The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-04-06
The. Ragged
Boy
An Easter Story
By ETHEL HOLMES

One Easter Sunday morning girl
about twelve years old sailed forth
from spick and span farmhouse to
go to Sunday school. On the way she
overlook boy about her own age
whose forlorn appearance touched her
heart. He was oct at the elbows, out
at the knees of his trousers, and his
toes appeared between the upper part
of bis shoes and the soles. The cx-
preston on his face was in accord
with his apparel-it was one of misery.
aren't you going to Sunday school?"
asked the girl
Sunday SCHOOL, the boy repeated.
as though he had not heard Alright.
Eyes. This is Eastdr Sunday Didn't
you know that all, the children go to
Sunday school and al the grownups go
to church,"
The boy looked at the girls clothes,
then at his own. She was picture Of
heatness, he picture Of poverty.
II couldn't go to Sunday school look
Ing this way, could II" he said.
The girl looked doubtful. Then sud
denly an idea seemed to come to her.
IF you did," she said, "they would
all look at you as If they were afraid
you'd touch them. Come with me.
III show them that you're friend of
mine"
The boy demurred, and the girl in
sisted. She took him with her to Sun
day school. but she could not get him
forward among the other children. He
took back seat. where he was not no
ticed But the girl sat beside him.
There was an open window near them.
and draft was coming in on them.
The boy shivered, and the girl took
of her coat and put it over his shout
ders.
During the exercises a collection was
taken up. One of the boys passed the
plate to where these two were sit i1gl
but the girl made no move to put N :.
contribution. or course her friend.
the ragged boy, had nothing to give,
but the boy who was taking up the
collection wondered. for the girl was
the daughter Of the richest farmer
thereabout and was a liberal giver.
That Mary Treusdail gave no. Easter
offering was indeed surprise.
When the services were over Mary
and her protege went out together.
and he insisted on hurrying away be-
fore the others could get a view Of his
tiilapidated condition. When they came
to q fork I'm the road and no one was
near Mary took FIVE dollar bill from
her pocket.
This was to have been my Easter
offering at Sunday school But. you
see, couldn't give so much when you
had nothing to give. 1t would have
made you feel ashamed. SO thought
I'd keep it for an Easter Offering for
you"
He drew back There was that in
him which had led him TO appreciate
her delicacy in avoiding hurting his
feelings, and it was this same appre-
citation that led him to decline her gift
She understood at once.
flake it as loan" she said. Some
day a small amount like this will be
nothing to you and you can repay me-"
There was a hopeless look on the
boys face, shamed look, as lie per-
mitted her to thrust the bill upon him.
He said nothing. but his eyes spoke
volumes. She took his hand in hers,
pressed it, then turned to go to her
home. he following her wistfully with
ais sad eyes.
This was the first kindness that he
had received from a stranger, a kind
ness shown him by one near his own
age. Tie stood, occasionally dropping
his eyes TO the bill in his hand, then
raising them TO the retreating figure
Of the girl who had given it to him.
Then came a great change in him. He
had received an incentive. 1t seemed
to him that an angel had been sent
from heaven to lift him out Of the
slough OF despond. A resolution came
10 him to be worthy of the donor.
with the encouragement he had re-
ccived it seemed to him that he could
move the world,
The sun rose OH another Easter morn
Ing twelve years later and shone OF
the same location where Mary Treus-
dali took the ragged boy to Sunday
school. Upon the hill was the Treus-
dali farmhouse. but it had lost its
spick and span appearance. The farm
err had lost succession of crops and
had died with a mortgage on his farm.
Mary was struggling along trying to
Save the property by raising vegetables
and such other produce as she could
} raise without the investment of CAPT
tai.
Easter came late that year, and the
mir was balmy and fragrant with
opening buds. An automobile passed
over rise In the ground and, de-
scending declivity. stopped at the,
fork of the roads where Mary Treus-
dali had made her loan to the ragged
boy In the car was a young man.
From the neatness Of his dress one
would not suspect he was that very
ragged boy. He looked up at the
Treusdail farmhouse and noted its d.
lapidated appearance. He turned his
gaze TO the church where Mary had
taken him to Sunday school, 1t had
been converted into guild room, and
new church had been built beside 1t.
This transformed ragged boy drove
,,is auto to a hotel In the village anj
Registered himself as Martin Sanford,
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