Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-10-01
yes"
"where did you get 1T"
Bought 1t. It amt much. All I got

"Yes."
"Where did you get itf'
Bought 1t. It amt much. All got
didn't cost dollar"
"A dollar Is good deal when you
work for 1t the way we do"
"Well, don't know q better place
TO put It Have you got any hot wa
ter? I'll use this tub at the cistefn.
Please give me some soap and towels"
Instead Margaret pushed by him
with q shrek. Billy had played by
producing cord from his pocket, and,
having tied the tails Of Margaret's
white kittens together. he had climbed
on q box and hung them across the
clothesline. Wild with fright, the kit
tens were clawing each other to death,
and the air was white with fur. The
string had twisted, and the frightened
creatures could not recognize friends.
Margaret stepped back with bleeding
hands. Sinton cut the cord with his
knife, and the poor little cats raced
under the house bleeding and disfg-
ured. Margaret, white with wrath,
faced sinton.
"If you don't hitch up and take that
animal back to town." she said, Il
will"
Billy threw himself on the grass
and began to scream.
"You said could have fried chicken
for supper" he walled. "You said she
was nice lady"
sinton lifted him. and something in
his manner Of handling the child infu-
rated Margaret. His touch was so
gentle! She reached for Billy and grip
ped his shirt collar in the back. Sin
toms hand closed over hers.
Gently. girl!' he said. ~This little
body is covered with Sores"
"Sores!" she calculated. "Sores?
What kind Of sores?"
"Oh, they might be from bruises
made by fists or boot toes, or they
might be bad blood from wrong eating,
or they might be pure filth. Will you
hand me some towelsY
mo, I WON'T" said Margaret
"Well. give me some rags. then"
Margaret compromised on pieces Of
old tablecloth.
Sinton led Billy to the cistern, pump
ed cold water into the tub, poured in a
kettle of hot and, beginning at the
head, secured him. The boy shut his
little teeth and said never q word,
though he twisted occasionally when
the soap struck a raw spot. Margaret
watched the process from the window
In amazed and ever increasing anger
Where did Wesley learn 1t? How
could his big hands be SO gentlef Sin
ton came to the door.
"Have you got any peroxideT
"a little," she answered stifay.
"Well, I need about pint. but I'll
begin on what you have"
Margaret handed him the bottle.
Wesley took a cup, weakened the drug
and said to Billy: Man. these sores on
you must be healed. Then you must
| eat the kind Of food that's flt for little
men. am going to put some medicine
on you, and 1t Is going to sting like fire.
| II It Just runs off I won't use any more.
II It boils there is poison In these
places. and they must be tied up. dosed
every day. and you must be washed
and kept mighty clean. Now. hold
still, because I am going to put 1t on"
IT think the one on my leg is the
| worst" said the undaunted Billy, hold
| ing out a raw place. Sinton poured on
the drug. Billy's body twisted and
| writhed, but he did not run.
Gee, look at It boilr he cried. Il
guess they's poison. You'll have to do
It to all Of them"
Sinton's teeth were set US he watch
cd the boys fnce. He poured the drug,
strong enough to do effective work, on
a dozen places over that little body
and bandaged all he could. Billy's
lips quivered at times, and bis chin
Jumped, but he did not shed a tear
or utter q sound other than to take
deep interest in the boiling.
"Now am cle:nT asked Billy.
Eyes, you are clean outside" said Sin
ton. "There Is some dirty blood In your
body, and some bad words in your
mouth, that We have to get out, but
that takes time. II we put right
things to eat into your stomach that
will do away with the sores, and If
you know that 1 don't like bad words
you won't say them any oftener than
you can help, will you, Billyr
Billy leaned against Sinton In ap-
parent Indifference.
Il want to see meg he demanded
"How long until supper. MargaretT
asked Sinton.
"You are going to keep him for sup
perr she asked.
"Surew said Sinton. That's what
I brought him for. It's likely he never
had q good square meal Of decent
food in his life. He's starved to the
bone"
Margaret arose deliberately, removed
the white cloth from the supper table
| and substituted an old red one she
used to wrap the bread. She put
away the pretty dishes they commonly
used and set the table with old plates
for pies and kitchen utensils. But she
| fried the chicken and was generous
with milk and honey. snowy bread,
| gravy. potatoes and fruit.
Sinton repainted the scratched wheel.
| He mended the fence. with Billy hold
Ing the nails and handing the pickets.
Then he filed the old hole. digged q
new one and set the hitching post.
Billy hoped on one foot at his task
| Of holding the post steady as the earth
was packed round 1t. There was not
the shadow Of trouble on his little
freckled face. Sinton threw In stones
and pounded the earth solid around
the post. The sound Of gulping sob
attracted him to Billy. The tears were
rolling down his cheeks. III I'd
knowed you'd have to get down In q
n