The Anderson daily intelligencer. (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, December 18, 1914, Christmas Number, Page FOURTEEN, Image 14
(From Yesterday's Dally.)
. cert lead of 'cm far 7i> cents, ni
take yer measure fer one like lt fer
16, too quick!" and (he little fellow
leaned back from bis work and laughed
.::> In my face with absolute derision.
I pulled my hat more closely down
for fear of recognition, but was reas
sured a moment later as be went on:
"Wlsht you lived here; you'd be old
fruit fer us fellows. I can see you
now a-takln' wind-and we'd give lt to
you mighty slick now, don't you fer
glt!" and as the boy I viewed his work,
I think his little, rigged body shook
less with IndUbt. y than mirth.
"Wlsht I'd struck you 'bout ten
o'clock this morning!" and, aa he
spoke, he paused r.^aln and looked up
In my face with real regret. "Oh,
you'd 'a' been the loveliest sucker of
'cm all! W'y, you'd 'a' went the whole
pot yerse'f!"
"How do you mean?" said I, drop
ping the cigar I held. \
"How do I mean? Oh, you don't
'want to smoke this thing again after
?ts a-rollln' round In the dirt:"
"Why. you don't smoke,'' said I,
?reaching for the cigar ho held behind
him.
"Mel Ob, what you givtn' me?"
"Come, let me have lt." I said, sharp
ly, drawing a cana from my pocket and
taking out another cigar,
i "Oh, you want a light," he said,
handing me the atuh and watching ma
1 -war .-soupon ??MOKE I .
iwjattuljv, "Couldn't qlye us a fresh
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CARDS
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Associated With
Dr. w. ff. Chikola
. Phone SSf-J Anderson, 8. C
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ARCHITECTS
. Bleekley Bldg. Anderson, 8. C
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. Raliegh, H. C
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ALL KINDS OF MACHINERY
AND SUPPLIES. REPAIRS
PIPE, GALVANIZED ROOFING
LOMBARD IRON WORKS
Gav
arnesu
i Christmas Story7
mi?sTOtcombR?ei)
Copuriantl9M'1py Bohbsfl?rrlE.Co.
cigar, could you", cap?"
"I don't know." said I, aa though
deliberating on the matter. "What
waa that you were going to tell me Just
now? You started to tell me what a
'lovely sucker' I'd have been had you
met me thia morning. How did you
mean?"
"Give me a cigar and I'll tell you.
Ob, come, now, cap; give me a smoker
and I'll give you tho whole game. I
will, now, honest!"
I held out the open case.
"Nothln' mean about you, is they?"
he said, eagerly taking a fresh cigar
in one hand and the atub in tho other.
I "A ten-center, too-oh, I guess not!"
I But, to my surprise, he took the stub
between his lipa, and began opening
hie coat. "Guess I'll jlst fat thia daisy,
and save 'er up for Christmas. No, I
won't either," he broke In suddenly,
with a bright, keen flash of second
thought. "Tell you what I'll do," hold
ing up th? cigar and gazing at It ad
miringly; "ahe's a ten-center all right,
ain't she?"
I nodded.
"And worth every cent of lt, too,
ain't she?"
"Every cont of lt," I repeated.
"Then give me a nickel, and she's
yourn-'cause if you can afford to give
thia to me fer nothin', looks like I ort
to let you have it fer half price," and
as I laughingly dropped the nickel In
his hand he concluded, "And they's
nothln' mean about me, neither!"
"Now, go on with your story/' *ald I.
"How about this 'game' you were 'giv
ing' this morning?"
"Well, I'll tell you, cap. Us fellers
bsa got to loy fer ever' nickel, 'cauae
none of ua la bondholders; and they'a
days and days together when we don't
make enough to even starve on. What
I mean ls, we on'y make enough to pay
fer aggrevatin' our appetites with Jlst
about enough chuck tc keep us starvln'
hungry- So, you see. when a feller
ain't got nothln' elae to do, and his
appetite w jn t aleep io the ?ame bunk
with hin*., ho s bound to git on to
aomep'.u' crooked and git up all aorta
o' dodges to git along. Soma gives
'em one thing, and aomo another, but
you bet .they got to be mighty alick
now, 'cauae people won't have
'orphans,' and 'fits/ snd 'cripples,' and
'drunk fathers/ and 'mothers thst eats
morphine/ and 'whlte-awellln'/ and
'consumption/ and all that sort o'
taffy! Got to git 'er down fl ncr'n that!
But I been a-glttln' In my work all the
same, don't you. ferglt! You won't ever
blow, now?"
"How could I 'blow/ and what if I
did? I don't live here." I replied.
"Well, you better never blow, any?
how; 'cauBO If ever ua duffers would
git on to lt you'd be a sp'iled oysterIa*
1 "Perfectly
Lovely P
ls about what.'she'll say if you
give "HER" a Di?mond ring for
Christmas; and if you get it here,
she'll be "DELIGHTED" too
because "SHE" knows that it will
be O. K. in every detail.
> Our prices, on Diamonds, as
wel? as all other Jewelry of Qua1
ity can't be t>eat ! Come see ! I
W.H.Lyon
Cash Jeweler
"Go on," f said, with an assuring
ton?.
"The tay I'm on jlst now," be con
tinued, dropping bis voice and looking
cautiously-around, "is a-hldin' my box
and a-rushln' In, nuddent-llke, where
they'a crowd o' nobs a-talkln' politics
er somepln*. sad a-Jlst sta rt In' in, aod
'fore they snow what's a-comin' I'm
a-flaahln' op a nickel er a dime, and
a-tellin' 'em If I only had enough more
to make 50 cents I could buy a blackln'
box, and wouldn't have to ast no boot
o' mvgrnndmotber! And two mlnutei
chlnnln' idees it, don't you see, cause
they don't know nothln' 'bout blackln
boxes; they're Jlst as soft aa you slr
They get an Idy, maybe, that blackln
boxes comes all the way from Cbiny
with cokcynut whiskers packed 'round
'em; and I mske it solid by a-sayln
I'm on'y goln' to git a second-hand boi
-see? But that ain't the p'lnt-If?
the Mr. Nickel I already got. Oh! lt'l
paralyze 'em eve*' time! Sometimei
fellers'U make u.. 75 cents er a dollar
and tell me to 'git a new box. and g<
Into the business right.' That's a tblni
that always rattles me. Now, if they'i
on'y growl a little and look like the;
;was jlst a-puttln' up 'cause the firs
.ene did, I can stand lt; but when the:
go to pattin' me on the head, an
at el lin' me 'th ct's right,' and 'not t
be afeared o' work,' and I'll 'come ou
?all right,' and a tellln' me to 'git a goo
? substantial box while I'm a-glttln'
and a-ponyln' up handsome, there'
[Where I weaken-I do, honest!" An
never so plainly as at that momei
did I see within his face and In hi
eyes the light of true nobility.
; "You see," be went on, in a tone <
voice half courage, half apology, "I' g<
a family on my hands, and I' jlst gt
to git along somehow! I could git alon
on tho square deal as long as moth<
was alive-'cause she'd work-but ev?
sonco she died-and that was wlnt<
'fore last-I've kind o' bad to doub
on the old thing all sorta o' wayo. Bi
Sis don't know it. Sis, she thinks I':
the squarest muldoon In the business
and even side by side with the home!
utterance a great sigh faltered fro
hla lins.
"And who is Sis?" I Inquired wil
new interest
"Sis ?" he repeated, knocking my fo
from the box, and leaning back, at
In the old position, his hat now ly li
on the ground beside him, and h
frowsy hair tossed backward from tl
\ full, broad brow-"Who's? Sis?" he l
peat ed with an upward smile that i
most dazzled me-"W'y, Sis la-ls
w'y. Sis ls the boss girl-and don't yi
fergU lt!"
No need had he to tell me more thi
tbls. I knew who "Sis" was by 1
light of pride In the uplifted eyes;
knew who "Sis" was by the exultatl
in the broken voice, and the half-<
fiant tossing ot the frowsy head;
knew who "Sis" was by the HU
naked hands thrown upward openly;
knew who "Sis" was by tho tear tb
dared to trickle through tao dirt ut,
her ragged brother's face. And do:
you forget lt!
0 that boy down there upon 1
knees!-there In the cinders and t
dirt-so far, far down beneath ua tl
we trample on his breast and grind c
heels Into his very heart; O that I
there, with his lifted eyes, and Go
own glory shining in his face, t
taught me, *vlth an eloquence beyc
the trick of mellow-sounding wo<
and metaphor, that love may find
purer home beneath the raga of p
erty and vice than in all the gn
.warm heart of Charit?
1 hardly knew what impulse pron
ed' me, hut as the boy rose to his f
and held his hand out for the comp
satlon for his work, I caught the 114
dingy palm close, close within
own. and Wrung lt aa I would hi
wrung the hand of some great c
queror.
The little fallow atared at me
wonderment, and although his 1
were silent, I cannot bot believe t
had they parted with the utter?
within his heart my feelings had
calved no higher recognition than
old contemptuous phrase. "Oh, w
you glvln' me?"
"And so you've got a family on y
hands?" I Inquired, recovering an
of simple curiosity, and toying in
pocket with some hits of change. "?
ranch of a family?**
"On'y three of ua now."
"Only three of you, eh? Toon
and Sis, and-and-"
"Th? old. man." said the hoy, uni
fly; and after a pause, in which
seeried to swallow, an utterance n
bitter, he added, "And ho ain't no ?j
on earth!"
..Can't work?" I Queried.
"Won't work," said the DOT. bitte
"He wont work-he won't do not
-on'y budge! And I hat to steer
in over* night, 'causa th? oops w
pull'hi m any moro-they won't let
in the station house more'n they'd
him In a parler, 'causa ha's a pl
goner now, and liable to croak
minute."
"Liable to what?" said I.
"Liable to jlst keel over-wink
you know-'cause he has fl ta-kin
jlmlams. I guess. Had a fearful
ma ?Mee with him last night! Toa
ho QU ai ss sB aorta o' games on me,
I haf'to put up far bira-'cause
got to have whisky, and lt wa can
keep him about so full ho's a rag
lamb; but he don't stand no mom
in' when he wanta whisky, now
hat! 81a can handle him better*n
hut abe's been a-losin' her grip on
lately-rou sea 81s ain't atout
more, and been Und o' slck-Hko so \
aha humara his., ron know, mc
she'd ort. And ha couldn't git aa
plan kt all yIsterday morning, and
sont fer me, and I took him doa
pint, and that set hits a-runnln' so
when I laft ha made sis giro ?
quarter be saw me slip her; und lt
jlst happened I run Into him that eve
ning and got him In, or he'd a froze to
death. I guess he moat 'a' kind o' bad
'em laat night, 'cause he wa? the wild
est man you over see-saw grasshop
pers with paper collara on. and old
sows with feather-duster talla-tho
durndest program you ever beard of!
And be got so bad onc't he waa a-goln'
to belt Sla, and did try lt; and-and 1
had to chug him one or he'd 'a' done lt
And then he cried, and 81a cried, and
I erl-, I- Dem him! you can bet y er
life I didn't cry!" And aa the boy
spoke, the lipa quivered into stern com
pression, the little bands gripped closer
at his side, but for all that the flashing
eyea grew blurred and the lida dropped
downward.
That's a boaa shine on them shoes. *
I waa mechanically telling over In
my hand the three email coins I had
drswn from my pocket.
"That ia a nloe Job!" ssld I gazing
with an unusual show of admiration at
the work; "and I thought," continued
I, with real regret, "that I, had two
dimes and a nickel there, and was
thinking that, aa thea? were Christmas
times. I'd Just give you a quarter for
your work."
"Honest, Cap?"
'Honest!" I repeated, "but the fact
is the two dimes, ss I thought they
were, ere only tro three-cent pieces, so
I have only /leven cents in change,
after all." %
"Spect they'd change a bill fer you
'crost there at the lunch counter," he
suggested, with charming artlessness
"Won't have time-there's my train
Just coupling. But take this-I'll see
you again some time, perhaps."
How big a bill ia it you want
changed?" aaked the little fellow, with
a moat acquisitive expression, and a
awlft glance at our then lonely sur
roundings.
"I only have one bill with me," said
I, nervously, "and that's a five."
"Well, here, then," aald the boy, hur
riedly,' with another and more scrutin
izlng glance about him-"guess I cat
'commodate you." And as I turned
in wonder, he drew from some raysteri
ous recess in the lining of his coat a
roll of billa, from which he hastily de
teched four in number, then returned
the roll; and before I had recovered
from my surprise, he had whisked tut
note from my Angers and left In my
hand Instead the proper change.
"This ls on the deed, now. Cap
Don't you ever cheep about me havin
wealth, you know; 'cause it rin't minc
that ls, it is mine, but I'm a
There goes yer train. Ta ta!"
"The day before Christmas," ssid I
snatching his band, and speaking? bur
rledly-"the day before Christmas, I*rx
coming back, and if you'll be hen
when the five-thirty train rolls in youl)
And a man that wants hts boot*
blacked-maybe to get married in. or
?.nothing-anyway he'll want a shine
Uko this, and he'll come prepared tc
pay the higheat market price-do you
understand?"
"You Jlst tell that feller fer me,"
ssid the hoy, eclipsing the twinkle ol
one eye, and dropping his voice to an
inflection of strictest confidence-"you
Jiat tell that feller fer me that I'm his
oyater!"
"And youll meet him. sure?" said L
"I will," said the boy. And he kept
his word.
My ride home was sn incoherent
fluttering of the wings of time, in
which travail one fretful hour was
born, to gasp Its fl rat few minutes belp
leaaly; then moan, roll ever and kick
out Its lega and sprawl about; then
crawl a little-stagger to tts feet and
totter on; then tumble down a time or
two and knock ita empty head against
the floor and howl; then loom up awk
wardly on gangling legs, too much in
their own amy to comprehend that
they ?ere In the way et everybody
.tes; then Ump a Uttle as it worried
on-drop down eThauaflcd" mema again
-toss up its hands-shriek out. sod di?
te violent convulsions.
We hato til had that experience ot
the car-wheels-had them enter teto
aoaversation wH* me es we filly eerv
Dark?"* upon some pleasant trip, per*
Toa ps; bad them rattle off In scrap*} of
song, or lightly twit aa with some dear
one's name, or even ca so far as to
laugh at us and moc? faa for some real
or fancied dereliction of car ?tiquette.
I shall ever have good reason to re
member bow once upon a time a boy
of fourteen, though greatly under-stsed,
told the conductor faa waa only ten,
and, although the unsuspecting official
accepted the statement as a truth,
with tbe proper reduction In the fare,
the car-wheels called that boy a "Uar"
for 20 miles-and 20 miles aa long and
tedious as he baa ever compassed In
bis Journey through this vale of tears.
The car-wheels on this bitter winter
evening were not at all communica
tive. . They were sullen end morose.
They didn't feel like singing, snd they
wouldn't laugh. They had .no Jokes,
.nd if there was one peculiar quality
of tone they possessed in any marked
degree lt was that of sneering. They
had a harsh, discordant snarl, as it
seemed, and were spiteful and insinu
ating. Y,
The topic they had chosen for that
night*s consideration waa evidently of
a very complex and mysterious nature,
and they gnawed and mumbled at lt
with such fierceness and, withal, such
solflshneus, I could only catch a flying
fragment of it now and then, and that,
t noticed, waa of the coarsest fiber of
Intelligence, and of slangy flavor. Lis
tening with the most painful interest,
I at laat made out the fact that the in
flection seemed' to be in the Interroga
tive, and, with anxiety the most in
tense, I slowly came to comprehend
that they were desirous of ascertain
ing the exact distan?a between two
given points, but the proposition
seemed determined not to round into
fuller significance than to query mock
ingly, "How fur la lt? How fur ls lt?
How fur, how fur ls lt?" and so on to
a most exasperating limit. Aa this
senseless phrase waa repeated and re
iterated in ita growing harshness and
unchanging intonation, the relentless
pertinacity of tho query grew simply
agonizing, and when at tlmea the car
door opened to admit a brakeman, or
the train-boy, who had everything to
sell but what I wanted, the emphasized
refrain would lift me from my seat
and drag me up and down tba alala
When the phrase did eventually writhe
round into form and shape moro tan
gible, ray relief waa auch that I sat
down, end In ray fancy framed a grim,
unlovely tone that suited lt. and
hummed with lt. In an undertone of
dismal satisfaction:
How fur-how fur
Is lt from her*
From hero to Happiness?
When I returned, that same refrain
rode back into the e*.<y* vita. nie. All
the gay metropolis vas robing for the
banquet and tho ball. All tho windows
of tba crowded thoroughfares ware
kindling Into aplendor. Along tim
streets rode lordly carriages, so weight*
ed down with costly silks, and rtira,
and twinkling genii, and uhknown
treasures In unnuraber?d - pactum?
that one lone' ounce bf needed charity
would lava ?napped their1 axles, and a
feather's weight of puro ' benevolence
would have splintered every Spoke/
And. tha old refrain roda with mo
through lt all-as stoical, relentless
and unchangeable aa fate-and in tha
same depravad and slangy tona In
wbith lt seemed to fond aa especial
prlda, lt sang, and sang again:
How fur-how fur
Ia lt from her?
From here to nippiness?
Tha train, that for Ara minutes had
baan lessening In speed, toiled pain
fully aloag, aad as ? aros? impatiently
and ranchad behind na for my ovar*
coat, a cheery volea criad, "Hello, Cap!
Waat a lift? til ha'p you with that
boo Ja urra," and aa I looked around I
aaw tha grimy features of any ilttla
tero of the brush and box.
"Hello!" said I. aa much delighted
aa surprised, "Where did yon drap
frota r*
"?h, 1 collared this old hoarse a
nina er so back yonder." said tte little
fallow, gay)*, standing on tte scat be
hind ma and ? olding ap tba coat,
**Bssn a-dola* circus-business on Ilsa
i#iaaaaiai.a> _i.. '.." ? ? ??'
steps out thor? fer half an hour. Ton
bet I had my eye on you, all the same,
?hough!"
"You bad, eh?" I exclaimed, gladly,
although I instinctively surmised his
highest Interest in me wes centered in
my pocketbook. "You s*d, eh?',' I re
posted with more earnestness. "Well,
I'm glad ot that. Charlie-or, what la
your name?"
"Squatty," said the boy. Then no
ticing the look of surprise upon my
face, he added soberly: "That ain't my
sure-enough name, you know; that's
what the boys calls me. " 81s calls me
Jamesy."
"Well, Jamesy," I continued, button
ing my coller and drawing on my
Shoves, "I'm mighty glad to aee you.
sud If you don't believe it. Just go
down in that right-hand overcoat-pock
et and you'll find out."
The little fellow noded no aecond In
vitation, and as he drew forth a closely
folded package the look ot curiosity
upon hts face deepened to one of blank
bewilderment.
He made no motion to untie the lit
tie package, and gradually the expres
sion in his eyes chsnged to one of sus
picion and his Ups closed tightly to
gether.
"Open lt," said I, smiling at the pus
sled little face; "open lt-lt's for you."
"Oh, here, cap," said the boy, drop
ping the package oe the seat, and
holding up a rigid finger, "you're a
gtvin' ms this, ain't you?"
"I'm giving you the package, cer
tainly," said I, somewhat bewildered.
"Open it-lt's a Christmas present for
you-open lt!"
"Wbst's your Idy o' luyln* fer met"
asked the boy. with e troubled and un
easy air. "I've been a-givin' you square
business right along, ain't I?"
Why, Jamesy," asid I, ss I vaguely
comprehended the real drift of his
thought, "the package is for you, and
If you won't open it, I will," and as I
spoke I began unfolding lt.. "Here,"
ssid I, "is a pair of ?loves a little girl
about your sise told me to give to you,
because I was telling her about you,
over where I live, and lt's 'a clear
case,' " and I laughed lightly to myself
as I noticed a slow flush creeping to
his face. "And here," said I. "ia a
bang-up pair of good old-fashioned
socks, and, if they'll flt you, there's an
old woman that wears specs and a
mole on her nose, told me to teU you,
for her, that she knit them for your
Christmas present, and if you don't
wear them shell never forgive you.
And here," I continued, "is a cap, as
fussy as a woolly-worm, and as wsrm
a cap, I reckon, as you ever stood on
your head in; lt's a cheap cap, but I
bought it wita my own money, and
money that I worked mighty hard to
get, because I ain't rich; now, it I Was
rich, Td buy. you a (lug; but I've got
an Idea that this little, old, woolly csp,
with ear boba to- lt, and a anapper to go
ande? yow ?hfn, don't you see, won't
bo a bad cap to knock around In, such:
weather se this. What de. you say.
now! Try her on once," and as I spoke
I turned to place lt on his head.
"Oomh-ooh!" he negatively mur
mured, putting ont his hand, bis closed
Ups quivering-the little frowsy head
drooping forward, and the ragged shoes
shuffling cn the floor.
"Come." said I, my own voice grow
ing curiously changed; "won't you take
in ese presents? They are yours; you
must accept them. Jamesy, not because
they're worth so very much, or bo
cause they're very fine," I continued,
bending down and folding up the par
cel, "bet because you know, I want
you to, and-ar.d-you must take
them; you must'" snd ss 1 concluded,
thrust tu? tiguii) :?:dcd - parcel be*,
neath his ann, and pressed thv I'tt.le
tattered elbow finely over lt
"There you are," said I. "Freeze on.
to it, and well skip off here at the
avenue. Cot.?5."
I hardly dared to look behind me tlU
I found myself upon the street, hut as I
threw an eager glance over my shoul
der I saw the little fellow following,
aot bounding Joyfully, but with a
solemn step, the little parcel bugged
closely to his side, and bis eyes bent
soberly upon the froten ground.
And how's 81? by thia time?" I
asked cheerily, flinging the question
backward, and walking on mote
briskly. ...
..'Bout the : same," said the bey,
brightening a little, and skipping telo
a lTveU?rpace. ? Jj
."About the same;; eh? end how>
tes$rvrs?ked.
"Oh, abe can't git around much
.*?jV^>. you know; hui i
e^tUh';'.batter ell the lime. She
uim?](iWv*il|halldayyIat?rdiy;"
as.thsTo^ ?i^e;the eye* lifted , .
tho old fleab, aad . the little frowsy
he^'tossed erith theniddeflenee.
'. oho not down.s?ofifvsaid 1.
"n ache ot?W^ml?Wn
i;." replied the boy. "she's been
bad a long time You see," he broke
te hy way of alienation, "sh? didn't
bava ne shoes nar nothln* when winter
come, and kind e.' took cold, you know,
and thet-atee-her'the whoopln' cough
so's sha couldn't git around much. You
Jlst ort to s?e har new! Oh. she's
act**/ all right now, you can sett
end shasald yUtorday she'd bo plum
well Christmas, and that's on'y tomor
ry Ghees not!" and as tho '.?'
tow concluded tate exultant a peech, tee
circled roaed me. and thea shot for
ward Uko a rocket
"Hit Ti alis j f I called after him,
paualng et a stairway ?nd stepping
te the doer.
The tittle telkrw Joined me in an
thal rael "Waa? that ables now?" He
inquired with panting oeaeruses.?
"Hot now. Jamesy," said 1, "for rte
?etat to tte quire Tessy ter a white.
This te my o*ee?tfattHNe?o hast tee
second deer oa the right upstairs, re
?ewber-*j?<Jj | work Urns J!heo l a
fn th? city, and I sometimes sleep
there, when I work late. And now I
want to sak a very special favor of
you," I continued, taking a little)
sealed packet from my pocket: "here's
a little box that you're to take to 81s.
with my compliments-the compli
ments of the season, you understand,
--and tell her I aent it, with particu
lar directions that she shouldn't break
lt open till Christmas morning-not
till Chrlstmaa morning, understand!
Then you tell her that I would like
very much to come and see her, and
if ahe says all right-and you must
give me a good 'send-off,' and eho'U
say all light If 'Jamesy' says all right
-then come back .hore, say two hours
from now, or three hours, or tonight,
anyway, and we'll go down and seo.
Sis together-what do you say?"
The boy nodded dubiously. "Hon
est-must I do all that, sure enough?"'
"Will you?" said I; "that's what L
want to know;" and I pushed back)
the dusky little face and looked Into
the bewildered eyes.
"Solid?" ho queried, gravely.
"Solid," I re pe Ved, handing him;
tho box. "Will you come?"
"W'y, 'course I will, on'y I was Jlst
a-thlnkin'-"
"Just thinking what?" said 1, ns
the little fellow paused abruptly and
shook the box suspiciously at his
sar. "Just thinking what?" I repeat
ed; "for I must go now; good-by.-?
Jufet thinking what?"
. "Oh, nothln'," said the boy, backing
off and staring at me in a phase of
.wonder akin to awe.-"Nothln', on'y I
was jist a-thlnkin' that you was a lit
tle the curiousest i coster I ever see."
Three hours later, as I sat alone,
he came in upon me timidly to say rho
had not been borne vot, having "run
acro-t the old man jlst a MUn', and
had to git him corralled 'fort, ho
dropped down som'er's In the snow;:
but I'm a-gittln' 'long bully with him
now," he added with a deep sigh of
relief, " 'cause he's so full hell baf to
let go purty soon. Say you'll bo
here?"
I nodded silently, and be was gone:
The merry peals of laughter rang
up from the streets like mockery. The
jingling of bells, the clatter and con
fusion of the swarming thoroughfares,
flung up to me not one glad murmur
of delight; the faint and far-off blar
ing of a dreamy waits, blown breeze
like over the drowsy ear of Dight, had
sounded aweeter to me had I stood
amidst the band, with every bellow
ing horn about my ears, and the drums
and clashing cymbals howling mad.
I couldn't work, I couldn't read, I
couldn't rest; I could only pace about.
heard the clock strike ten, and
strike it hard; I heard lt strike eleven,
viciously; and twelve it held out nt
aim's length, and struck it full be
tween, the eyes, and let it drop-steno
dead. O I saw the blood ooze from
its ears, and saw the white foam
freese upon its lips! 1 waa alono
alone 1
It was throe o'clock before the boy
returned.
"Been a long while," he began, "but
I had a fearful tima with the old man,
and he went on so when I did git him
In I was 'most aXeard to leave bim;
but. he kind o' went to sleep at last,
and Molly ahe come over to see how
Bia* waa a-glttln'; and Sis aald she'd
like to see you if you'd come now, you
know, while they ain't no raoket gol.'
on."
"Come, then,", said Ii buttoning my
coat closely at tha throat, "I am
ready;" and a moment later we had
stepped Into the frosty night Wo
moved along In silence, the little fel
?ow half running, half eliding alone
froaan pavement in the kad; and
I aetad, with a pleasurable thrill, that
ha had darned toe little fussy cap and
mlttaas, and frota-tima ta tima was
dmgtag. sa haran. a4m?s? glanoaa
at his shadow on tha snow,
roar way veered hut a little from
I tad alleyways, whare tha rear ands
'** PMaslTl hw??* blocks had dwi*.