THE ONE OPPORTUNITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 51

THE ONE OPPORTUNITY.

By h'ivoiiA.

(Written for the Witness Lrrrra Folk)

Two women were walking along a country road. One of them was old, and travelled with difficulty. She was carrying a large Maori Idt, full of groceries, in one hand, and in the other arm she had a jiumber of parcels piled up almost to her eyes. The second woman was middle-aged, with the worn expression of the mother of a large, family. She was staggering along under the weight of a fat heavy baby. Keeping pace with the two women was a well-grown boy of about 32 years of age. He had both ms hands in his pockets, and he slouched along with a lazy, discontented air, and looked about him now and again as if to find some chance of escape from Ms two older companions. The women had at first been talking together, and the boy had listened and now and again had joined in. the conversation ; • but as the women became more tiied they ceased tallying and-labotired along, each of them becoming more breathless and weary as they walked. The boy was the roil of the woman with the baby. At last thej ail reached the elder woman's gate. Then* the latter said something that she had been burning to say all along. The boy's lazy attitude and his carelessness in not offering to carry the baby, or at least one of fclic bundles, had roused her indignation, but she' had made no remark -lest it should seem like a hint that she wished him to relieve her of one of her packages. She was more indignant with the boy's mother than with the boy himself, and now was her opportunity to speak.

"\Vell, I'm sure I'm glad I'm at the end o" my journey, Mrs Jakes, and I expect you wish you was at the end o' yours. With a boy as little help to you as Johnny there, it's hard work to have to go to town, that it is."

Mrs Jakes flushed up at this remark. She was one of those fond mothers who can never see a fault in their offspring, even when the faults are most glaring.

"Johnny's bin and 'ad a tooth out," she said indignantly. " Let the poor boy alone."

Now Jolinny was experiencing no inconvenience from the loss of Ms tooth, but he had; on the- contrary, made the satisfactory discovery that lie. could draw his • cheek- in beautifully through the hole made by {he missing "tooth, and make a grand noiis which would be the envy of all the boys a,t school next day.' But his mother's indignation was reflected in 'his own face, and he began also to feel very sorry for himself because he had been in the dentist's hands. He looked up impertinently at fche old woman. She, however, was equal io the occasion, and was quite leady to speak her lcind.' ♦

'" Won't you come in and rest awhile, Mrs Jakes? " she said in a compassionate tone " One of my gran 1 -children uil be home from school soon, and. if it's only little Willie, 10 years old. he'll be ready and willin' to carry the baby the rest of the way. ixone of 'em ever lets me carry a parcel if he can 'elp it." " If.'s a pity you didn't take one of 'em to town with you-, then," returned the other woman scornfully. "No, 1 and thank you kindly ; I'm strong, and I like to carry my baby myself." " I don't take the boys away from school for every rubbishy excuse," returned the old woman, nettled. "If you won't come in, then I'll wish you good afternoon."

And having had longer experience than Mrs Jakes in giving the last word, she turned suddenly and was gone before the oilier woman could make reply. Mrs v Jakes and Johnny trudged along until they came to their own gate. Then Johnay caught sight of some of his companions in the" distance . coming home from school, ar.'l made off towards them suddenly, before lii-? mother could stop him. Old Mrs JbVaze-'a w. rds had had some weight in Mrs Jakes s mi-ad," though she would not acknowledge it even to herself. She had intended to make Johnny follow her in and make up the lire to be ready for her husband's tea. Now &lie would have to do everything herself -until the children chose to come in from |heir play. She enteied her deserted cotjage and sank down wearily on the nearest

chair, the baby, whom she had taken to town to sec the doctor, whimpering fretfully the while. Not very far fiom the Frazers' and the Jakeses' cottages and the township where they lived was Mr Parker's station. On the evening of the same day Mrs Parker and her son and daughters were sitting round the tea-table waiting for the father of the family to come in. Presently they heard his step, and their faces brightened. The boy, a delicate-looking lad, turned his head expectantly towards the door. It was evident that he was lame, as was seen by the crutch resting against the back of his chair. Constance, the "eldest daughter, moveel her father's chair to its place at the table and began to pour out tea. The father came, bright and cheery, with a word for all As soon as he sat down he was plied with questions. "Did you go, father? What did M; Latiiom say? Is there anyone who will do?" This from the lame boy. " Don't ask me everything at once, Harry, and I'll tell you," laughed Mr ' Parker. "Yes, my boy, I went to the school and saw Lathom. I told him that the doctor had said my boy was too lonely, and must have a companion to do his lessons with him. I told him that Mrs Parker and I iiad decided " — 'here he looked across affectionately to his wife — " that if we had to do an ac of charity to anyone we had rather do it to a poor boy who was ready and willing to get on than to a boy who would be educated. in any case whether we helped him or not. So I aaid that if lie had in the. district school a really clever, willing lad, about Harry's age, who would be likely to repay any trouble spent on him by turning; out a good scholar, and a boy of good character, I would from this time forth take charge of his education and let him go step by step with Harry, learning with the same tutor and going in for the same examinations. ' '

"-And what did he say, father? " " He said that he happened to have in his school at present two remarkably smart boys, either of whom -might possibly suit us. One is Johnny Jakes, the son of the carpenter, and the other is Willie Frazer, our shepherd's lad. Johnny is just a year older and Willie is a year younger than our Harry, mother, so I think' I am rather inclined to the idea of taking Johnny, all other things being equal." Constance looked up quickly at her mother, and Mrs Parker smiled at her husband and shook her head.

" Do you know, Connie, and I were out driving this afternoon, and what do you think we saw? That poor old Mrs Frazer was staggering along under a heap f* bundles, and Mrs Jakes was carrying that fat baby, and she actually allowed that big strong boy of hers to walk along beside her with his hands in his pockets ! "

" Then that decides us," said Mr Parker. " A hoy whose parent s allow him to act like that is no companion [or our Harry. I know Frazer's children are well brought up. I will send for him and speak to him about his son to-night." That is many years ago. To-day Willie Fiazer, a clever 3'oung doctor, rides to visit his patients with his trim dogea-rt and his well-kept horse. Sometimes his pretty wife (who was once Florence Parker) rides beside- him.

Johnny Jakes may be found at the street corners among the ranks of the unemployed To every man upon earth a chance comes for him to distinguish himself. To Johnny Jakes it came, but he was not ready for it, and so it passed him by. True, his parents were partly to blame for his failure, bui, Fate did not stop to inquire whose fauL it was as she poured her benefits »into the lap of the more favoured boy who was ready to take them and appreciate them at their value.