The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-06-11
SHE'D DONE IT FER me
How a Manly Little Fellow Pro-
cured Money With Which
He Bought Flowers For
HIS Mothers Grave.
By Kenyon Il. Palmer.

Having to wait over several hours
in Gloucester, / invested a quarter
in line, hooks, and bait. and went
down to the wharf to try my luck
at fishing.
My sole companions on the pier
were three little ragamuffins, the
oldest of whom could not-have been
more than twelve. They too were
fishing, and their efforts had been
rewarded with five or six small fish,
which were Topping about on the
plank.
My own hook and line occupied
my attention for the first half-hour
or so, and | paid no attention to
them; but as the fish ignored my
existence completely | turned my
head in the direction of the little
fellows, and was about to ask what
they were using for bait when I
heard the oldest of the trio remark:
I know she'd done it fer me-"
Something in the seriousness of
his voice and expression told me
that he was desperately in earnest,
and so, without their knowing it, /
listened to their conversation.
The next day would be Decoration
Day, and the little motherless fellow
wanted some flowers to take to the
cemetery to place upon his mothers
grave. That was what he had meant
when he said. Il know she'd done
it fer me-"
Wanted to Buy Flowers
But there was only fifteen cents
among the three boys, and the
flowers had to be store" flowers,
which would cost almost dollar"
so the two friends had volunteered
to help, and all three had come
down to the pier to fish, intending
to peddle from door to door any
they might catch. and in this way
secure sufficient money to buy
bouquet. But the fish wouldn't bite
worth cent. and they were be-
coming very much discouraged.
1t bad occurred to them that, if
worse came to worst, they might get
up early in the morning and go out
into the woods and gather wild
flowers, which wouldn't cost them
anything; but the very fact that they
wouldn't cost anything was what
the boys couldn't stand, for Shed
done it for me" meant very plain
ly that the mother, who was now in
the cemetery, would in some way
have earned money to buy store
flowers for his grave. And so the
three fshed on, hoping that any
minute their luck would change.
The clock struck five, and few
minutes later I heard the whistle of
train; so l said to them:
We'll, boys. you've got me beaten
to fragile; for / didn't even get
bite. l can't go home without any
fish and have the folks give me a
laugh; SO I'll buy yours. if you'll be
good enough to sell them to me-"
Taking dollar bill from my
pocket, l handed it to the little or
phan, who told his companions to
pick up the fish for me, and he
would run to the nearest store and
get the bill changed.
oh, no." | said. You keep it
all; for it's worth dollar, you know,
not to be made fun of when the fish
won't bite"
Never in my life have l seen such
an expression of joy and gratitude
illuminate a face as heamed from
his as he said: "Oh, Mister! do you
really mean it?''
My customer had returned when
l reached his store, and l secured
his order in time to catch the next
train. All the way back to Boston,
clearer. far than the whistle of the
engine or the din of the cities
through which / passed, sounded the
words of that little, barefooted, rag
ged, motherless lad. Il know she'd
a done If fer me- ',-Roston Post