The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-01-15
SYNOPSIS.


ugynnpnt, ABOUT the year 1876. Barton meets
sally punkelberg. about his own age. bat
e OSd,aty on class above the Bayneses.
and fne clothes.
CHAPTER II-Barton meets Rowing
"silent Woman" Amos Grimshaw. Young
son or the richest man in the township,
rs visitor at the Baynes home, and
Rowing Kate tells the fortunes Of the two
boys, predicting a bright future for Bar
ton and death on the gallows for Amos.
Eeproved for an act of boyish mischief
Barton runs away, intending to make his
home with the Dunkelbergs. He reaches
the village of Canton and falls into a
sleep OF exhaustion on porch. There
nent man in public affairs. who, knowing
Peabody Baynes, takes Barton home az
ter buying him new clothes.
CHAPTER III-Barton and his uncle
and aunt visit Canton and hear Silas
Wright read q sermon
He left me and I sat down upon
the ground, thoughtful and silent.
In a moment my friend came out
with Mrs. Dunkelberg. who kissed me.
and asked me to tell how ! happened
to be there.
81 just thought would come" said
as twisted button on my coat,
and would say no more to her.
Mr.. Wright, you're going to take
him home, are your" Mrs. Dunkel-
berg asked.
IA Eyes. I'll start of with him In an
hour or So" said my friend. 81 am
interested In this boy and i want to
see his aunt and uncle"
swell, Sally, you go down to the Of
fee and stay with Bart until they co.
you'd like that. wouldn't your" the
man asked of me.
II don't know" said.
"That means yes" said the man.
Sally and another little girl came
with us and passing a store I held
back to look at many beautiful things
In a big window.
IT'S there anything you'd like there,
BartT the man asked.
'T wisht had a pair o. them shiny
shoes with buttons on" answered
In a low, confidential tone, afraid TO
express, openly, a wish SO extrava-
CANT
"Come right in,~ he said. and re-
member that when we entered the
store / could hear my heart beating.
He bought pair Of shoes for me
and / would have them on at once,
and made it necessary for him to
buy a pair Of socks also. After the
shoes were buttoned on my feet 1 saw
little Of Sally Dunkelberg or the other
people of the village, my eyes being
ON my feet most of the time.
The man took us into his Office and
told us to sit down until he could
write a letter.
Soon a horse and buggy came for
us and briefly answered Sally's good
bye before the man drove away with
me. / remember telling him as we
went on over the rough road, between
fields Of ripened grain, Of my water
melon and my dog and my little pet
hen
shall not try to describe that home
coming. We~found Aunt Deel In the
road FIVE miles from home. She had
been calling and travelling from house
to house most of the night, and l
have never forgotten her Joy at seeing
me and her tender greeting. She got
into the buggy and rode home with
us. holding me in her rap. Uncle Pea
body and one of our neighbors had
| been out in the woods all night with
pine torches. I recall how, although
excited by my return, he took of
his hat at the sight of my new friend
and said:
"Mr.. Wright, never wished that
1 lived in a palace until now"
He didn't notice me until I held up
both feet and called: Look a there,
Uncle Peabody"
Then he came and took me out OF
the buggy and / saw the tears In his
eyes when he kissed me.
The man told of finding me on his
little yeranda, and / told Of my ride
with Dug Draper, after which Uncle
Peabody said: tt
.sPm goin' to put in your boss and
feed him, Comptroller"
"And I'm goin' to cook the best
dinner I ever cooked In my life," said
Aunt Deel.
When the great man had gone Uncle
Peabody took me In his lap and said
very gently and with serious look
"You didn't think I meant 1t, did
ye?--that you would have to 60 way
from here7"
D 81 don't know" was my answer.
~ s"'Course didn't mean that. / just
wanted We to see that 1t want going
to do for you to keep on tippin' things
over So"
That evening as was about to 60
upstairs to bed, Aunt Deel said to
my uncle:
do you remember what oil Kate
wrote down about him? This Is his
first peril an he has met his first
great man an can see that Sile
Wright Is kind o. fond O. him."
went to sleep that night thinking
Of the strange. old, ragged, silent
woman