The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-12
FRECKLES
 By Gene S@raGG@m9
 Porter COPYRIGHT. Iso< BY DOUBLEDAY. PAGE

there's your singing. l dan't believe there ever was a mortal with a sweet CT voice than yours. ana while that doesn prove anything there IS point that does. Just the little train ing you had from that choIrmaster won't account for fhe wonderful ac- cent and ease with which you sing. Somewhere Tn your close blood IS marveIOuSIy fralnrd vOcaIISt: we every one of us DeIIpve that. Freckles-
 ''Why does my father refer tO yon constantly as DeInG of fine perceptions and honor? BpcauSe you are, EfreckIes. Why does the Bird Woman leave her precious work ana stay here to help look after your I never heard of her Ioslng any time over any one else. Ir's because she loves {. you. And why does MT Mclean turn all of his valuable business over 10 hired men and watch over you per sonaIIyI And why ia he hunting ex- cuses every day to spend money on your My father says Mclean is full Scotch close with a dollar. He iS hard neaded business man. t'reckle and he is doIng It Decanse he finds you worthy of it. Worthy of all we can all do ana more than we knOw how to do. dear heartI Freckies. are you listening 10 meg On. won't you see itf Won't you believe ftr'
 ''Oh. angeI.' chartered the bew1I- dered Freckies. "are you truly mean ing it? Could 1t beY''
 ''Of course it could" flashed the an- gel. because it just is!''
 ''But you can't prove it' walled Frcckles. 'It ain't giving me a pame or me hOnor!"
 ~F'reckIes." said the angel sternIy. '.you are unreaRonabIe!' Why. 1 did prove every word 1 said: Everything proves it: You look here: If you knew for sure that l could give you your name and your honor. and prove to you that your mother did love you. why. then would Sou just go to breathing like perpetual motion and hang on for dear life and get welIT'
 A great light ieaped into FreckleS' eyes.
 "If l knew that. angei.' he said sol emnly. you couldn't be Killing me If you feiIed the biggest tree in the Linn- berlost smash on me!''
 Then you go right to work" said the angel. ana before night I'll prove one thing to you: | can show you cas- fly enough how much your mother loved you. That will be the first step. and then the rest will all cOme."
 FreckIes caught her sleeve.
 Me mother. angel: Me motherT' he marveIed hoarsely. Did you say you could be finding out today if me mOth- CT loved me? How: On. angel: All the rest don't matter. if only me moth CT didn't do ftT'
 '.I'hen you rest easy" said the angel. with large confidence. "Iour mother didn't do it. Mothers of sons ike you don't do such things as that. I'll go to work at once and prove if to you. The first thing to do is to go to that home where you were and get the little clothes you wore the night you were left there. l know thai they are re- quired to save those things carefully. We can find out almost all there iS to know abOut your mother from them. Did you ever see them. FrecklesP'
 -Yfs." said Freckles.
 The angel literally bounced on him.
 "Freckles, were they whiteT' she cried.
 Maybe they were once. They're all yellow with laying, anu brown with blood stains now." said FreckIeN. the old note of bitterness creeping in- You can't be telling anything at all by them. angeI.''
 ~weH. nut just cang' said the an- gel positively.
 ''But how? Angel. tell me howr'
 ''Why. easily enough. I thought you'd understand. People that can af- ford anyI hing at all. always get white for little new habies- linen and lace. and the very finest things to he had There's a young woman living near us who cut up her wedding clothes to have fine things for her. baby. Moth CTS that love and want their ba bies make fine seams. and tuckS. and put on lace and trimming by hand. They sit and stitch. and stitch little, even stitches. every one just as careful. Their eyes shine and their faces glow. When they have to quit to do some thing else. they look sorry. and fold up their work so particularly. There isn't murh worth knowing about your mother that those little clothes won't tell"
 A new light dawned in FFeckIes' eyes.
 "Oh. angel! Will you go now7 win you be hurrying?' he cried.
 "ISight away saId the angel. "l won't stop for thing. and I'll hurry with all my night
 She smooihed his pillow. straight ened the cover. gave him one steady look in the eyes. and went quietly from the room.
 Outside the. door. Mclean and the surgeon anxfousiy awaited her. Nc Lean caught her shoulders.
 Angel. what have you doneT' he demanded desperately
 The angel smiled defiance.
 What have l dOnp"' she repeated. "I've tried to save Freck les.'
 hicI1Pan grOaned-
 "Whut will your father sayT' he cried.
 'It strikes me-" said the angel. ''that what Freckles said would be to the point"