The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-04-08

- I've Hedru OF EN-, Ann
"etherby had returned crisply, "but l
never took much stock in 'em. A
clolr-made O bOys-just as if music
couid come from yellin', hootin' bows !"
An hour later at st. Marks. the
softly swelling music Of the organ was
sehulhg curious little thrills tingling
10 MISS Wetherby's finger tips. The
voluntary had become a mere wbisper
Wien she noticed that the great doors
near her were swinging outward. The
music ceased and there was a mo-
mehts GREATNESS hush-then family
Iii the distance sounded the first sweet
notes Of the professional.
Etllel stirred slightly and threw
meaning glance at her aunt. The
woman met the look unfinchingly.
Them amt no BOYS" she wEis-
pered tartly.
Nearer and nearer swelled the Choir
US until the leaders reached the open
doors. Miss Wetherby gave one look
at the white-rObed singers, then she
reached over and clutched Ethers
fingers.
They be !-and in their nighties.
too!' she added in a Mortified wills
per.
one of the boys had a solo in the
anthem that morning, and as the
clear, pure soprano rose higher and
higher. Miss Wetherby gazed in undis-
gulsed awe at the young singer. She
noted the soulful eyes uplifted de
voutly, and the broad forehead
framed in clustering brown curls. To
Miss Wetherby it was the face of an
angel; and as the glorious voice rose
and swelled and died away in ex-
quisite melody, two big tears rolled
down her cheeks and splashed on the
shining, black silk gown.
At dinner that day Miss Wetnerby
learned that the solOist was Bobby
Sawyer" She also learned that he
was one of Ethel's "fresh-air" mission
children, and that, as vet, there was
no place for him to 60 for a vacation.
THAT angel child with the heavenly
vOice-and no one to take him in?"
Miss Wetherby bethought herself of
her own airy rooms and Towering
meadows, and snapped her lips to-
gether with sudden determination.
"Tll take him!' she announced
tersely, and went home the next day
to prepare for her expected guest.
Early in the morning of the first
Monday in July, Miss Wetherby added
the finishing touches to the dainty
white bedroom upstairs.
it," she murmured. giving a loving
pat to the spotless. beruffled pillow
shams; then her approving eyes fell
upon the Morning Prayer" hanging
at the foot of the bed. There! them
sweet little cherubs sayin' their
prayers is jest the thing fur the little
saint to see when he first wakes ev'ry
mornin' Little angel" she finished
softly.
On the table in the corner were
hymn books, the great red-and- gold I
family Bible, and Bakers Saints
Rest"-the only reading matter suited
to Miss Wetherby's conception of the !
mind behind those soulful orbs up
raised in devout alteration
Just before Ann started for the |
station Tommy Green came over to
leave his pet dog, Rover, for Miss |
Wetherby's 'fresh-air' boy TO play /
with
snow. Thomas Green" demonstrated
Ann severely. "you can take that dir
ty dog right home. ! won't have him
around Besides, Robert Sawyer amt
the kind of bov you be. He don't
care fur sech things-I know he
don't"
Half an hour later, Ann Wetherby,
her heart humping loudly against
her ribs. anxiously scanned the pas
sengers as they alighted at Slccum
Vile station. There were not many
an old man. two girls. three or four
women. and small, dirty boy with
lirtier dog and brown paper parcel
in his arms.
He had not come!
Miss Wetherby held her breath
md looked furtively at the small
bow. There was nothing familiar in
,is appearance. she was thankful to
say! He must he another one for
else. Still. perhaps he
night know something about her own
nigel boy-she would ask.
Ann advanced warily. with disap-
proving eve on the dog.
Little boy. can you tell me why
Robert SAWYER didn't come?' she
,sked severely.
The result of her cautious question
her not a little. The boy
,ropped the dog and bundle to the
,,atform. threw his hat in the air,
md capered about in wild glee.
"Hi. there. Bones, We're all right
,ollv-but | thought we were side
racked. fur surev
Miss Wetherhy sank in limp diSmay
3 q box of freight near blythe barred
,o.d disclosed the clustering brown
urls and broad forehead. and the
YES unified TO the whirling hat COM
,leted the teiI-ta:e picture.
The urchin caught the hat deftly
n the hack of his head. and pranced
m 70 Ann with his hands in his {
rockets.
"Caa-whiz, marm-but / thought {
on'd funked fur sure. | reckoned me
n, Rones was barkin' up the wrong
roc This time. 1t looked as If we'd (
ome 70 a iumpin'-off place. an you'd
- +ba SIin TIM Rob myself