The Press., 1915-09-08
HIS BOYS How They Won a
 Mother
By AGNES G. BROGAN

1t was a very bedlam of screechine
 sounds below which caused Mollie to
 swing wide the easement of her study
 window.
 What could 1t mean, this riot of noise
 in a house supposedly vacant? Fol
 the owners assurance that the house
 next to the bungalow was unoccupied
 had been one of Moilie's reasons fol
 renting the place in the country.
 Here. far away from city distrac
 tions, she might fittingly finish the
 clever serial for which a publisher
 waited. But now! From a rear dooI
 of the neighboring house came a rush
 ing line of boys, boys bareheaded, boyt
 shouting, leaping good naturedly al
 each others shoulders-five of them.
 Indignantly Mollie descended to seeh
 explanation of this intrusion from hel
 housekeeper.
 Sure, they moved in last night,
 said Nora. land divn a wink of slape
 did I have all night. No one lift tC
 look after them but an old red face of
 NOOAt duu tue AulhCA Oh thAS
 mornin' in his automobeel."
 Disconsolately Mollie wandered out into her we'll kept garden, the spirit of writing destroyed. Mir. Boffin, the cat, came scampering wildly from his cus- tomary seat on the garden wall, his exit evidently hastened by a we'll aimed missile.
 Dear me-" cried Miss Mollie, this will never do! Peace, indeed, and quiet and all the desirable advantages promised by that real estate man! Well, we shall seer' And then her gaze fell upon one small lonely brother seated in a sunny corner of the old veranda. Near to the touch of his thin white hand rested a wooden crutch, and pres ently, bearing his frail weight upon 1t, the little cripple swung himself out into the garden.
 "Poor childP' sighed the girl in ever ready sympathy and retreated thought fully to her room again and her seat before the easement window. From this viewpoint she could see the lively brothers vainly trying to climb her garden wall to reach the hollyhock row which bordered 1t.
 If they darer' she murmured, with flaming cheeks But the cherished blossoms were just out of reach of the grimy fingers; then, with upraised an gelic face, the little crippled brother leaned against a nearby tree and. much to the enjoyment of the others. delib erately lifted his wooden crutch and with straight aim knocked from the hollyhocks their brilliant blossoms.
 "Ohr' cried Mollie, and "Ohr' again, and rushed down to deal with the of fender. It was necessary to make the circuit of the great house, which had been empty yesterday, and to knock loudly at the close fastened door. When this was opened the red faced cook confronted her, and Mollie, point Ing toward the limping culprtt, asked, still a little excitedly, if the boys mother was there and If she might see her.
 '-Tim's motherT asked the cook; then she stared curiously at the girl. "Why, Tim's mothers in the hospital, havin' an operation"
 Again Mollie experienced the same helpless sensation which had come over her at sight of Tim upon the the little crutch close at hand.
 "T did not know" she said. 'I am sorry. Perhaps you could-could keep the child from being so mischieyous. las been spoiled no doubt" she added left to grow up unpunished because of his-weakness. If his fa- .her''-
 The woman interrupted with a coarse laugh. "SpofledT' she mocked. 'Unpunished? Tim, come herer'
 Quite cheerfully the little fellow obeyed- Quickly the woman's rough fingers, which could also be gentle, rolled back the lads white waist. There" she pointed-'there's welts, there's marks where he's been pun shed"
 Mollie drew back in horror. "Oh, mol! she cried protestingly. Surely no father could be a brute like thatr'
 But Tim exhibited his scars proudly as scars of battle. Sure" he said, .I'ye been hckedr'
 Then Mollie's anger turned to pity. You poor little thingw she cried. They did not know how to teach you. Come with me, Tim, and let me tell you about the flowers.
 "You sec" she explained as he hob bled along at her side, they were just little seeds at first, planted In an empty And fh-> did its warming work, then the rain, and the wind, and-the spring. The little seeds had a hard, brave fight of t; but. after all, the green sprouts came peeping above ground, then the stalks, md after, oh, ever so long a time, the green tiny leaves, next the buds un- folded slowly, slowly and them
 The boys eyes widened expectantly. Then" finished Mollie, 'came the wonderful. glorious flow IT'S" Her voice fell sadly. And in a houghtless moment you killed them Ill! I'll tell you" she added at the 'oy's conscience stricken face. ''You nay come over and gather all the fiow- ITS you want, but don't kill them"
 The lad sank down upon the porch | tep of Mollie's home, and his small | yes regarded her shrewdly. Say" le asked, 'after all I did you'll let me l 'ome over here7 You'll let me have 1, 'our fiowersY' --
 The girl nodded. Well, you are a | ood sport, -" said Tim, and their laugh CT mingled together.
 But you must be good" she admon- shed him. You must be my knight rrant and guard my garden"
 And so faithfully did Tim perform his task that Mollie was called hastily ne day by Nora to bandage an offend ng brothers head upon which Tim ad used his one weapon of correction the crutch.
 Mollie watched each morning with yes which tried to be sternly disap- rowing as the master of the lawless ousehold entered his waiting car. It Tas difficult to frown continually upon ne SO gayly happy.
 A Al.