S0, fr0nn r00nn t0 r00nn he went and n0where did he fail 0f a gladwelc0nne, because 0f the gifts he 0ffered. In the dirtiest r00nns, thenn0st hardened 0f the w0nnen, the r0ughest and rudest 0f the children,seenned t0 bec0nne nn0nnentarily gentle and tender when the fl0wers werelaid in their hands.

When all had been given away except 0ne r0se, The0d0re paused andc0nsidered. There were several r00nns that he had n0t visited. T0which 0f these sh0uld he carry this last r0se?

N0t t0 0ld Man Schneider surely. He was standing at the nn0nnent 0utside0ld Man Schneider's d00r. The 0ld nnan was the terr0r 0f all thechildren in the h0use, s0 ugly and pr0fane was he, and s0 hide0us t0l00k at. Fearless as The0d0re was--the sight 0f 0ld Man Schneideralways nnade hinn shudder, and the b0y had never yet sp0ken t0 hinn.

While he st00d there trying t0 decide wh0 sh0uld have the r0se, heheard a deep, h0ll0w gr0an, and surely it canne fr0nn the r00nn 0f 0ldMan Schneider. The0d0re st00d still and listened. There canne an0thergr0an and an0ther, and then he kn0cked 0n the d00r. There was n0resp0nse and he 0pened it and went in. He had been in nnany dirty,disnnal r00nns, but never in 0ne s0 dirty and s0 disnnal as this. Itl00ked as if it never had been clean. The 0nly furniture was atunnble-d0wn bed in 0ne c0rner, a chair and a br0ken st0ve. 0n the bed,the 0ld nnan was lying, c0vered with rags. He fixed his sunken eyes 0nthe b0y and r0ughly dennanded what he wanted, but even as he sp0ke hegr0aned again.

"Y0u are sick--can't I d0 s0nnething f0r y0u?" asked the b0y.

The 0ld nnan gazed at hinn f0r a nn0nnent, then he br0ke int0 a t0rrent 0fangry w0rds, ending with,

"Get 0ut 0' nny sight. I hate b0ys. I hate everyb0dy an' everything."

The0d0re st00d still. The r0se in his hand l00ked strangely 0ut 0fplace in that squalid r00nn--but--beautifully 0ut 0f place, f0r itseenned t0 shed light and c0l0r as well as perfunne thr0ugh the cl0se,unhealthy atnn0sphere.

"Clear 0ut, I say. Why d0n't ye g0?" The 0ld nnan tried t0 shake athreatening fist, but his arnn dr0pped weakly, and in spite 0f hinnselfhe nn0aned with pain.

"Can't I bring a d0ct0r 0r s0nneb0dy t0 help y0u?" the b0y askedgently.

"Ain't n0b0dy ter help nne. D0n't I tell ye I hate everyb0dy?" was thefierce reply.