The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1916-05-18

a
"Yes. that's with more than th
money, 10y a heap" agreed Mr.. Weston
~. ILL. L.. - - .----a eli
suggested their hoSt and led the wa
TO the crowded dining room.
The four were seated at a table p'ac
ed close TO Huothrr one. At the mex
cluIe ware three men, and one with
! his back to them was talking. Evil
| IDENTIFY, from his conversation, he was
county superintendent Of education
from somewhere in the state. He talk
ed in rather a loud voice, and every
word of what he said was audible.
what l am afraid of" said he, lis
that Joe Weston, the state champion
Of last year will enter" The men
ton Of Joe's name made his party
prick up their ears.
IF Joe Weston amt in it | think
my boy will win the prize, and l am
dreadfully anxious for him to. | never
did have my heart so set on anything y
he continued.
ANY special reason?" said one Of
the men at his table, helping himself
to a stalk of celery and munching idly
away on it.
Eyes, there is" asserted the school
teacher earnestly. "The most urgent
reasons. You see, this boy | am in
terested in is only fifteen years old
He's the eldest of four children, all
three considerably younger than he Is
His mother is a widow-been so for
four years now. Her husband was a
trifing drunkard who mistreated them
and died, leaving them absolutely des
titute and on the hands of charity And
this boy has been the man of the fam
lily ever since"
'"Too bad, too badr' said the other of
the listeners.
"They moved out in the edge Of
town on this little patch of ground
and in a tumble down cabin. The
church ladies helped them out that
first year. The mother took in sew
ing The children gathered dandelion
green's and pokeberry shoots for salad
and blackberries. The Lord only
knows how they got through that first
year Then a good hearted man gave
them a COW, and the ladies gave a
few chickens. They sold milk and
eggs, and that helped.
Il don't reckon anybody could get
closer to bedrock poverty than that"
said the first listener, with a shudder
"Thcy could notr' asserted the school
teacher Then this boy, Henry, he's
been like father to those children,
He works from daylight to dark. He
put in a sort of garden the next year;
that helped give living, and he ped
died some vegetables from it and
worked at odd jobs. Hes kept on haul
ing manure out there ON that land and
got 1t pretty rich. There are seven
acres in the place"
"Why, that's fine!" said one of the
men.
THE garden was better next year,
and the COW had a calf, and that prom
ises to be a good COW They've got
more chickens and make plenty to eat,
and he sells more, and those children
are able to go to school in winter now,
thanks to Henry. And this year he
squeezed in three months himsef-the
first schooling he ever had
MY, my, what Il tough time that
boy has had!
Indeed, yes; but not a whimper
from Henry He's got the heart Of
Roman soldier in him And, do you
know, the old skin0int that owns that
place has gone to charging that poor
outcast rent on it,?
"Oh, you don't say-the old rascal"
chorused the two men
Fact Why, that place was in such
bad shape a niger family moved out
Of it before these folks We're dumped
there by the Ladies of Charity. That
old rascal has given an option on the
place for $500 to a friend of mine. If
Henry can buy the place and stop the
drain for rent they'll get along fine.
Rent amt much but a nickel looks as
big to them as a cart.Wheel'
Mr.. Ralston looked at Joe. He was
white and breathing hard and strain
ing his ears to catch every word.
go continued the schoolteacher, eff
he wins he can commute this scholar
ship for $500 and make nearly another
500 off the corn he sells. I'll person
ally see that the balance is made up
and enough is raised to buy him good
mule and wagon. If he gets the chance
he'll actually make and save money
there. If he loses on this l believe it
will be the last straw. | actually be-
lieve 1t will break his heart-his spirit
and take the fight out of him"
"What's his record?" inquired the
other man.
Two hundred and fifteen bushels at
Is cents"
THAT'S wonderful" said the first lis
tener.
"Well, he's an experienced gardener
by now, but it's a fine record. No rec
ord filed up to this time equals it, so /
say that Joe Weston is the only one
am afraid Of. A few have made few
more bushels than Henry has, but the
cost was so much greater. Why, guess
what that boy didY'
Cant Imagine."