The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-03-29
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 a boy about her own age
whose forlorn appearance touched her
heart He 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 his aprarel-it was one of misery
"Aren't you going to Sunday SCHOOL,"
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 ali 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.
81 couldn't go to Sunday school look
ing this way could T. 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-
I'll show them that you're a 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 be was not no
ticed. But the girl sat beside him
There was an open window near them
and a dra:i was coming in on them
. The boy sLiyered, and the girl TOOK
off 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 We're sitting,
but the girl made no move to put III Il
contribution. OF course her friend,
the ragged boy, had nothing to give,
but the boy who was taking up tire
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 a surprise.
When the services were over Mary
and her protege went out together,
and he insisted on hurrying away be
Pre- the others could get view of his
'lapidated condition. When they came
to a 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 l couldn't give so much when you
had nothing to give. 1t would have
made you feel ashamed. SO 1 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.
Take it as a loan" she said. Some
day a small amount like this will 10
nothing to you and you can repay me.
There was a hopeless look on the
boys face, 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 it. then turned to 90 TO her
home be following her wistfully with
his sad eyes.
This was the first kindness that lie
had received from a stranger, a kinG-
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 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
to, him to be worthy of the donor.
With the encouragement be had re-
ceived it 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-
lail took the ragged boy to Sunday
chool. Upon the hill was the Treus-
all farmhouse, but it had lost its
pick and span appearance. The farm
r had lost a succession of crops and
ad died with a mortgage on his farm.
Iary was struggling along trying to
ave the property by raising vegetables
nd such other produce as she could
aise without the investment of capt.
IL.
Easter came late that year, and the
- was balmy and fragrant with
buds. An automobile passed
r., rise in the ground and, de-
M dg a declivity, stopped at the
IN Of the roads where Mary Treus-
4 ali had made her loan to the ragged
oy. In the car was a young man.
rom the neatness Of his dress one
ould not suspect he was that very
gged boy. He looked up at the
reusdail farmhouse and noted its di-
pidated appearance. He turned his
lze to the church where Mary had
ken him to Sunday school. 1t had
zen converted into a guild room, and