The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-01-22
For Value Received

stubborn child, not one tear did he
shed when his mother was dead, not
even at the gravel"
Miss Murphy, the little seamstress,
said gently in defense of the boy:
"Jack was very good to his mother
while she was alive, Mrs. Jones. He
sold papers during the week and
worked in the grocery store Satur-
days. Many time 1 saw him late
Saturday night, carrying home old
boxes for firewood."
81 know that, Miss Murphy, but
he's been cold and ungrateful since
she died, hardly giving anybody
civil answer"
"What will become of him." Miss
Murphy asked.
"The Lord only knows. There will
be no money left when the burial
expenses are paid. He is only thir-
teen, so suppose the State will take
him. Well, must be getting supper.
I'll feed him until things are settled.
A lot of thanks I'll get, suppose"
she added Grossly.
Mary White, one of Miss Muir
phys customers, had been sitting
silently in the background. From
time to time her eyes had rested on
the boy in question sitting on the
stoop in front of his empty home. He
was whiting stick and to casual
observer there was something brazen
in his square set shoulders, his sullen
eyes and defiant mouth.
Mary had known of the love which
existed between mother and son so
she was not misled by neighbors'
talk or by the boys conduct, either.
81 think will go out and speak to
him, Miss Murphy" she said, che
must be very lonely"
Miss Murphy nodded sympathetic
cally and Mary walked down the path
and crossed the court to where the
boy sat.
Hello, jack" she said.
"Hullo," he answered, looking in
differently away from her.
"Jack," she said softly, but he drew
away impatiently as if resenting her
pity-the attitude which had antago-
nized the shocked neighbors.
Mary studied him for moment,
then leaned forward quickly and said:
"Jack, my mother died, too"
The lad was taken off his guard.
He raised his eyes and in the fleeting
glance, Mary read the agony in their
depths. The lids dropped again once
more. He was the sullen boy and
Mary struggled to keep back the
tears, to do the right thing to ease
the pain which was eating at his
heart.
The opportunity came from MIN.
"Those were pretty roses you sent,
Miss White. She liked roses"
There was no break in his voice, so
Mary swallowed the lump in her own
throat and answered:
"Mine did, too"
She rose to her feet and said brisk
ly:
Getting near supper time, Jack.
My aunt will be waiting. want you
to come home with me to supper and
stay tonight"
She did not give him time to re-
fuse but began to close doors and
windows.
"We'll tell Mrs. Jones to keep an
eye on everything until you come
back"
That night after Jack had gone to
bed in the pretty guest room, Mary
and her aunt sat talking. Her aunt
was arguing gently, but not convinc-
ingly for her own heart had been
moved at the boys silent suffering.
'It's another of your impulsive
acts, Mary. Too bad your purse isn't
as big as your heart"
"But, Auntie, really can get along
with this piano, it has good tone;
it will last few years more"
Auntie gave in and Mary comforted
herself with the thought that her
music pupils would rack new piano
anyway, and instead of buying the
new one she took Jack with her for a
summer on her Uncle's farm, back in
the hills.
A new world opened for Jack,
wonderful rides with Mr.. Wilkins,
Mary's uncle, to the village or the
county seat. He enjoyed all the acti-
vities of the farm, feeding the ami
mails, gathering the eggs, watching
the milking, or wandering for miles
with Mary White and the two dogs,
King and Duke.
Gradually the hardness left his
face. When the time came to leave
in September, the Wilkins offered to
keep him and send him to school if
in exchange he would help with the
chores. He gladly accepted.