rxrrxxxrr
THAT ANGEL BOY
He Sang Like an Angel, But His Trip to the Country
Will Be Long Remembered.
By ELEANOR PORTER
Author of “ Pollyanna,” “ Just David,” Etc.
Copyright by Eleanor H Porter.
xxxixxs x txiiixmmmxxiiiixiiiiiixTinzyTiriiTrTT .<
T AM SO glad you consented to stay
over until Monday, auntie, for now
you can hear our famous boy choir,”
Ethel had said at the breakfast table
that Sunday morning.
“Humph! I’ve heard of ’em,” Ann
Wetherby had returned crisply, “but I
never took much stock In 'em. A
choir—made o’ boys—Just as If music
could come from yellin’, hootin’ boys!”
An hour later at St. Mark's, the
softly swelling music of the organ was
sending curious little thrills tingling
to Miss Wetherby’s linger tips. Then
faintly in the distance sounded the
llrst sweet notes of the processional.
Ethel stirred slightly and threw a
meaning glance at her aunt. The
woman met the look unflinchingly.
“Them ain’t no boys!” she whis
pered tartly.
Nearer and nearer swelled the chor
us until the leaders reached the open
doors. Miss Wetherby gave one look
at the white-robed singers, then she
reached over and clutched Ethel's
fingers.
"They be!—and In their nighties,
tool” she added in a horrified whis
per.
One of the boys had a solo In the
anthem that morning, and as the
clear, pure soprano rose higher und
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 It was the fuce 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-air” mission
children, and that, as yet, there was
no place for him to go for a vacation.
“That angel child with the heavenly
voice—and no one to take him InT’
Miss Wetherby bethought herself of
her own airy rooms und flowering
meadows, and snapped her Ups to
gether with sudden determination.
*TU tnke 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—I hope he’ll like
it 1” she murmured.
On the table in the corner were
hymn hooks, the great red-and-gold
family Bible, and a “Baxter's Saints'
Rest”—the only reading matter suited
to Miss Wetherby’s conception of the
mind behind those soulful orbs up
raised In devout adoration.
Just before Ann started for the
station Tommy Green came over to
leave his pot dog. Rover, for Miss
Wefherby's “fresh air” boy to play
with.
“Now, Thomas Green,” remonstrated
Ann severely, "you can take that dir
ty dog right home. 1 won’t have him
around. Besides. Robert Sawyer ain’t
the kind of a boy you be. He don't
care fur sech things—I know he
don't.”
linn an nmir larer, ai.u wemeruy,
her heart thumping loudly against
her ribs, anxiously scanned the pas
sengers ns they alighted at Slocum
vllle station. There were not many—
an old man. two girls, three or four
women, and a small, dirty boy with a
dlrtl»r dog and a brown paper parcel
In his anus.
He had not come!
Miss Wetherbv held her breath
and looked furtively at the small
boy. There was nothing familiar in
his appearance, she was thankful to
say I He must be another one fur
somebody «e'se. Still, perhaps he
might know something about her own
angel boy--she would ask.
Ann advanced warily, with a disap
proving eye on the dog.
"Little boy, can you tell me why
Robert Sawver didn’t come?” she
asked severely.
The result of her cautious question
disconcerted her not a little. The boy
dropped the dog and bundle to the
platform, threw bis hat In the air,
and capered nbout in "ild glee.
“HI. there. Rones! We're all right!
Golly—hut I thought we were side
tracked. fur sure!”
Miss Wetherby sank In limn dismay
to n box of freight near by—the bared
head disclose^ the clustering brown
curls and broad forehead, and the
eyes uplifted to the whirling hat com
pleted the tell-tale picture.
The urchin caught the hat deftly
on the back of his head, and pranced
up to Ann wtth his hands In his
pockets.
"Gee-whlz! marm—but I thought
you’d dunked fur sure. I reckoned me
an’ Rones was harkin’ up the wrong
tree this time. It looked as if we’d
come to a 1umpIn’-off place, an’ you’d
given us the slip. I’m Boh. myself,
ye see. an’ Tve come nil right!’’
“Are you Robert Sawyer?” she
gasped.
’’.Test ye hear that. Bones!” laughed
the hoy shrill”, capering round and
round the small dog again. *Ts ‘Ro
bert’—now—do ye hear?” Then he
whirled hack to his position In front
of Miss Wetherhv. nnd mtde a low
how. “ttotipe Sawyer. at ver
he Htiiukiiiced In mock pomposity.
“Oh. I say.” ha addad with a Quick
I change of position, “yer’d better call
me ‘Bob’; I ain’t lister nothin’ else.
I'd fly off the handle quicker’u no
time, puttin’ on airs like that.’’
Miss Wetherby’s back straightened.
She made a desperate attempt to re
gain her usual stern self-possession.
“I shall call ye ‘Robert,’ bo.V. I
don’t like—er—that other name."
There was a prolonged stare and a
low whistle from the boy. Then he
turned to pick up his bundle.
“Come on. Bones, stir yer stumps;
lively, now! This ’ere lady’s a-goin’
ter tnke us ter her shebang ter stay
mos’ two weeks. Gee-whiz ’ Bones,
ain’t tills great V’ And witli one bound
he was*off the platform and turning a
series of somersaults on the soft
grass followed by the skinny, mangy
dog which was barking itself nearly
wild witli Joy.
“You e’n foller me, ’ she said stern
ly, without turning her head toward
the culprits on the grass.
Bobby trotted alongside of Miss
Wetherby, meekly followed by the
"Robert, You Ain’t a'Going Home
' Today.”
dog. Soon the boy gave his trousers
an awkward hitch and glauced side
ways up at the woman.
“Oh, I say, marm, I think It's bully
| of yer ter let ine an' Bones come,’’ he
j began sheepishly. “It looked ’s If our
! case’d hang fire till the crack o’ doom;
| there wa’n't no one ter have us. When
! Miss Ethel told ine her aunt d take
1 us. It jest struck me all of a heap.
I tell ye, me an’ Bones made tracks
; fur Sloeumvllle ’bout's soon as they’d
let us.”
“I haln't no doubt of It!” retorted
Ann, looking buck hopelessly at the
dog.
“Ye see,” continued the boy confi
dentially, “there ain’t ev’ty one what
likes boys, an’—hi, there!—go It,
Bones!” he suddenly shrieked, and
scumpered wildly after the dog which
had dashed Into the bushes by the
slde of the road.
Ann did not see her young charge
again until she had been home half an
hour.
“Jiminy Christmas!’’ he exclaimed,
“I begun ter think I’d lost ye, but 1
remembered yer last name was the
same’s Miss Ethel,’, an’ a boy—Tom
my Green, around the corner—he told
me where ye lived. And, oh, I say, me
an’ Bones are a-golu’ off with him an’
Hover after I’ve had somethin’ ter
eat—’t is mos’ grub time, ain’t It?”
he added auxiously.
Ann sighed In a discouraged way.
“Yes, I s'pose ’t is. I left some
, beans a-bakln’, and dinner'll he ready
1 pretty quick. You can come upstairs
i with me, Robert, an’ I’ll show ye
; where yer goin’ ter sleep.” she fin
ished. with a sinking heart, as she
' thought of those ruffled pillow shams.
Bobby followed Miss Wctherby into
i the dainty fhainber. He gave one
| look, and puckered up his lips Into a
I long, low whistle.
“Well, I’ll be flabbergasted! Oh, I
' say, now, ye don’t expect me ter stay
In all this fuss an’ fixin's!” he ex
claimed ruefully.
“It—it is the room I calculated fur
ye,” said Ann, with almost a choke
In her voice.
The boy looked up quickly and
something rose within him that he did
not quite understand.
“Oh, well, ye know, it’s slick as n
whistle an’ all that, but I ain’t uster
havin’ it laid on so thick. I ain't no
great shakes, ye know, but I’ll walk
the chalk all right this time.”
Miss Wetherby did not see much of
her guest that afternoon; he went
away Immediately afte» dinner and
did not return until supper time.
After supper he went at once to his
room: but it was not until Miss
Wetherby ceased to hear the patter of
hl« feet on the floor nhove that she
I luuiiod back in uer chah a itb a sign
[ of relict
When Ann went upstairs to make
the bed that Tuesuay morning, the
sight that met her eyes struck terror
to her heart. The bedclothes were
scattered In wild confusion half over
the room. The washbowl, with two
long singing books across it, she dis
covered to her horror, was serving as
a prison for a small green snake. The
Bible and the remaining hymn books,
topped by “Baxter’s Saints’ Best,”
lay in a suspicious-looking pile on the
floor. Under these Miss Wetherby did
not look. After her experience- with
the snake and the wash bowl, her
nerves were not strong enough. She
recoiled In dismay, also, from the
sight of two yellow, paper-covered
books on tbe table, flaunting shame
lessly the titles: “Jack the Pirate of
Bed Island,’’ and “Haunted by a
Headless Ghost.”
Arm Wetherby never forgot that
Fourth of July, nor for that matter,
the days that immediately followed.
She went about with both ears stuffed
with cotton, and eyes that were ever
on the alert for all manner of creep
ing, crawling things in which Bobby's
soul delighted.
The boy, reinforced by the children
of the entire neighborhood, held a cir
cus in Miss Wetherbv's woodshed, and
instituted a Wild Indian camp in her
uttlc. The poor woman was quite
powerless, and remonstrated all in
vain. The boy was so cheerfully good
tempered under her sharpest words
that tiie victory was easily his.
But on Saturday when Miss Wether
by, returning from a neighbor’s, found
two cats, four dogs, and two toads
tied to her parlor chairs, together
with three cages containing respec
tively a canary, a parrot, and a squir
rel (collected from obliging house
holds), she rebelled In earnest and
summoned Bobby to her side.
‘‘Bobert. I've stood all I’m a-goin'
ter. You’ve got to go home Monday.
Do you hear?”
“Oh, come off. Miss Wetherby, ’tain’t
only a menag’ry, an’ you don't use
the room none.”
Miss Wetherby's mouth worked con
vulsively.
"Robert!” she gasped, as soou ai
she could find her voice, "I never, nev
er heard of such dreadful goin's-on!
You certainly can't stay here no long
er," she continued sternly.
An hour later. Miss YVetherby had a
caller. It was the chorister of her
church choir. The man sat down gin
gerly on one of the slippery haircloth
chairs, aud proceeded at once to state
his business.
"I understand, Miss YVetherby, that
you have un—er—young singer with
you.”
Miss YVetherby choked, and stam
mered "Yes.”
“He sings—er—very well, doesn't
he?”
The woman was still more visibly
embarrassed.
"I—I don't know,” the murmured;
then in stronger tones. “The one that
looked like him did.”
“Are there two?” he asked in stupid
amazement.
Miss YY'etherby laughed uneasily,
then she sighed.
“Well, ter tell the truth, Mr. Wig
gins, I s-pose there ain't; but some
times I think there must be. I’ll send
Robert down ter tbe rehearsal tonight,
and you can see what ye can do with
him.” And with this Mr. Wiggins was
forced to be content.
Bobby sang on Sunday. The little
church was full to the doors. Bobby
was already famous in the village.
The witchery of the glorious voice
entered again into the woman’s soul,
and indeed, sent the entire congrega
tion home In an awed silence that
was the height of admiring homage.
At breakfast time Monday morning,
Bobby came downstairs with his
brown paper parcel under his arm.
Ann glanced at his woeful face, then
went out Into the kitchen and slammed
the oven door sharply.
“Well, marm, I’ve had a bully time
—sure's a gun,” said the boy wistfully,
following her.
"Robert,” she began with nssumed
sternless, trying to hide her depth of
feeling, “you ain’t a-goin* home ter
day—now mind what I say! Take
them things upstairs. Quick—break
fast's all ready I”
A great light transfigured Bobby's
face. He tossed his bundle Into a cor
ner and fell upon Miss YVetherby with
a bearlike hug.
‘ Gee-whiz! inarm—but yer a brick 1
An’ I’ll run yer errands an’ split ver
wood, an’ I won’t take no dogs an'
cats in the parlor, an’ I'll do ev'rythln’
—ev’rythln’ ye want uie to! Oh, golly
—golly !—I'm goln’ ter stay—I’m goin’
ter stay—I’m goln’ ter stay!” And
Bobby danced out of the house into
the yard there to turn somersault after i
somersault In hilarious glee.
A queer choking feeling came into
Ann Wetherby’s throat. She seemed
still to feel the loving clasp of those
small young arms.
And Bobby stayed—not only Mon
day, hut through four other long days
—days which he filled to the brim with
fun and frolic and Joyous shouts a*
before—and yet with a change.
The shouts were less shrill and the
yells less prolonged when Bobby was
near the house.
And when tne four long days were
over and Saturday cume, a note—and
not Bobby—was sent to the city. The
note was addressed to "Miss Ethel
Wetherby,” and this Is what Ethel’s
amazed eyes read:
My Dear Niece—You can tell that
singer man of Robert’s that he Is
not going back any more. He is going
to live with me and go to school next
winter. I nm going to adopt him for
my very own. His father and mother
are dead—he said so.
I must close now, for Robert Is
hungry, nnd wants his dinner I.ove
su ail. -- I
FOUR POWER PHOT
DILEW ENDED
SUPPLEMENTS OF FOUR POWER
PACT IS APPROVED BY
THE SENATE
NAVAL PACT IS CALLED UP
ovenant Establishing The 5-5-3 Ratio
Is Expected To Be Endorsed
Soon. Vote When Counted
Is 73 To 0.
Washington.- The Senate has finally
untangled its parliamentary differ
ences over the four-power treaty sup
lements by joining the two supple
mentary agreements together, and
then ratifying both by unanimous vote.
One of the supplements, itself in
the form of a treaty, defines the geo
graphical scope of the four-power pact
so as not to include the Japanese
homeland. The other, attached to the
first by today's action in the form
of a “reservation,” stipulates that is
sues which are of a purely domestic
character cannot be brought before
the four-power “conferences.”
Vote on the double-barreled ratifi
cation was 73 to 0. Opponents of the
four-power plan joined in voting for
the supplements because they inter
preted the two agreements as limit
ing and curtailing the operation of
the principal treaty. Several attempts
to attach other reservations which
had failed when the four-power treaty
itself was under consideration were
defeated by the usual pro-treaty and
anti-treaty line up.
As soon as the vote had been com
pleted, Senator Lodge of Massachu
setts. the Republican leader, called up
the naval limitation treaty establish
ing a 5-5-3 capital ship ratio for the
United States, Great Britian and Ja
pan. Debate will begin at once and
the administration managers expect
to see it ratified by an almost unani
mous vote by the end of the week.
The plan of combining action on the
two four-power treaty supplements
was proposed by Senator Lodge after
he had decided it was unnecessary
to present two separate ratification
resolutions. Treaty opponents, hold
ing that the domestic question sup
plements was really a part of the four
power pact, protested that the meth
od finally settled upon by the Repub
lican leader was but a “weak and un
satisfactory” way to solve the parlia
mentarv problem confronting the
Senate, but Mr Lodge and other Re
publicans insisted it would be effect
ive.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,
senior Democratic member of the For.
eign Relations Committee, declared
that the Senate's action in giving be
lated approval to the supplement "is
an admission to Japan that the sup
plement’s provisions are not a part
of the four-power treaty.”
Premier’s Vacation Ends.
London.—Prime Minister Lloyd
George is expected to return from
Criceleth soon where he has been en
joying a brief vacation
Three Killed In Crash.
Battle Creek. Mich.—Three were
killed when a Michigan Central pass
enger train struck an automobile at
a grade crossing at Thomas crossing,
four nviles east of Marshall, Mich, last
week
Mexican Clash Fatal.
Mexico City.—Several persons were
killed and others were injured at
Guadalajara. Jalisco, when radical
demonstrators clashed with Catholic
workmen in the main plaza. Accord
ing to a dispach to El Mundo, the po
lice were reinforced by troops, and
finally restored order.
Alleged Thieves Held.
Chicago.—More than a dozen men
are under arrest here, charged by
the police with being the leaders of
an auto theft ring responsible for the
stealing of at least three-fourths of
the cars stolen in Chicago. One po
liceman Is included among those ar
rested.
Order Is Rescinded.
Washington. D. C.—The order of
the Postoffice Department discontinu
ing the postoffice at Armada, Craw
ford county, Ark., has been rescinded
and the office will be continued.
To Reorganize Reserve.
Washington.—Reorganization of the
naval reserve is proposed in a bill
drafted by the Navy Department and
submitted by Secretary Den by to
Speaker Gillett for introduction in the
House.
Lumber Mill Burns.
Valdost. Ga.—Fire originating from
sparks In heating a dry kiln destroyed
the plant of the S. J. N. Bray Lumber
Company here recently, with a loss
estimated at from $50,000 to $75,000
Child Believed Stolen.
Woodbury, N. J.—More than 100 po
licemen and special officers are
searching for seven year-old Ida
Krame, whc disappeared from her
borne recently, and who the authorities
belie ted was kidnapped.
ENRICHED SOIL WILL PRODUCE GOOD CROPS
i
Well Fertilized Plot of Ground, With Reasonable Attention, Is Sure to
Give Satisfaction to the Grower Who Will Keep the Weeds Out and Pro
vide Sufficient Amount of Moisture.
RICH SOIL SURE
TO GET RESULTS
________
Danger in Use of Too Much Com
mercial Fertilizer; May In
jure the Plants.
; AS TOP OR SIDE DRESSING
May Be Mixed With Soil Along Rows
During the Period of Growth—
Mixtures Containing Much
Nitrogen Are Favored.
A limited quantity of high-grade com
mercial fertilizer can he used to ad
vantage tin garden soila even where a
considerable supply of barnyard
manures have been applied. Com
mercial fertilizers act quickly and can
be used to special advantage where it
is desired to mature crops in a short
period of time.
The best results can be obtained by
the use of fertilizer on land that is
well filled with organic matter. How
ever. fair results may be obtained by
the use of fertilizer on land that has
not beer, manured and which is de
ficient In organic matter, according to
the United States Department of Agri
culture.
The great danger In the use of com
mercial fertilizers is that too large
quantities may be applied and cause
Injury to the plants. It must be borne
In mind that commercial fertilizers are
a very concentrated form of plant food
and, therefore, should be used in
moderation.
Amount Needed in uaraen.
Market gardeners frequently use ns
niurlv ns 2.000 pounds of commercial
fertilizer on un acre of ground. This
would lie at the rate of about 4 or 5
pounds to a plot of ground 10 feet In
each direction or 100 square feet. As
suming that the average backyard
garden Is nboiij 30 by (50 feet in size.
fiO to 70 pounds of standard, high-grade
truckers’ fertilizer would be all that
would he safe to apply on a garden of
those dimensions. Under most con
ditions 50 pounds will he the maximum
amount to use.
Commercial fertilizers are usually put
up In sacks containing 100, 167 or 200
pounds, and a good plan would be for
■ two or more gardeners to Join together
In buying fertilizer.
Methods of Application.
There are two or three methods of
applying commercial fertilizers. The
first and most common is by scattering
the fertilizer broadcast over the land
after It lias been plowed and harrowed,
then giving the soil a second and even
a third harrowing fo mix the fertilizer
with It thoroughly. Another method
Is to apply the fertilizer underneath the
rows, the plan being to open the fur
rows, scatter in the fertilizer, then,
by means of a single-shovel plow or
wheel hoe, thoroughly mix the fertilizer
with the soli In the bottom of the fur
row. The surface soil Is then re
turned and no seeds are planted for a
few days until the fertilizer becomes
thoroughly incorporated with the
■oil.
The third method of applying com
mercial fertilizers Is to use them as
• top or side dressing along the rows
of plants during the period of growth.
Nitiate of soda and fertilizer mixtures
containing a considerable percentage
of nitrogen are generally used for this
purpose. When using fertilizer as a
side dressing care should be taken that
It Is not applied too near the base of
the plants, hut at a little distance from
the row, and then it should be cultl
| «ated into the upper 2 or S inches of
soil, so that the small feeder roots of
plants will gradually reach it.
Elements in Fertilisers.
The three main elements of plant
food contained In commercial fertilizers
are phosphoric acid, nitrogen, and
potash. Nitrogen has the effect of
stimulating the leaf growth, and phos
phoric acid and potash have a tendency
to increase root growth and to mature
the seeds of the plants. Root crops and
potatoes require a reasonable amount
of potash. Com, beans, and others of
the garden crops, which are grown for
their pods or seeds, want a sufficient
supply of phosphoric acid, while let
tuce, celery, swiss chard, and other*
of the salad or leaf crops requlr*
plenty of nitrogen. The safest plan
however. Is to apply an all-round oi
complete fertilizer having approxi
mately S per cent phosphoric acid, 4
or 5 per cent nitrogen, and 2 or 3 pe*
cent potash on land that is to he de*
voted to general garden crops.
RICH, SANDY LOAM FOR BEETS
Seed Should Be Sown About Time Last
Frosts Are Due; Ready for
Use in Few Weeks.
Garden beets may be grown in any
good soil, but thrive best on rich,
sifndy loam. The seed can be sown
about the time the last frosts are due,
and the youug beets will be ready for
use in 4 to 6 weeks.
Later plantings will give a succes
sion and provide beets for winter
storage. The seed should be sown In
a drill with about 8 or 10 seed balls
to the foot. It should be borne in
mind that each seed ball contains from
/ ~J> Q
Young Boots Maks Good Greens.
1 t*> 6 seeds, and that the beets will
require considerable thinning. The
young beets that are pulled out in
thinning may be used as greens during
tlie early spring. Where the beets are
to be given hand cultivation entirely,
the rows may be placed as closely as
12 to 14 inches apart and the plants
should be thinned to 2 to S inches in
the row.—United States Department of
Agriculture.
DRAINAGE 18 IMPORTANT
Garden land inclined to be wet
shoalU be thoroughly drained be
fore crops are planted upon it.
It' tile drains or oper ditches
cannot be provided, the next
best thing is to plant the crops
on slight ridges, so as to get
their roots above the water table
In the soiL