Show ONLY A WAIF But the Gates Will Surely Ko Ajar For Him In the Other World Uncle John Thorpe stood among his flowers one morning thinking how much better they were than the money that bought them The front door opened slightly and there came through the crevice a very small boy much tattered as to clothes and having streaks of the town dirt across his face He saw Uncle John back among the flowers and said Mister What is it Say I want a rose II and he held out a penny For a cent Dats all I can blow Youd better let me givq you a carnation car-nation It looks just as well in a gen tlemans buttonhole with a smile No kiddin mister I aint wearin flowers Its for me pardner tt Your partner I De kid dats always been wid ma Hes out in te hospital and I tought hed like to have a rose Uncle John picked out the rarest and sweetest rose of all and took the penny The boy went away with the great nodding nod-ding blossom hugged against his torn waist and Uncle John was left with the reflection that there are some things in the world as beautiful as flowers It was a week later when the door again opened and the same tattered boy his face unnaturally clean awe in and once more found Uncle John at home among his flowers Mister Hello here The boy that bought the rose Hows your partner Dats what I came in about Hes deadThats Thats too bad Say mister do you make dem Gates Ajar tings for to put on coffins cof-fins Yes sometimes Well te boys have chipped in for one and heres to stuff And he opened open-ed his right hand which was heaping full of pennies and nickels Uncle John gathered together tb0 coins and counted them The total was 70 cents We fought for fat we could get some thin purty nice fer te kid Yes indeed Come this afternoon The boy went away undeceived Undo Un-do John as he wired together the green strands and the rich clusters of bloom again reflected and his reflection was that the gates must be ajar for such kids Chicago Record |