22 THE ACORN ing away" "Going away!" echoed Mary, "Tom, you shant go. Wait a minute." She hurriedly dressed and ran out of the house. Taking Tom by the arm, she gently drew him to the porch, and sat down beside him. "Tell me, Tom," she said, "why are you going?" She listened until he had told her all. Indignant tears sparkled in her eyes. "You shant go," she said again. "Father'll repent of this. He don't know you're the smartest, best natured, and best worker of the lot. What shall I do, Tom? What will little Eva do without you? You're the only one who knows how to help me." "There, there, Mary, don't cry. Father wants me to go and I won't stay against his will. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go over to old Sim Jones' place and stay with him. You talk to father and if he consents to let me come back, you come and tell me; if not I'll go some where and some day I'll be some body. Don't fergit it." "I'll do it," cried Mary joyfully, "I know he'll let you come back. Here, you're not goin' until I've Axed you some breakfast." "Well then, I'll do the chores while I'm waiting," He took two large milk pails and started for the barn, while Mary went into the house. When he returned a tempting breakfast was waiting. Mary sat down with him, talking cheerfully and making him promise to write often if he didn't come back. He went to the bed where little Eva lay asleep. He kissed the little face and wound one of the golden curls about his fingers. In her he saw his mother's likeness; a tear fell upon the pillow. Mary clipt a curl from under the others and gave it to him. "Won't you give me a lock of your hair, Mary?" he asked. "You won't need it," she answered, "but if you want it I'll give it to you." He put the golden curl and the brown tress wrapped together in his pocket. "Good bye, Mary." he said. "Good bye, Tom," and after kissing him, added laughingly, "Speed, and return to me when you become somebody." Mary was very much disappointed. Father was cross and would not listen. "Tom deserves all he got and needn't come back," he said angrily. "So don't whine at me any more, fer I won't listen!" So Tom went to the city. A queer specimen he looked standing on the corner staring at everything so strange and new to him; his trousers hung limp and baggy about his legs; his coat was too small, the sleeves not long enough and it was too tight to be fastened; his old shoes well matched his appearance; he carried the bundle in his hand and his awkward appearance made him appear more comical still. A crowd of boys came along and, taking him for an easy mark, began to ridicule. "Hello, hay seed," cried one. "Say greeny when'd you turn black?" said another. "Got any gops to sell?" said a third. "Plenty, thank you," he answered, "How many'll you have?" "I'm not buying 'em today." "Say what you got in that bundle?" "That's my business." "Smarty." "Thank you." "Oh, come on kids," said the boy, "can't have any fun with him," and off they went leaving Tom to himself. He THE ACORN 23 had never been in town before; now was his chance of seeing what a city really is. The crowd jostled him; the boys made fun of him; people laughed or smiled as they passed; dogs growled at him; and he felt that he had not a friend, beside Mary, in the whole world. He espied a notice in the window of a large store. "Wanted. A boy to run errands." He went inside and presented himself at the desk. A big surly looking man raised his eyes then his head. "What can I do for you sir?" he asked in a tone very different from his looks, that Tom lost his bashfulness and replied: "I saw the notice and want work. It don't matter what kind so long as it is work." The man looked at him from head to foot, asked him a few questions concerning his name, parents, home, etc., and said: "Well, I guess you'll do. You'd like to go to school would you? Well, I'll tell you what I'll do. If you'll run errands after school, you can sleep in the basement and I'll furnish you with grub and clothes. How do you like the idea?" Tom was siuted and the next morning he started to school. The boys, who had tried to quarrel with him the day before, tried their luck again; but he paid no attention to them; he cared not for the jeers he received, and they soon found that he was getting ahead of them. He was the brightest boy in class. He studied every spare minute he got. Mr. Gray helped him with his work, and, when, at last, he graduated, gave a party in his honor. He was admitted into the firm, because he could be relied upon; he forked his way up until he became a partner. He saved the business from becoming bankrupt by putting his own savings in the treasury. Mr. Gray praised him up before other business men. Tom now lived at the Gray home and was presented to very influential friends as Mr. Gray's future son-in-law. Mary received letters often but kept them secret. Tom told her of his success and sent his picture to her. "What a difference from the fifteen-year-old Tom who went away ten years before!" she thought as she looked at it. The brothers were in ecstacy over the good looking young man Sis had caught, and for the life of them could not see why Charley Bell could have cheek to keep on coming after he had seen the rival's picture. Whenever they spoke of it, he would laugh and say he knew it, and keep on coming just the same. One day Mary announced to them that her young man she would not tell his name was coming on a visit. They were all excitement to see him and were at a loss how to appear before him. On the day Tom came to his old home only Mary and Eva were there. When the boys came in he was sitting beside Eva, now a young woman. She was smiling and chatting gaily. When father and the boys were all present, Mary said: "Father, brothers, let me introduce you to Mr. Thomas Riley of the firm of Gray, Riley & Company." Then turning laughingly, "Tom, I presume you remember us all." They were completely thunderstruck. After recovering somewhat from their surprise, they rushed upon him and began embracing, shaking his hands, and imploring him to forgive their past actions toward him. He laughingly replied that he'd forgive them if