The Snowflake herald., 1920-09-10
TOMNY'S COAT
BY JACK LAWToN

A
Marilyn sat in the lilac arbor and
sang as she sewed her seam. Marilyn
was like an embodiment of spring her
self, with sky blue eyes and apple
blossom cheeks and the sweet smiling
sunniness Of her. Nearby stood
quaint little figure like a pixie stepped
from book or hobgoblin come to
life. Though the figure was, after all,
merely that of a small red-haired Irish
boy clad in an old coat far too big
with coat tails which touched his
heels.
"And SO your name is Tommy Ryan"
tie girl was saying, "and your mother
washes for the people in the big house
next door. But why did you come to
see me Tommy"
shamefacedly, "the boys at school do
be laughing at me because mother
makes me wear it, | want to try some
day to earn another. SO l thought if
you might be after havin' Grants to
do -"
'4there are not many errands, Tommy
when | have only to shop for myself
and old Tilly who helps for her board.
But ," she paused thoughtfully.
'Why," asked the boy, did you be
after comm out here to live by your
self in this bit of a house? Haven't
you got any folks or a lrasband
maybe?"
The girl laughed, then answered
seriously.
"Im quite alone in the world Tommy
Ryan" she said, "and when | drove
through this country and saw the bit
of house one day it occurred to me
that I might be able to live more
cheaply and perhaps more profitably
here than In the great city. | could
send my Illustrations from here to
the unkind publishers just as well.
So -"
$50 here We are" finished Tommy.
"Well, it's a nice dolls house of
place, an me mother says that once it
was the lodge of the great house next
door an the folks that lived here then
was great folks. It's their son has
come back to keep the house now
when he isn't in New York or Bosting
or Europe /; he has auto cars and horses
and everything. An, added Tommy
hotly "he give this old coat O. miae
to mother. Things he casts off an
she makes me wear EN-"
ITS shame" Marilyn declared,
gaining thereby Tommys loyal friend
ship
"But you won't always have to wear
old coats" she comforted, you'll go
out and earn new ones for yourself"
Marilyn considered
Il have wanted a garden for some
time" she said, "a flower and yege
table garden "
ATarilyn did some figuring upon her
fingers
Seeds are high" she added regret
fully. "But we will manage some way
Tommy and you are engaged at very
low figure to be my gardener. Still
tnats a beginning. And maybe some
day if you work well we will raise
crops and you shall drive into town
to sell them"
Tommy's face glowed beneath the
freckles.
"You mean it?" he asked. Honest"
Honest" agreed Marilyn And just
then over the high dividing wall APP
peared the head Of man whose body
evidently was poised upon a garden
ladder.
BEG pardon" said the man pleasant
ly. .but as l happened to be training
vine up my side of the wall | could not
help oyerhearing some of your con
versation. And if YOU are thinking of
buying garden seed " he bowed
in Marilyns direction. why my head
gardener has quantities which we will
be glad to give you. We make no use
Of them And why purchase he went
on hastily as Marilyn's lips were form
ing a polite refusal, "when seeds are
going to waste?"
The girl smiled.
"Why that is so" she replied, "and
thank you"
'The poor little devil" he said
aughingly "to think that Nora makes
him wear my old coats. He must have
had a time at school"
The garden surrounding the bit of
4 house flourished and showed great
promise under Tommie's tireless care,
while the young illustrator laid her
sketching aside and came out to
healthfully help him.
The son of the great house Joined
in the enthusiasm and postponed for
the second time his New York trip as
he, too, labored at Marilyn's direction.
1t was when the golden days of a
golden August were drawing to a close
that the girl came stepping lightly
across the grasses to Tommy Ryans
side. She held new coat in her
hands, not the khaki kind which Tom
my had lately been wearing, but
grand coat of soft light tweed. Tom
my dear" she said, this is for you to