The Lincoln County herald., 1873-03-26
TUE POOR UUNCHBACK AND His
SECRET.

High up on the brown, shaggy noun.
tain side, there stands an old stone cross,
cracked, lichened, mossed and sinking on
one side into the ground; and beneath
the cross there bubbles o clear, holy
we'll, to which few 90 now, except the
sheep that crop the rich green grass that
springs around its brink. Beside the
we'll sat little boy, and as he looked
into the crystal water. his tears dimpled
i, like rain.
at only tells me what I knew before"
said the disappointed little fellow, with q
sigh.
The little boy was weeping because he
was a huuchback. His big sad eyes
melted the heart like minor melodies,
but there was nothing else beautiful in
his stuuted, distorted, feeble frame. His
mother lavished iondncss on him at
times, but at other times there was o
look in her eyes which it was hard to
bear-the mortifyiug beauty Of crushed
hope. His father looked at him as If he
wished that he had never been born
His sisters we're kind to him after a
fashion, but their proud love was reserved
for his beautiful younger brother, who
patronized and promised to protect him
with half contemptuous CO compassion. Out.
side Of his own family the little hunch
back was either ignored or coarsely
ptied or made the but of most cruel ridi.
cule, aud the victim Of downright bru-
traity. He felt very lonely, in a world
which be loved, because it was so full Of
beauty-among so many people, whom
he longed to love, if they would only
le, him.
He had heard the old tales that we're
told Of the curing powers of the deserted,
holy we'll. 1t bubbled up as brightly as
ever it had bubbled, why should 1t not
be as good doctor as ever it had been =?
lie determined to try it. Fearing to be
laughed at, he kept his determination to
himself, aud started without telling any
one, for the mountain side.
As lie passed through the village
streets, hc was jeered at and pel,ed by
the village children but a good hearted
woman rushed out from her washtub,
with brawny, bare, soapsuddy arms, ald
drove off his torme ntors by sounding
boxes on the ear, and breath taking
thumps upon the back. aud teeth chat.
,er,ng shaking by the collar. The little
d boy was grateful to his protectress, but
3. he thought it hard he should need pro
i, lection, and when she said, poor little
:, boy, it is not his fault that he is such au
n object her pity made him feel sore.
But he left the village behind him and
- got out into the sunny country beyond
where he met no one to twit HIM with his
d uginess, and tho pain of his poor little
+ >marting heart was iulled. 1t was glo
If rious day 10 June. The trees were ou'
N N 10 full leaf, but the leaves had no. yet
y lost their fresh, May green. The mot
tied hemlock stalks in the bitches wert
T. covered with veil of creamy lace
Purple and golden vetches grew in auc
y, about the hedges, and the meadows anl
i, the patches of turf between the bitches
!. and the road we're tuffed with white ant
D. ,, yellow clover heads. The purple thyme
L. was breathing out honey beneath tht
suns warm kiss. The fox glove wa
uodding its clarct colored bells, and tn
globe flower was tossing about its colder
D. balls like q conjurer. The little bo
o, picked handfuls Of honeysuckle blos
ae SONS, and sucked the sweet buges as h
Ill walked. The travellers Joy aud tn
rs bryony were trying, like birds nesting
- boys, which could climb the higher
= Where q clump of trees hung over tn
swampy margin Of a pond, witch's night
d. shade put out its pretty pink flowers
ed The pond glowed with its golden droop
'y ing Tipped vases Of tho water. flag uu
" purple water violets and cuquefol trem
tie blei on its banks. The pimpernul SNUG
OF ged its little piuk face into it's mos
nv pillow. All along tho lanes dog rose
in put forth their struggling sprays and iii
i'll cred the ground with their shell.llk
r. petals. In aud out crept the silver
leaved, golden blossomed silver weed, on
beneath the plantain stood gay in i
= gala suit of pink and silver. Tie pin
ed and the purple crane bills we're both
I'd, blossom, and when the little boy left tt
,ln plain and mounted the hill side, biz
TO- bells we're tossing as if fairies were rinu
tor ing in audible peal. and the butter &
OTCut9 Wuo pouIioE WV 'sS NS''SsoeS 49,
,iiSy GRANGE to minglc with the sweet scent
iii the mint and thyme. Lurks sang owe
head, golden banded wild bees wei
booming about, lilac colored butterfly
- Auttered hither and th,ther, the bells
q distant church tower we're chimir
-, -, merrily; IN a meadow down below-t'
at far off for him to fear teasing from the
DIN -hsymukers we're singing aud laughin
'ch "In this beautiful, happy world
be he thought the little boy, show is it that
ed, am SO ugly and sad?'
re- re- He toiled up to the holy we'll Il
mid black faced sheep that had been drin
ate ing its clear water and cropped its lus
mo mo grass scampered of; and, kneeling dow
md lie curved his hand into . cup, al
'in dipped into the we'll. Thrice, accordil
ale to custom, he drank Of the holy vate
I. thrice ho spriukled it over his head, b