwhile the boy had better go to Eliza's. Eliza formerly had been Mrs. Gerald's cook. Now she was married and keeping boarding house. It was not until Mrs. Geralds had paper and en- velope and was on the se0ond line of her note that she had to stop. And when she stopped she laughed
 i've been talking to you for nearly half an hour she said, and here I am writing a note to Eliza and I don't know your name"
 civilian Shafer" said the boy.
 That night the superintendent of the electrical works was one of the guests at dinner at Mrs. Gerald's. He and Mrs.