Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-22
Hit .nnebft ysnrHal,
BY cnAR1rs cxxDrx

81 ShARAES MAILMAN
, High upon the brown, shaggy noun. |
-tsin ode, there stands an old Stone cross, |
cracked, linehsd, messed, and slnking on |
ouD vide into the ground and beneath the |
cross there bubbles q clear Holy Well to |
which few 60 now except the sheep that
crop the rich green grass that springs
around 10 brink.
Beside the wen sat little boy. and as
b. looked Into the crystal water, his tears
dimpled Il like rain. ..s..
.stt only tells me what knew before"
said the disappointed little fellow with a
Sigh. -
I was hunchback. His big, sad eyes melt
ed the heart like minor melodies, but
there was nothing else, beautiful in his
stunted, distorted feeble frame.
His mother lavished fondness on him at
times, but at other times there was look
in her eyes which it was hard to bear-the
mortifying pity OF crushed hope. His
father looked at him as if he wished that
he had never been born. His sisters were
kind to him after fashion, but their
proud love was reserved for his younger
brother, who patronized and promised to
protect him with half-contemptuous COM
passion.
Outside his own family the little bunch.
back was either ignored, coarsely pitied,
or made the butt Of most cruel ridicule,
and the victim Of downright brutality. He
felt very lonely. in world which he loved
.beeanse it was full of beauty--amongst 50
many people, whom he longed to love If
they would only let him.
u L. L>>~J Ala old <o1o~ that &voro
told Of the curing power of the deserted
Holy Well. It dubbed up rs brightly as
ever IL had dubbed; why should It not be
a. good doctor as ever II had been He
determined to try It.
Fearing to be laughed at, he kept his
determination to himself, and started
without telling any one for the mountain
side.
As he passed through the village street,
he was jeered at and pelted by the village
children, but good-hearted woman rush.
ed out from her washtub with brawny
bare, soapsuddy arms, and drove off his
young tormentors by sound boxes on
the ear and breath-taking thnmps upon
the back, and teeth chattering shaking by
the collar.
The little boy was grateful to his pro-
tectress, but he thought 1t hard he should
need protection. and when she said.
Poor 1h.le boy, It Is not his fault that he
il such an object" her pity made him feel
sore.
But he left the village behind him, and
got out into the sammy country beyond,
where he met no one to twit him with his
u9liness. and the pain Of his poor little
smarting heart was lulled. It was glori-
Gus day In June. The trees were out in
full leaf. but the leaves had not yet lost
their full fresh May green. The mottled
hemlock stalks in the bitches were covered
with veil of creamy lace. Purple and
golden vetches grew in and about the
hedges, and the meadows and the patches
Of turf between the bitches and the road
were tufted with white and red and yellow
clover heads. The purple thyme was
breathing out honey beneath the suns
warm kiss. The foxglove was holding its
claret colored bells, and the globe flower
was tossing about its golden balls like a
conjuror. The little boy picked handfuls
of honeysuckle blossoms and sucked the
sweet bugles as he walked. The traveller
joy and the bryony were trying, like birds
nesting boys, which could climb the high
er. Where q clump Of trees hung over
the swampy margin of q pond. witches
art~k k~u<I< rsnk SszI RINWwy
H. ~. pus o ~Inw ..s pw;.I RaA oa IA"
S.so,n ne ,nm S yss.s ~ ~. ws,srJ iIe"
unJJoP ns,i go. r;o,e,s ana n;nnrasa;i
. ,.T l az -. HAMS The n cr,v
srnroieJ ;,s ,;,sie m;nk face into Ito mossv
Al .i"n ,ha ,ana. 49, ~, 49,. .. 80.
forth their straprlinp SPRAYS. and Uttered
the ground with their shell-like petals
In and out crept the sIlyer.lesfed. Golden
blossomed silver.weed, mixed with the
snowy bells Of the bind.weed. and be-
meath the plantain stood CAV in its gala
suit Of pink and silver. The pink and the
purple cranes bills were both in blossom,
and when the little boy leit the plain and
mounted the hillside. bluebells were toss
ing as If fairies were ringing an inaudible
peal. and the butterfly orchis was pouring
out its delicious fragrance to mingle with
tha sweet AGENT Of mint and thvms Tarks