The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-04-28

'Humph! I've heard of EN-" Ann
Wetherby had returned crisply, "but
never took much stock In em. A
choir--made O. boys--just as IL music
could come from yellin', hootin' boys ~
An hour later at st. Marks, the
softly swelling music of the organ was
sending curious little thrills tingling
to Miss Wetherby's finger tips. Then
family in the distance sounded the
first sweet notes Of the professional.
Ethel stirred slightly and threw a
meaning glance at her aunt. The
woman met the look unhlnchingly.
"Them amt no boysl" she whis-
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 Ethels
fingers.
"They be!--and in their nlghtles,
too" she added in Mortified whis-
per.
One of the boys had solo In the
anthem that morning, and as the
clear, pure soprano rose higher and
higher, Miss Wetherby gazed in undis-
guised 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 1t was the face Of an
angel.
At dinner that day Miss Wetherby
learned that the solOist was Bobby
Sawyer" She also learned that he
was one Of Ethel's "fresh-alr" mission
children, and that, as yet, there was
no place for him to go for 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.
an 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.
Dear little SOUL hope he'll like
ltw she murmured.
On the table In the corner were
hymn books, the great red-and-gold
family Bible, and a Bakers Saints
Rest'-the only reading matter suited
to Miss Wetherby's conception Of the
mind behind those soulful orbs up
raised in deyout alteration.
Just before Ann started for the
station Tommy Green came over to
leave his pet dog, Rover, for Miss
Wetherby's "fresh-alr" boy TO play
with.
"Now, 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 boy 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 Slocum-
vile station. There were not many
an old man, two girls, three or four
women, and small, dirty boy with a
dirtisr dog and brown paper parcel
in his arms.
He had not come!
Miss Wetherby held her breath
and looked furtively at the small
boy. There was nothing familiar in
his appearance, she was thankful to
say! He must be another one for
somebody else. StiIl, perhaps he
might know something about her own
angel boy-she would ask.
Ann advanced warIly, with a disap-
proving eye on the dog.
"Lttle boy, can you tell me why
Robert Sawyer didn't conner she
asked severely.
The result of her cautious question
disconnected her not little. The boy
dropped the dog and bundle to the
platform, threw his hat in the air,
and capered about In Wild glee.
"Hi, there, Bones! We're all right
Golly-but I thought we were side
tracked, fur surel"
Miss Wetherby sank in limp dlsmay
to a box Of freight near blythe barred
head disclosed the clustering brown
curls and broad forehead, and the
eyes uplifted to the whirling hat cora
pleted the tell-talc picture.
The urchin caught the hat deity
on the back of his head, and pranced
up to Ann with his hands in his
pockets.
"Gee-whlzl marm-but I thought |
you'd flunked fur sure I reckoned me |
an Bones was barkln' up the wrong
tree this time. It looked as IL we'd
come to jumpin'-off place. an you'd |
given us the slip. I'm Bob, myself, !
ye see, an I've come all right i
"Are you Robert Sawyer?" she
gasped.
"Jest We hear that, Bones" laughed !
the boy shrllly, capering round and |
round the small dog again. rs 'Ro.
bert'-now-do We hear" Then he
whirled back to his position In front |
Of Miss Wetherby, and made low
bow. "Robert Sawyer. at yer service"
he announced In mock pomposity.