The Harlowton news., 1912-07-19
KEEPING
SECRET
By r. A. MICHEL.

"A kid to see neV
'Yes."
Harker hesitated. He believed the
kid to be his boy Harry. There had
been trouble In the Harker family.
Mrs, Harker had been extrayagant
Harker's business had fallen Off and
finally collapsed. A series Of spasmod-
ic, nervous, petty antagonisms Induced
by things going wrong had come be-
tween father and mother till separa
ton was unavoidable, and Harker had
taken position in hardware store,
his work being in the cellar 1t was
from there he was called to the office
"Ask him If he's my boy Harry, and,
II he is, bring him down here
The messenger went upstairs and
soon brought down a boy Of seven. On
seeing Harker he bounded into his |
arms.
"Papaw
The father hugged him again and
again. then said, "Come for money
again, Harry?'
"No: not this time"
"Then what is it?"
"Mamma has sent me for you"
"Sent you for me? Does she wish
me to come and see her about any
thing? If so, tell her to write me,
There'll only be more trouble II we
try to talk
"she wants you to come home and
stay home"
.'That's impossible, Harry. It would
not do at ALL
"She told me to tell you she Wouldht
do SO any more"
"Oh, yes, she will. She's, said she
wouldn't before. She can't help 1t
when she sees you children ragged and
hungry and needing lot OF things.
don't blame her"
"She won't do 1t any more. ! know
she won't"
"How do you know it?"
"Because somepn's happened"
"What's hapened?'
"Mamma said wasn't to tell you"
Harker looked even graver than be-
fore. When things happen In fami-
lies going downhill it's generally
notch lower. The husband and IA
ther feared one Of his children had
succumbed to bad nourishment or cold
or heat or the thousand and one things
that carry off the children Of the poor
He didn't question the boy further
Instead he said:
sIts half an hour to closing time.
Go home and tell mamma I'll come as
soon as leave here"
"No: I'm to wait for you"
: "Why?"
'To show you the way. We've
moved"
5 Harker groaned. He felt sure what
that meant-they had been evicted
: again for nonpayment Of rent.
4 "Well, Harry, you go and sit up on
that stool, and when o'clock comes
you may show me the way home"
a When the clock struck 6 Harker LEFT
the store, his little boy walking beside
r him. holding on to his hand. Harry
led his father down broad avenue.
care you sure you're on the righ
I track, Harry, dear?'
Eyes, papa"
y "I don't know Of any houses yo1
IS and the children and mamma can liv'
In hereabout."
5 "Well turn out Of this street prett.
IL soon"
1T must be long walk"
y "Not very; only about ten minute
Il more"
= They walked on till they came to tn
le street they were to turn into.
"I'm sorry it's so far" said Harkel
I'm tired after long days work
: and I'm not as strong as l was. ~
have long way back to my dinner"
= "You're not to go back to dinner
:. papa"
: The father walked on musing. Pres
1e emily he asked: "Anything very ba
o happened, Harry?'
to IL wasn't to answer any question
IN about what's happened, mamma tol
he me-"
er "You're very good little messengt
es to carry secret"
ha "I'm doing the best can to keep
ho but it's mighty hard"
~ - For the first time the father smiles
- He knew how hard 1t was for Harl
to keep secret, for he had known al
to try before and make bad failur
Then too, he had an idea that II son
'ee new misfortune had happened the bt
lat wouldn't have had SO much difficult
IL lin keeping it to himself. While he w
ger weighing these matters. Harry sudde
ne ly let 60 Of his fathers hand and II
up on to the stoop Of brick dwellil
. about which everything was spick 81
span. And there in the window
laughing at their father and bobbil
their heads and clapping their hant
were the other children. Harker sto
for moment puzzled, then follow
his boy up the steps. The door ope
ed, and his wife sprang into his arms
whats happenedy"
AUNT Sarah has died and left J
her house and the little income