The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-30
By ETHEL HOLMES

One Easter Sunday morning a cir
about twelve years old sailed fortI
from a spick and span farmhouse tc
go to Sunday school On the way she
overlook boy about her own age
whose forlorn appearance touched her
heart. He VAS out at the elbows. GU,
at the knees OF his trousers. and his
toes appeared between the upper part
or his shoes and the soles The ex.
preston on his face was In accord
with his apparel-it was one OF misery
Aren't you going to Sunday school y
asked the girl
sunday schoolr' the boy repeated.
as though he had not heard Alright
les. This is Easter Sunday. Didn't
you know that all the children 20 to
Sunday school and all the grownups go
10 church"
1he boy looked at the girls clothes,
then NJ his own She was a picture Of
neatneSS. he picture Of poverty.
Il couldn't 70 Ia Sunday school look
ing this way. could L." 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 NJ you rs If they were afraid
you'd touch them Come with me
I'll show them that you're II friend of
mine"
The hoy dcmurrcd. and the cir, I'm.
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.
ticcd. 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
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 I'm a
contribution OF 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 protcge went out together,
and he insisted on hurrying away be.
fore the others could get n view of his
dilapidated condition. When they came
TO n fork In the road and no one was
near Mary took live dollar bin 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
Ia keep it for an Easter Offering for
you"
He drew back. There was that in
him which had led him to appreciate
her dclicacy in avoiding hurting his
feelings. and it was this same appre-
citation that led him TO decline her gift
She understood at once.
Take il as loan she said. Some
day n small amount like this will be
nothing To you and you can repay me-"
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 it, then turned to so to her
home. he following her wiStfully with
his sad eyes
This was the first Kindness that he
had received from IA stranger kind
ness shown him 10y one near his own
age. lie stood. occasionally dropping
his eyes To the bill in his hand. then
raising them 10 the retreating figure
of the girl who had given it to him.
Then came great change IN him. lie
had received an incentive. II seemed
to him that an angel had been sent
from heaven to lift him out Of the
slough of dcspond \ resolution came
10 him Ia t.e worthy Of the donor
With the encouragement hc had re-
ceiyed il seemed To him that he could
move the world
The sun rose on another Easter morn
ing twelve years later ami shene on
the same location where Mary TreGs-
dan took the ragged boy TO Sunday
school. Iron the hill was the Treus-
DAN farmhouse. but II had lost its
spick aud span appearance. The farm
er had lost succession of crops aud
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
air was balmy and fragrant with
opening buds. An automobile passed
over rise in the ground and. de-
scendins decliyity. stopped at the
fork OF the roads where Mary Treus-
30 no frund