Bolax.

by Josephine Culpeper.

ONLY A BOY.

Only a boy with his noise and fun, The veriest mystery under the sun; As brimful of mischief and wit and glee As ever a human frame can be, And as hard to manage as--ah! ah, me!

'Tis hard to tell, Yet we love him well.

Only a boy, with his fearful tread, Who cannot be driven, but must be led; Who troubles the neighbors' dogs and cats, And tears more clothes, and spoils more hats, Loses more tops and kites and bats Than would stock a store, For a year or more.

Only a boy, with his wild, strange ways, With his idle hours on busy days; With his queer remarks and his odd replies, Sometimes foolish and sometimes wise, Often brilliant for one of his size, As a meteor hurl'd, From the pleasant world.

Only a boy, who will be a man If Nature goes on with her first great plan-- If water, or fire, or some fatal snare Conspire not to rob us of this our heir, Our blessing, our trouble, our rest, our care, Our torment, our joy, "Our only boy."

--_Anonymous_.

BOLAX IMP OR ANGEL--WHICH?

CHAPTER I.

AMY'S COMPANY

"Come children," said Mrs. Allen, "Mamma wants to take you for a nice walk."

"Oh, please, dear Mamma, wait awhile! Bolax and I have company!" This from little Amy, Bo's sister.

Mrs. Allen looked around the room, and saw several chairs placed before the fire; but seeing no visitors, was about to sit in the large arm chair.

"Oh, dear Mamma," said Amy, "please do not take that chair! That's for poor old St. Joseph; he will be here presently."

Turning toward the chair nearest the fire, the child bowed down to the floor, saying: "Little Jesus I love you! When will St. Joseph be here?"

Then bowing before the next chair: "Blessed Mother, are you comfortable?

Here is a footstool."

Mrs. Allen went into the hall, and was about to close the door, when Bolax called out: "Oh, Ma dear, please don't shut the door. Here comes St. Joseph and five beautiful angels."

Mrs. Allen was rather startled at the positive manner in which this was said, and unconsciously stepped aside, as if really to make way for the celestial visitors. Then leaving the children to amuse themselves, she listened to them from an adjoining room. This is what she heard:

Amy--Dear St. Joseph please sit down; blessed angels, I am sorry that I haven't enough chairs, but you can rest on your beautiful wings.

Bolax--Little Jesus, I'm so glad you've come. Mamma says you are very powerful, even if you are so little. I want to ask you lots of things.

Do you see these round pieces of tin? Well, won't you please change them all into dollars, so we can have money for the poor, and sister Amy won't be crying in the street when she has no money to give all the blind and the lame people we meet. And dear Jesus, let me whisper--I want a gun.

Amy--Dear Blessed Mother please make poor Miss Ogden well. I heard her tell my Mamma she was afraid to die; and she is very sick. She has such a sad face, and she looks mis'able.

Bolax--Sister, won't you ask lots of things for me? I'm afraid to ask 'cause I was naughty this morning. I dyed p.u.s.s.y's hair with Papa's red ink.

Amy--No, I won't ask any more favors; Mamma says we must be thankful for all we get, so let us sing a hymn of thanks.

Here Papa came upstairs calling for his babies. Mrs. Allen not wishing to disturb the children, beckoned him into her room, hoping he would listen to the innocent prattle of his little ones. All unconscious of being observed, the children continued to entertain their heavenly guests.

Mr. Allen not being a Catholic, was more shocked than edified at what he thought the hallucination of the children, and spoke rather sternly to his wife. "All this nonsense comes from your constant talk on subjects beyond the comprehension of children. Amy is an emotional child; she will become a dreamer, a spiritualist; it will affect her nervous system and you will have yourself to blame.

"As for Bolax, I have no fear for him. He'll never be too pious. I'm willing to----" Here they were startled by a most unearthly yell, and Master Bo rushed into the room, saying that Amy would not let him play with her.

"Why won't she?" asked Papa.

"Oh, because I upset St. Joseph; I wanted to take the chairs for a train of cars."

Papa broke into a fit of laughter, and said: "Bo, Bo, you're the funniest youngster I ever heard of."

Poor Little Amy came into the room, looking as if ready to cry, telling her mother she would never again have that boy when her company came.

"Just think, dear Ma, Bo said he liked monkeys better than angels."

The serious face of the little girl caused her mother to wonder if the child really saw the holy spirits.

Mrs. Allen consoled her little daughter, telling her Bo would be more thoughtful and better behaved when he should be a few years older.

"Come now," said she, "we will go to see poor little Tommie Hoden. I am sure from the appearance of the boy, the family must be in very great distress."

It was a beautiful day. The hyacinths were in bloom, and there were daffodils, tulips, and forget-me-nots, almost ready to open; the cherry trees were white with blossoms, and the apple trees covered with buds.

The glad beautiful spring had fully come with its lovely treasures and everything seemed delighting in the sweet air and sunshine.

Miss Beldon, a neighbor, was digging her flower-beds, and asked where they were going.

"I want to visit that poor little fellow, Tommy Hoden, who comes here so often," said Mrs. Allen.

"You're not going to Hoden's," cried Miss Beldon; "why the father is an awful man!"

"So much the more need of helping him, and that poor neglected boy of his," answered Mrs. Allen. "Can you tell me exactly where they live?"

"Yes, in a horrid old hut, near Duff Mills. You can't miss it, for it is the meanest of all those tumble-down shanties. I do wish you wouldn't go, it won't do any good."

"Our Lord will take care of that," said Mrs. Allen. "I am only going to do the part of the work He a.s.signs me, and take food to the hungry."

"Well," said Miss Beldon, "I wouldn't go for fifty dollars. The man is never sober, and he won't like to be interfered with. I shouldn't wonder if he would shoot at you."

Mrs. Allen laughed, and said anything so tragic was not likely to happen, and then went to get a basket of food to take to Tommy Hoden.