Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-11-13

SO, gathering together all the strength
at her command, she makes q rust
straight at the door, rtlhs ttp Some steps
past two policemen, who are too aston
ished to stop her (although she does
not know that, and is stumbling along
a wide passage, to the extreme wonde
of the ladies dressed in red and blue
and gold and silver, when suddenly 1
third policeman appears in her path
Tot tries to dodge Him. But she is too
feeble to have any chance of escape
and the policeman, with consummats
ease, captures and secures her by ;
good grasp of her hair. He knows he
hair is to be trusted, though her rags
are not. Tots head feels lighter thar
ever she fancies It Is getting ava,
from her body, but she cannot be sure
All the people she passes look a lone
way Oft and as for the policeman, ht
is mile away, though he does not holC
her SO firmly.
"So you, have managed to make {
capture, p61iteiiiaii-;s Strange one fol
the place" And the speaker looks GU
riously at Tot, and Tot looks at him.
He is tall man, with great waving
mass of golden hair thrown back from
his face; and he has big eyes, and, like
all the other people, is a long way off
ga vagabond, my lord--after hand
kerches, my lord And policeman RS
leases Tot from the grasp of his right
hand and seizes her again with his
left, that he may touch his hat proper.
ly to my lord.
81 amt. I wants to see inside. ,
says Tot feebly.
What long way off her voice is.
She knows now that her Head has teatlv
sol away.
" So you want to see inside " says
my lord.
Tot looked up at him. She had
learned to read faces, and is not bit
afraid of this one
eyes" she answers.
Policeman smiles knowingly. and
says, soto Vace, 'tTrrtst, het or aiiv of
Ell fol saying yes. He would have
preferred to say this aloud; but he has
seen " my lord" before, and is not sure
how he will take it.
NO, answers ,Tott.
She ttlsa!ts TO tell tie truth, but she
has to think little before she is quite
sure what she really does feel. No, she
does not feel hungry, she does not feel
cold. 1t is very strange, but the only
feeling she has is an intense longing to
500 &C inside" ehs wofild like IT, know
why everything seems so far off, and
why her head has gone from her body !;
but she does not care very much about
that; what she wants is to see "inside. u
My lord is in strange mood this
night, and strange idea seized him.
Leave the child with me, :" he be=
gins,
but. my lord" says Policeman,
doubtfullY. p, -. /.
y, fHave yo,t seen her take anything
No? Then you are quito safe in lelv-
ing her"
Policeman releases Tot, and my lord
utterly Indifferent to the fact that all
who pass by stare hard him and the
chilD says with pretty smile:
My little ragged girl, we will go to-
gether aud see this wonderful inside /;
but remember when yoti get there to re-
pay me for my great kindness by ex-
hibiting the most extreme astonish-
rhent. Have yoii maine 7 .
Tot looks up. at him in. doubt, ,bit
his face reassures her, for it is Tery
pleasant ard sh6 almost porsuades her
self he is not "kidding'
"Don't know. They calls NJ ) Tot, -
she says, with her eyes still upon his
lace, ...,4 ,r..
"a very good name; Tot very good
name. But must apologize to you for
a gross breach of etiquette on my part
should have first introduced myself
Know me, then, Tot, as Lord Casual,
a radical, materialist, a believer in
equality of property and universal la
Dor. AMI respett iile, Tot, for con
scientiously discharging the duty that
devolves upon me of showing to the
world practical illustration, in my
own person, of the excellence of my
theory q should, perhaps, say taeories)
by a hard life of sleeping, eating,
shooting, hunting and sometimes even
dancing. What if [ indulge IN occa-
sional fits of madness? Surely life SO
completely given up to the public well
fare should gain me forgiveness? Some
would call me mad even now. But
come Tot, we are close to the inside. y
My lord speaks to himself rather
than to Tot, She, for her part has no
idea what he means; but she likes to
hear him talk. Her head is getting so
far away that she is afraid OF 10 ing it
altogether; everything is getting far
away. They go up some steps, and
every one they pass tttrrs to look at
the ragged, white faced child and the
tall, handsome man. Some know him
and say, when he has passed:
Just like Casual, just like him.
Tot feels weak going up the steps,
but she says nothing. She begins to
doubt whether it is not all a dream
She has dreamt of policemen before
often but never of gentleman talk
ing to her. They walked some distance
along passage, one side of which is
all doors, and at last they stop at one
of them. My lord takes key from his
pocket, places it in a hole in the door,
gives q little turn and push, and it
opens.
{" Here we are, Tot ; only four steps,
and you may look at the inside till you
are weary"
A bright light comes from the open
less, as though suddenly turned to
stone ; rigidly storing, her eyes wide
open, a faint flush ON her cheek, and
her chin dropped. Oh j! what Won
dertul place So big and so bright
Brighter even, she thinks than the sun
itself All the people are there, too
she can see their dresses of red and
blue, and gold and silver. And
q" You may sit down, Tot" says my
lord. He looks in her face, and sees
there intense wonder and awe. My
lord, thereat, is surprised and pleased.
yet troubled withal. But ne says gai
ly:
g Accustomed as you probably are,
Tot, to wooden chairs, on first touch
ing one of these you may find its re-
sistence to your frame impact but fee
bic, and fear it will not support you.
But don't be afraid, Tot; you will
find it will all come right in the end :"
Tot is very weak, and the flush in
her face has quickly died out, but Won
der and the awe are still there. She
10 i 4 III