The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-05-04
The Ragged
Boy
An Easter Story
By ETHEL HOLMES

go to Sunday school. On the way she
overlook boy about her own age
whose forlorn appearance touched her
heart Flo was out at the elbows, out
at the knees of his trousers, and his
toes appeared between the upper part
OF his shoes and the soles. The ex-
preston on his face was in accord
with hls apparel-it was one OF misery.
Aren't You going to Sunday schools"
asked the girl
Sunday schoolr' the boy repeated,
as though he had not heard Alright.
Eyes. This is Easter Sunday. Didn't
you know that all the children go to
Sunday school and all the grownups go
to church,
The boy looked at the girls clothes
then at his own She was a picture Of
neatness, he picture OF poverty.
II couldn't 90 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 IL they were afraid
you'd touch them Come with me.
I'll show them that you're a friend Of
mime
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 a 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 collection was
taken up. One of the boys passed the
| plate to where these two were sitting.
but the girl made no move TO put In a
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 liberal giver.
That Mary Treusdail gave no Easter
Offering was indeed surprise.
1 When the services were over Mary
and her protege went out together,
and he insisted ON hurrying away be
fore the others could get view Of his
/ dilapidated condition. When they came
to n fork in the road and no one was
near Mary took a 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 1t was this same appre-
citation that led him to decline her gift
She understood at once.
Take IL as a loan," she said Some
day small amount like this will be
nothingito you and You can repay me-
Il There was a hopeless look on the
boys face, a shamed look, as he per
mitted her to thrust the bill upon him
He said nothing. but his eyes spoke
volumes. She took his hand in hers
pressed il, then turned to go to hei
home. he following her wistfully witt
his 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. He stood, occasionally dropping
his eyes to the bill In his hand, then
raising them to the retreating figure
of the girl who had given 1t to him
Then came great change In him. BE
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
to him to be worthy OF the donor
with the encouragement he had re
ceived 1t seemed to him that he could
move the world.
The sun rose on another Easter morn
ing twelve years later and shone on
the same location where Mary Treus
dali took the ragged boy to Sunday
school. Upon the hill was the Treus
dahl farmhouse but 1t had lost Its
spick and span appearance. The farm
er had lost a succession OF crops and
had died with a mortgage ON his farm
Mary was struggling along trying Il
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
air 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-
DAN had made her loan to the ragged
boy. In the car was young man
From the neatness Of his dress one
would not suspect he was that very
ragged boy. He looked up ut tho
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 a guild room, and
new church had been built beside 1t.
This transformed ragged boy drove
his auto to hotel IN the village and
M....I