ssons if I could. I'd have Battles taught to be a
regular soldier or sailor. He's forever in a row, and he'd ought to do
the right kind of fighting, hadn't he?"

"Very sensibly put, Tows; go on," urged the reporter.

"Shiner's a whittler. He's always cutting things in the door frames
and buildings, and getting scolded by the folks that own them.
He ought to be a carpenter and whittle something worth while.
There--there are others--but I guess I'm planning too much."

"Not a bit, my dear. Yet you say nothing of yourself. What would you
like to become, Lionel?"

"I'd like to learn _everything_; and when I grow up I'll write for a
paper!"

It was such a characteristic wish that all the company laughed. Then
remarked father Johns:

"I reckon, Miss Armacost, that the lad's idea of a 'home,' an
'asylum,' is a place where poor children can be taught to become
useful bread-winners. Apparently, he doesn't think a life of rich
idleness can be the happiest."

"I know!" cried Molly eagerly. "The very thing that first brought him
here. Dear little Towsley wants to _divide his skates_!"

Miss Lucy laughed--such a merry, heart-young laugh, that everybody
forgot her hair was white and laughed with her.

"That's it, Molly; that's just it! We want to share our blessings. We
_will_ divide our skates, my dear; and we'll begin right away. All
that my little Lionel has pointed out shall certainly be done. This
shall become a 'home' indeed; a home of busy thrift, and hard study,
and joyous life, and open generosity. Towsley's experience--of his few
years, shall piece the inexperience of my many; and together, giving
of each other to each other, we will make this a model, practical
'home.'"

"Aye, aye. So you will, so you will, never fear," assured father Johns
cheerily. And so they did.

THE END.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:

1. Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors;
otherwise, every effort has been made to remain true to the author's
words and intent.

2. In the list of books at the beginning of this etext, the titles
were typeset in bold. This is indicated by an equal sign (=) before
and after the boldface type.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Divided Skates, by Evelyn Raymond

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