The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-03-29


that a service was about to take place
in the church. and he strolled forth in
that direction. Children were stray
Cling into the guild room for Sunday
school. Sanford saw a woman emerge
from the Treusdail farmhouse and go
toward the church. She entered it.
and Sanford followed her in, taking a
back seat. The woman went up on to
a dais and conducted the school.
Something about her convinced San
ford that she was the girl who had
made hiIA an Easter loan. There was
enough of the child left in her to de-
note this, and there was unmistakable
evidence in her manner.
Sanford remained in his seat while
the school was in session, and when a
collector came to him for his Easter
Offering he folded a 500 bill in Il bit
of paper, on which he wrote in pencil,
principal and interest of an Easter
Offering that should have been made
ten years ago
The contributions were handed to
W
them Sanford did not know. He left
the place with the children and stroll
| ed about near by till he saw Mary
emerge. She was moving in the di-
rectiOn Of her home on the Hill when
he joined her.
Pardon me-" he said; 81 am a stran-
ger here. Perhaps you can give me
some inform alton that | need"
She turned her eyes upon him. If
he had had any doubt of her identity
it was dispelled. There was the same
kindly. honest look in them he had
seen as a boy and which had con
tributcl to change him from a ragged
boy to prosperous man.
THAT farm he continued, pointing
to the hilltop-"why is it not prosper
Gus? Is there anything the matter
with the soil?"
Nothing My father. who formerly
owned it, had q succession OF bad
years on account Of the weather. He
left the property TO me eueumbered,
and it has since been all l coljd do to
pay the interest on the mortgage.
Il am III investor in farm mort
cages" said Sanford. "What interest
do you pay"
"SiX per cent"
Indeed, find it difficult to loan at
D.. How much IS the MORTGAGE"
Five thousand dollars, but there is
also an accumulation Of interest, which
brings the total up to something like
siXty-six hundred
BY this time they had reached the
farm, and Sanford paused.
"Since you are a stranger here" said
Mary, Il should be pleased to have
you dine with us"
Sanford accepted the invitation. The
family consisted of an aunt OF Mary 5
and a younger sister, in whom the
guest saw Il duplicate of the girl who
had befriended the ragged boy. After
dinner he made an inspection of the
farm, or pretended to inspect it, and
when he returned to the house asked
Mary if she could give him the amount
of the principal and interest due on
the mortgage. She did so. and he said
to her:
II will consider it a favor if you will
allow me to add this to my other
loans"
Mary was puzzled. she was not
aware that the loan was especially de-
sirable as an investment However,
since the stranger asked as Il favor
what would be an advantage to her
she assented. As soon as she had
done so Sanford whipped out a pocket
chcckbook and wrote her n check for
the amount, telling her that the papers
in the case could be executed the next
day.
Sanford did not seem inclined to
hurry away. and the afternoon was
well spent before he made a move 70
depart. Then Mary said that. being Il
stranger in a strange land. he had
better take tea with them, and this in
vitation. too, was accepted. During
the evening he and Mary were sitting
together before a little blaze on the
| hearth, for the nights were still cool,
whom she Suddenly said to him:
Did you put that hundred dollar bill
in the Easter Offering at Sunday school
this morning:"
Il did"
What did you mean by what you
wrote on the wrapper"
Ten years ago today a little girl,
the daughter of a prosperous farmer,
met a ragged boy on the road, took
him to Sunday school and afterward
loaned him the amount she was to
have given for an Easter Offering. You
are that farmers daughter, and l am
that ragged boy"
Marys eyes were fixed on him for
some time without speaking. She was
trying to recall the incident. Present
ly she said:
1T is coming back to me-"
THAT Easter Sunday" he contin-
ued, "a revolution took place in me,
and you We're the cause of the change.
needed heartening, and you gave it.
The heartening brought courage, the
courage resolution to take hold of
the world and win. l am not a very
rich man, but have a-plenty to return
your loan with interest. The lest-the
most valued part of what you did for
ma-l GoD rls a-1r pntIr,o -