Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-01-18

liam, and shake hands with the nice
kind preacher"
"Wha' fer~ he asked. IL don't want
to 60 up there; ev'ybody herell look
right at me-"
Are there no little orphans here2"
the minister was saying Il want to
| shake the hand OF any little child
who has had tbs misfortune TO lose its
/ parents"
Go on, William" commanded his
aunt. Go shake hands with the
| preacher"
The little boy again demurred Sut,
| Miss Minerva insisting, lie obediently
| slipped by her and by his chum.
Walking gracefully and jauntily up
the aisle to the spot where the lee
turer was standing by a broad table,
he held out his slim, little hand.
Jimmy looked a these proceedings
OF Billy's In establishment, not com.
pretending at all He was rather In
dignant that the older boy had not
Conflded In him and invited his par
tcipatlon
But Jimmy was not the one to sit
calmly by and be ignored when there
was anything doing. SO he slid awk-
wardly from the bench before Miss
! Minerva knew what he was up to.
Signaling Frances 10 follow, he swag-
sared pompously behind Billy and he
t,A, held out a short, fat hand to the
minister.
The speaker smiled benignly down
upon them; lifting them up in his
arms he stood the little boys upon
the table. He thought the touching
sight Of these innocent and tender
little orphans would empty the pock-
cts of the audience. Billy turned red
with embarrassment at his conspicu-
GUS position, while Jimmy grinned
happily at the amused congregation.
Mortified Miss Minerva half rose to
her feet, but decided to remain where
she was. She was q timid woman
and did not know what course she
ought to pursue. Besides. she had
just caught the Majors smile.
And how long have you been an
orphan? the preacher was asking Of
Billy.
Ever sence me an Wilkes Booth
Lincolns born" sweetly responded
the child.
81 bout the orphantest boy they
is" volunteered Jimmy.
Frances, responding to the latter's
invitation, had crawled over her faith.
er's legs before he realized what was
happening. She, too. went smiling
down the aisle, her stiff white dress
standing straight up in the back like
a strutting gobbler's tail. She grabbed
hold Of the mans hand, and was
promptly lifted to the table beside
the other orphans" Tears stood in
the good preachers eyes as he turned
TO the tittering audience and said IN
a pathetic voice, Think of it, my
friends, this beautiful little girl haf
no mother"
Poor Mrs. Black! A hundred pairs
Of eyes sought her pew and focused
themselves upon the pretty young
woman sitting there, red, angry, and
shamefaced. Mr.. Black was visibl,
amused and could hardly keep from
laughing aloud.
AS Frances passed by the Hamil
tons pew in her promenade down the
aisle, Mrs. Hamilton leaned across hei
|. husband and made an attempt t
clutch Lima but she was too late;
already that dlgniied little orphan
was gliding with stately. conscious
tread to join the others. This was toe
much for the audience. A few boy;
laughed out and for the first tim'
the preachers suspicious were
aroused. As he clasped Lina's slender
graceful little hand he asked:
And you have no father or mother
little girl7"
Eyes, have, too" she angrily re
torted. my father and mother arr
sitting right there" and she pointed
a slim fore6nger to her crimson. EN-
barrassed parents.
Go be cOntinued.)