Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-07-10

moiety OF man, utterly helpless, utterl
: dependent, an infant, without an infant
happy uncoEsciousnesS, But what's th
use of my talking to you in this way =
here Bob, show the gentlemen some o
your tricks"
Bob, on this summons, left his post b,
the lads check, where he had remaneC
perfectly STILL taking an inventory of my
person with his round bright eye, and ap
pa:cntly measuring me for suit of clothes
and suddenly flew into the air, where hC
summersaulted and piroutted and affect
ed to lose the use of his wings and tumble
from an appalling height, invariably reeov
eriEg mselfbefore he reached the grounG
after wlich he gravely lit upon his mas
ter's breast and thrust his little bill af
tectionately between his masters lips.
You have tanned your bird wonderful,
ly," | said to the boy.
ut hasbeen my amusements during ma
ny solitary hours" he answered with fee
ble smile.
"lIow is it that you have been so solta
ry ~ ! asked you live in the neighbor-
hood?"
"ln that house up yonder just peeping
from behind that clump of naples" and
he pointed as he spoke towards respec-
table farm house.
"And you have friends-a family?"
"Ah sir, they ale kind enough to me,
but they must be very tired Of me by this
time"
Come" said |, encouragingly, laying
my hand on his shoulder, come, tell me
all about yourself, Pm n good listener =
besides, am interested in you Bob,
here looES as If he was anxious for n story.
This is charming nook that we are in,
so Ill just light my cigar, ard do you
talk"
The free and easy manner | assumed,
seemed to surprise him. lie glanced shi>
ly at me, ont of his large blue eyes as if
sincerity; then heaved sigh, stroked
Bob's feathers, as if to insure himself of
the presence Of at least one and saying,
"As you please" commenced.
81 am eighteen" he said you would
not think it for know | look younger
than | am. Confinement and suffering
have made my complexion pale and trans
parent, and the sun and winds that har-
den other mems skins, and age their iea.
lures, have had but little to DO with me.
Ever since can remember | have been
paralyzed in the lower limbs For years,
| laid upon an inclined plane of boards,
looki:g up at the ceiling with a mind
very nearly as blank as the white plaster
gazed at. My father died when | vas q
mere infant. and there was no one left in
the house but mother and cousin Alice and
me-"
cousin Alice" said, "who is she ?"
His eyes wandered timidly toward the
house behind the naples, as if he expect
ed an apparition to start from there on
the instant.
"Cousin ! lice" he repeated vaguely,
"well she's Cousin Alice"
Excessively explanatory" said J.,
laughing. as Cousin Alice young"
MY age"
"Is she pretty"
One deep, reproachful look OF those
large blue eyes told me all. Poor fellow,
there he lay manned, passing his days and
evenings in the presence of some beauti-
full creature, whom he could never hope
to possess, but loving her with all that
concentrated necessity which belongs. TO
the passions of the deiormed.
lie seemed to know what was passing
in my mind for without word from me
he continued "She is engaged to Ralph
Farnwell, who lives down yonder. She
is very fond of him and lie of her. 1t is
they who bring me down between them
to this place every fine day, AID sit here
with Bob while they go off and pick nuts,
and--and-" and here the picture was too
much for him, and the poor fellow burst
into tears.
No wonder. To have his misfortune
paraded through necessity before the wo.
man he loved. To be carried about like
a piece of furniture by her and his rival
How often must that poor heart have
been smitten bitterly! How often those
crippled limbs must have thrilled with
agony.
took his hand in mine, but did not
say word. There are times when conso-
lation is cruel 1t was better than all
words to let him feel by the pressure of
my hand that he had found friend. We
sat this way for some time, until was
aroused from painful reverie into which
had fallen, by long black shadow being
projected across the spot in which we were
sitting. | looked up and saw tall hand
some young man, with bron2ed cheek sand
curly chestnut hair, on whose arms was
hanging an exceedingly beautiful young
girl, whose face was perfect treasury Of
aIchness and innocence. They looked
rather surprised at seeing me, but | eX-
planned how it was that came to be there
and they seemed satisfied.
Harry, isn't it time to come home"
said the young girl. "Ralph and | have
come for you.
"Thank you Alice, but would like to
stay an hour longer The day is so bright
and sunny that it is a shame to be in the
house. You don't want TO 20 home yet"
and he looked at Ralph as he said this
with a bitter expression of countenance
that perhaps | alone observed, but which
seemed to say 1t will give you an hour
more to wander together OF course you
don't want to 90 home.
well as you please, Harry. Ralph
and will 60 off to the pond in the cedar
grove, and come back in about an hour.-
But say Harry, look here isn't this
pretty ?" and as she spoke she held out a
little box for his inspection. He opened
it and disclosed pretty little ring set
with garnets. While he looked at it Al