The boys of Riverton

Chapter I. Mildred^ S Plan

I T was drawing near the close of the short winter afternoon, and, although it was scarcely four o’clock, the twilight was already beginning to gather. The streets of the little country town were nearly deserted, for the snow which had been falling steadily all day had turned to sleet, and but few cared to defy the inclemency of the weather. The wind which swept around the corners and through the alleys drove the sleet furiously before it, and the coating of ice on the sidewalks made walking a very uncertain and precarious proceeding.

THE BOYS OF RIVERTON.

Mildred Lyte stood irresolutely by her window for some time before she resolved to venture out in the storm. She had promised to visit a sick child that afternoon, and she knew that notwithstanding the storm the little one would expect her, and be sorely disappointed if the afternoon wore away without her promised visit; still, her low rocking-chair by the bright open grate looked very inviting and her fingers just tingled to begin a fascinating bit of fancy-work. ’

Duty triumphed over inclination at the thought of the child’s disappointment, and wrapping herself up warmly, Mildred started out, shivering for a moment at the change from the warm sitting-room to the driving sleet.

She did not regret her little self-sacrifice, however, when she found that the child had been anxiously expecting her, notwithstanding the assurances of mother and sister that “ it was too stormy for Mrs. Lyte to

MILDRED PLAN.

1 1

go out and the look of delight that overspread the pale little face and the flash of joy in the sunken eyes made her regret her momentary indecision.

Mildred had an errand at the stationer's, and, as it would add but a short distance to her walk, she resolved to accomplish it before she returned home. The wind swept down the main street so vigorously that it was out of the question to raise an umbrella, and it was all that Mildred could do to keep her footing on the icy pavement.

A door opened a little farther down the street, and some well-grown boys came out laughing and talking loudly. One of their number staggered slightly as he came out, and as soon as his feet touched the sleety sidewalk he slipped and fell prostrate. A loud burst of laughter from his comrades greeted his mishap, and as he tried in vain for a few moments to regain his feet the merriment was redoubled.

THE BOYS OF RIVERTON.

“ Give US a hand,” he said at last ; and as Mildred passed the group at that instant she saw that the boy’s face was flushed and his gait unsteady, even after he had been helped to his feet. She scarcely wondered at it as she glanced at the house from which he had emerged, and caught a glimpse through the open door of the crowd of men and boys who were gathered about the pool-tables whiling away the stormy afternoon by playing and drinking. Every one knew what a fruitful source of temptation that pool-room was to all the boys and young men of Riverton who had not sufficient pride and self-respect to keep them from mingling with the low crowd that usually frequented it.

It was not an inviting place and temptation was not by any means arrayed in glittering fascinations, yet it never lacked patrons. It was as dirty and ill-kept as its proprietor, but, somehow, it was the favorite resort of a certain class of boys

MILDRED’S ELAN.

and young men, and they drank the vile stuff which by courtesy was called whisky merely, and wrangled over the pool-tables as if they enjoyed themselves amazingly. Possibly they did, having never tried any other variety of amusement.

Mildred shuddered with disgust as a volley of oaths poured through the open door, coming from the lips of a lad who had evidently had ill-luck in his game. Was there any hope for these boys exposed to such evil influences? she wondered as she passed on out of earshot of the stream of profanity.

Mr. Estabrook, the stationer, was unpacking a box of books, and as Mildred’s purchases were being wrapped up she glanced at the titles of some of the volumes.

Perhaps her face showed the surprise she felt as she found quite an assortment of sensational dime-novels among more respectable companions.

THE BOYS OF FIVE ETON.

“ I don’t deal in that style of literature as a general thing, Mrs. Lyte,” explained Mr. Estabrook, “but, you see, some of these boys here are bound to have them, and if I don’t get them some one else will.”

Mr. Estabrook realized that a great deal might be said in answer to the apology he had made for offering these books for sale. He was fully conscious himself of the injury such publications might work. It was evidently a relief to him when at this point his presence was demanded at the back part of the store, and his clerk had to take his place in waiting on Mrs. Lyte.

A very thoughtful look was on Mildred’s face as she slowly wended her way homeward, so preoccupied with her reflections that she did not heed the driving storm.

Riverton had been her home now for three years. She had been fully aware of the existence of the pool-room and its pernicious influence over the boys, yet until

MILDRED’S PLAN.

this afternoon it had never occurred to her that she had any personal interest in the matter.

Mildred had mourned over the downward path which so many of the boys were treading, she had often wished that somebody would try to save them and help them, but it had never seemed as if there were anything for her to do. Now she had a sense of personal responsibility toward them, and, although it seemed a wellnigh hopeless task to influence these boys, she resolved to make the attempt. How to go about this new work was the question, and it was a problem that was not easy of solution.

There were many difflculties in the way. In the first place, how could Mildred become acquainted with the boys, and then what attractions could she offer that would offset the fascinations of the pool-room ?

Yet what other resort was open to the boys ? It by no means proved that they

1 6 THE BOYS OF RIVERl'ON.

would be insensible to better pleasures because they were satisfied with the only amusement they knew anything about. They had miserable homes, with nothing to make them attractive ; most of them had as much evil influence exerted over them at home as among strangers at the pool-room ; and when no other reading was put in their hands what better could be expected than that sensational literature would charm them into poring over its pages?

Mildred was blessed with an enthusiastic, sanguine temperament, and, although she could not ignore the many and great difficulties which lay in her path, yet somehow she felt assurance of success in the end.

Before she entered her own door her fertile imagination had suggested a plan which seemed feasible, and she was impatient to begin to carry it out.

Seated at the cozy little tea-table that

MILDRED^ S PLAN.

evening, she confided her new purpose to her husband.

“ It is a work that certainly ought to be done,” he said, “ but, my dear Mildred, you must take into consideration that you have almost everything against you. The boys’ home-associations, the evil habits that have become second nature with them, their utter disregard of public opinion and their lack of ambition make them very unpromising material, and I am afraid that your efforts will all be thrown away. They are the most unapproachable of mortals, and I think if there is anything or anybody that they stand in awe of, it is a minister. I have tried again and again to get them to come to church, without the least success, as you know, and now they vanish as soon as they see me coming. Don’t you suppose the minister’s wife will be equally awe-inspiring?”

Mildred smiled.

“ That remains to be seen,” she answered.

Of course^I admit that disastrous failure is one of the possibilities of this work, but I don’t expect it. My first step will be to get acquainted with the boys, and, as I cannot very well spend an evening in the pool-room with them, I shall invite them all up here to spend the evening with me ; and, furthermore, as you are so terrible an object to them, I shall invite you to spend the evening in your study.”

“Very well, my dear,” answered her husband as he passed his cup to be refilled. “ I meekly submit to banishment, since it is your sovereign will, but I hope you will allow me to come to your assistance if any trouble arises and your guests become unruly ?”

“ Nothing of that kind will occur,” answered Mildred. “ Practically, I must sadly confess that I don’t know anything about boys, for I never had any brothers or cousins ; but theoretically I believe that there is a latent instinct of gallantry in

MILDRED'S PLAN.

even the roughest of boys that will respond to courteous treatment.”

“ I hope your practical experience will not shake your^theory,” replied Mr. Lyte. “ But I don’t want to throw cold water upon your enthusiasm, I am sure if any one can do anything with those boys, you will, and I will help you in any way I can, though I really think it will be advisable for me, for a time at least, to keep in the background lest I should frighten them away.” .

“I shall depend upon my ‘silent partner’ for a great deal of advice and help,” answered Mildred, “and I mean to succeed if love for those boys and an earnest desire to save them will bring success and her face glowed with earnestness as she spoke. “It seems as if my eyes had just been opened to the fact that those boys have never had any chance to be anything better than they are, and while everybody is willing to condemn them, no one has tried to help them. In a very few years they will

THE BOYS OF AV FEB TOM be men, and upon the use they make of these years will rest their power for good and for evil in this town. I wish I had set about helping them sooner, but as I have let so much time slip away unimproved, I must make up for it now by increased energy.”

As soon as the tea-table was cleared Mildred opened her desk and began to write dainty notes of invitation to the boys, wording them as carefully as if she had been sending them to her most valued friends. She procured a list of the boys the next day, and went over it carefully to be sure that she had not omitted any whom she had intended to invite.

The post-office was a lounging-place for the boys for an hour or two every evening, and, although the receipt of a letter addressed to any of them was an event of the rarest occurrence, still they made a practice of asking in turn at the little window with an air of expectation.

MILDRED'S PLAN.

They were thoroughly surprised when each one of them received a letter addressed in a lady’s handwriting. They suspected a hoax, and no one liked to be the first to lay himself open to his companions’ ridicule by opening his envelope and seeing what the contents were. They thrust the letters unopened into their pockets and strolled down the street, feeling considerable curiosity which they were not willing to express in word or act.

At last one of the youngest of the party could no longer restrain his desire to know the contents of his letter.

“I say, you fellows!” he exclaimed,.^ ain’t you going to look at your letters and see what’s in them, any way? I’m going to look at mine.”

“Let’s see what’s in yours, and then I’ll open mine,” answered one of the others, eagerly grasping at this chance to satisfy his own curiosity without being the first to yield to it.

THE BOYS OF B TVER TON.

They paused by the pool-room window, and by the light of the smoky lamps in the window Jimmy Moore tore open his envelope and drew out a note. Deciphering writing with ease and facility was somewhat beyond Jimmy’s powers, and, putting the note in Dick Nelson’s hand, he said,

“ Read it out loud, Dick, and then we’ll all know what it is.”

Dick uttered an exclamation of surprise as he glanced over the note and saw the graceful signature at the close.

o o

“Whew!” he whistled. “This beats everything I ever heard tell of! Why, Jimmy, this is an invitation to spend the evening, and guess who it’s from ?”

“Who?” asked Jimmy, breathless with interest.

“ The minister’s wife !”

If he had said the President of the United States instead, greater astonishment could scarcely have been depicted in the faces around him.

MILDRED'S PLAN.

“ That’s what all our notes are, I s’pose,” said another, opening his own as he spoke.

They had each received an invitation. Now, the next question was. What was to be done about it?

“ Wonder what she’s going to do to us ?” queried Jimmy in a rather awestruck tone.

“ I’m sure I don’t see what she wants of us,” said Dick Nelson, turning the letter over and over as if he expected somewhere to find the hidden motives which prompted Mrs. Lyte’s invitation.

‘^It’s the first time I ever heard anything about ‘ the pleasure of my company.’ Most folks seem to prefer a scarcity of it, and I reckon she would too if she only knew me better.”

“ The question is. What are we going to do?” put in Fred Norris. “Shall we go? or sha’n’t we go ? Maybe she just wants to get us there, so the minister can get a good chance to preach at us. He can’t make us come to church, but he thinks he

THE BOYS OF RIVERTON.

can get us there to his house, and so he got her to invite us.”

Several of the boys coincided in this opinion, and agreed that it would be better not to go: but Dick argued differently:

“ I don’t believe that’s what they mean to do, for he couldn’t make us stay there if we didn’t want to after he got us there. Let’s go and see, anyhow. We’ll all go together, and if we don’t like things we will just up and leave.”

After a good deal of discussion the other boys agreed to this decision, and they resolved to meet the following evening at half-past seven and go in a body to Mrs. Lyte’s, that they might have the benefit of each other’s protection.

After this decision had been reached they adjourned to the pool-room, where the remainder of the evening soon wore away.

Chapter II. A Promising Beginning

HE next day Mildred spent a busy

X morning in the kitchen. She had fully determined that if it were possible the boys should enjoy their evening, and she was sure that an abundance of good things would add very much to their enjoyment.

When Mildred completed her task the sideboard was loaded with a tempting array of cakes, and she smiled approvingly at them as she put the finishing touches on the largest one, which looked with its drifts of cocoanut as if it had been out in a snowstorm.

“ Will they come

That was the question that recurred to her again and again that day, and, though she resolutely answered it in the affirma-

THE BOYS OF RIVERTON.

tive each time, yet a little undercurrent of doubt troubled her.

Suppose, notwithstanding her sanguine expectations of success, all her hopes and plans should be defeated by her inability to reach the boys? The bright look faded out of her face as she thought what a keen disappointment it would be to her if, after all her preparations, her expected guests should not appear.

Then another thought came to comfort her. She was trying to do this work for the Master, to win these neglected souls for him, and she had asked him to direct her in this undertaking. Could she not trust that she would be led in the right path, and that he would guide her in the way in which he would have her walk?

At last all was ready for her expected guests. The parlor was brightly lighted, the piano opened, and, though Mildred had debated with herself whether it would not be advisable to put away the dainty bits of bric-a-brac lest some accident should happen to them, she had resolved to leave them all in their places, that the room might be as inviting as possible.

Mildred that evening spent more time before her mirror than usual, and cast an anxious glance at the reflection it gave her after her toilet was complete. So much depended upon this evening’s work ! If she succeeded in gaining the friendship of the boys, she could do so much with them, and if she failed it meant the failure of all her plans for them.

The hands of the clock pointed to half-past seven and they had not come. Mildred opened the hall-door and listened for a moment. Perhaps she could hear their footsteps in the distance on the crisp snow. All was silence, and she went back into the parlor wondering whether she was really to be doomed to disappointment.

She ran her finger over the keys of the piano for a few moments, listening all the time for some sound that should apprise her of the arrival of her guests ; then her quick ears caught a noise that banished all disappointment. They Avere surely coming, for she heard a heavy trampling before the house ; then the gate clicked as it ^vas pushed open, and the door-bell pealed loudly through the house.

If the boys were astonished at their invitation, they were still more amazed at the cordial welcome they received from their hostess.

“ I reckon she’d have been disappointed if we hadn’t come,” whispered Jimmy as he saw the bright smile that greeted them and felt the warm clasp of the hand that he as well as the others received.

Mildred helped them off with their overcoats and mufflers, and, though the odor of stale tobacco from the accumulated garments was overpowering, she did not heed it in her delight that her guests had really come.

** There’s four more coming, Mrs. Lyte,” said Dick as they filed into the parlor and shyly seated themselves in attitudes of uncomfortable stiffness. “They weren’t quite ready, so we thought we’d come on without waiting for them. I think I hear them coming now.”

Mildred went to the hall-door to receive them, considerately closing the parlor door behind her, that the boys might have an opportunity to exchange remarks freely and wear off a little of their unwonted shyness.

She ushered the new-comers into the parlor ; then, excusing herself for a moment, ran lightly up stairs to tell her husband the good news that, so far at least, she was successful : her guests had come.

“ But, Horace,” she confessed, “ do you know, I am suddenly seized with a fit of timidity. There seem to be so many of them that I just dread going down into the parlor again and beginning to entertain them. I have a proposition to make to

THE BOYS OF RIVERTON.

them later in the evening, but I want to be sociable and get real well acquainted first, so that they will be inclined to regard it favorably. I wanted them all to come, and it is so foolish to be afraid of them, but I am.”

“ I presume the boys are frightened too,” answered Mr. Lyte, smiling at the flushed cheeks which betrayed his wife’s nervousness. “ Now, I am not at all afflicted with shyness, but I can’t help you any, for I am sure the boys would leave with one accord if I ventured down. It is your work, little woman ; so keep up a brave heart, and go down and charm these boys into being your willing subjects.”

Very, very slowly Mildred went down stairs, her heart sinking lower with every step. How could she get them to forget their shyness and enjoy themselves ? She dreaded opening the door and facing that roomful of boys with the consciousness that she had invited them there and was

A PROMISING BEGINNING.

responsible for their entertainment, yet she must do it, and that soon.

Perhaps this may not appear as much of an ordeal to any one else as it did to Mildred, for she was naturally timid, and it always required a great effort to put herself forward and take a prominent part in any undertaking, though she was ready to follow another’s lead in any good work.

She was unused to boys, too, and did not know just how to entertain them, and for a few moments she felt that she had undertaken more than she could accomplish. Her own strength had failed her here at the outset, and the consciousness of her weakness sent her to her heavenly Father for help. A very earnest little prayer that God would give her strength and wisdom rose up swift-winged from the depths of her heart as she stood there ; then, conquering her timid reluctance, she resolved to delay her entrance into the parlor no longer.

THE BOYS OF RIVEBTON.

As she passed the hall-door a scratching and subdued whining attracted her attention, and her face lighted up as she heard the sound. Here was one point of sympathy, for all the boys she had ever heard of were interested in dogs, and perhaps Fido would be a valuable aid to her in engaging the boys in conversation.

As she opened the door the subdued hum of conversation suddenly ceased, the boys sat upright again, very red in the face and uncomfortably conscious of the presence of unusual wearing-apparel in the way of collars and neckties ; and Mildred’s courage revived as she saw how embarrassed her guests were.

A look of animated interest brightened up the stolid faces as Fido frisked in and ran from one to another, answering their calls, and finally attaching himself to Jimmy, with whom he had already a slight acquaintance.

By the time that the fortunate owners of canine pets had announced that fact, with

A PROMISING BEGINNING.

anecdotes of their sagacity, and the less fortunate boys had lamented that they hadn’t any, a plan had occurred to Mildred which would probably establish as a settled fact the social feeling which was gradually asserting itself. She brought out a collection of photographs for the boys’ inspection, and they gathered in an interested group about her while she described many of the places which she had herself visited and called their attention to the beauties of the views.

Long before the last photograph had been inspected all the stiffness and awkwardness that had marked the beginning of the evening had worn away, and Mildred drew a long breath of relief as she realized that the evening was happily begun. She wanted to propose part of her plan to the boys, and how she did wish that she had a faculty for making speeches and could be sure of interesting her little audience ! The hum of conversation paused

THE BOYS OF FIFE ETON.

for an instant, and, taking advantage of this, she began bravely :

“I am so glad you all came to-night, boys, for I have a plan to propose to you that I think and hope you will like.”

Mildred smiled brightly at the wondering faces, and if there was an added flush on her cheeks and a little tremor in her voice, none of the boys noticed it.

“ How would you like to form yourselves into a society to meet here one evening in the week? There are enough of you to make a very pleasant society. You could elect your officers and conduct it entirely yourselves. We might call it a literary society, and have questions to debate upon and readings and recitations, and music occasionally. What do you think about it?”

As Mildred paused for a response she felt that she had not urged her plan half as eloquently as she had intended to do, but her simple words had interested the boys quite as much as a more elaborate explanation would have done. Their faces lighted up with unmistakable pleasure, and there was an enthusiastic chorus of assent.

Mildred felt as if success were assured now, as the boys eagerly discussed the society and asked innumerable questions about it.

She brought out slips of paper and pencils, which she had in readiness, and the boys voted for the officers of their new society with much deliberation. They elected a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, and decided upon the evening for regular meetings, while Mildred quietly watched them, trying to learn their names and somewhat of their dispositions.

She felt as if she had very promising material to work with as she quietly noted the attempts at neatness that had been made and their efforts to be polite. None of the boys had thoroughly bad faces, for sin had not yet indelibly stamped its impress on them, and just now, bright as they were with pleasure and interest, they were an intelligent-looking set of boys that did not seem at all like the wellnigh hopeless cases that the factory-hands had always been considered.

After they had finished discussing the society Mildred led them into the dining-room to enjoy the cake and coffee she had in readiness for them. She had never had more appreciative guests, and the cake soon disappeared before the crowd of boys, whose capacity seemed unlimited.

They gathered about the piano afterward, and listened with evident pleasure to a few lively marches, and when Fred Norris, noticing that the hands of the little clock on the mantel pointed to ten, made a motion to leave, his example was followed with regret by the others, who had found the pleasant evening all too short.

“WeVe had an awful good time, Mrs. Lyte,’' said Jimmy as one after another shook hands with her and wished her good-night ; and, not to be outdone by the little fellow in politeness, each boy expressed his appreciation of the evening, some shyly and others with outspoken frankness.

“Well, what success?” asked Mr. Lyte, reading the answer in his wife’s bright face as she came up stairs a,fter the last boy had taken his departure.

“ I am over-sanguine perhaps,” she answered, “ but it does seem to me now as if my plan would succeed perfectly, and I believe, with God’s blessing on my efforts, that every one of those boys can be saved. They have never had a chance to be anything better, but I believe if the good is made as attractive to them as the evil has been, they will choose it. I mean to give them an opportunity, at any rate.”

“What name has the society adopted? or haven’t the boys taken that into consideration yet?”

38 THE BOYS OF FI FEB TON.

“That was one of the first things they thought of after they had elected their officers,” answered Mildred. “ I asked the boys what kind of a name they would prefer, and the only idea they had on the subject was that it should be a ‘big’ name that meant something. I suggested to them that they should call it the ‘ Excelsior Literary Society,’ and explained to them what ‘ Excelsior ’ meant. One of the boys said it would be a good name to live up to, and the boys generally seemed to. be of his opinion. Now, by their next meeting I hope I shall see my way clear to propose the rest of my plan to them. I am sure that the street-corner and the pool room had no attraction for the boys this evening, and if I can succeed in fitting up in an unpretentious way a pleasant room with books, magazines and a few innocent games, I think it will keep them entirely out of mischief. I am afraid it will seem like an Utopian scheme to most of the people here, but these boys must have a chance. I am determined upon that.”

“ The boys have a champion now who will valiantly maintain their cause,” said Mr. Lyte. “ How I did wish I was a boy this evening! It was a source of deepest regret to me that boyhood’s hours had flown for ever.”

“ Why ?” asked Mildred, laughing at her husband’s deep sigh and air of affected despair.

“ I heard a sound of dishes rattling, and I knew that all that cake was vanishing, and because I wasn’t a boy I had to sit up here and lose my share of the good things. I don’t suppose they left a crumb, did they?” he asked plaintively.

“ No, but I saved some for you, and put it away before they began,” laughed Mildred. “You shall have your cake and coffee now, as soon as I have cleared away the chaos of cups and plates that at present prevails in the dining-room; and while you are