The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-08-13

subterrancan chamber in which the
Behemoth Of Holy Writ was wallow-
ing about without thought of the
dignity which ono expects from a
canonical character. Billy had al
ways languished upon his memories of
this diverting beast, and 1 stood ready
to see him plunge headlong the mo-
ment that he read the sign-board at
the head of the stairs. When he
paused and hesitated there, not SEEM
ing at all anxious to go down till he
saw the pretty girl and the child fol-
lowing after-a sudden intuition fash
ed across me. Could it be possible
that Billy was caught in that vortex
which whirled me down at ten years
"A little boys first love?
We were lingering about the clip
tical basin, and catching occasional
glimpses between bubbles of a vivifed
hair trunk Of monstrous compass,
whose knobby lid opened at one end
and showed a red morocco lining,
when the pretty girl, in leaning over
to point out the rising monster, drop
ped into the water one of her little
gloves, and the swash made by the
hippopotamus drifted it close under
Billy's hand. Either in play or as a
mere coincidence the animal followed
it. The other children about the
tank screamed and started back as he
bumped his nose against the side !;
but Billy manfully bent down and
grabbed the glove not an inch from
one of his big tusks, then marched
round the tank and presented it to
the lady with chivalry of manner in
one of his years quite surprising.
"That's real nice boy-you said
so, didn't you, Lottie? and I wish
he'd come and play with me-" said
the little fellow by the young lady's
side, as Billy turned away, gracefully
thanked, to come back to me with
his cheeks roseate with bushes.
AS he heard this Billy idled along
the edge Of the tank for a moment, then
faced about and said.
"P'raps I will some day-where
d'you ive?"
II live on East Seventeenth Street
with papa-and Lottie stays there too
now-she's my cousin-where d'you
live ?"
"Oh, I live close by-right on that
big green square, where I guess the
nurse takes you once in a WHILE"
said Billy, patronizingly. Then,
looking up pluckily at the young
lady, he added, II never saw you out
there"
"No, Jimmy's papa has only been
in his new house little while, and
I've just come to visit him."
"say, will you come and play with
me sometime?" chimed in the mex
tinguishable Jimmy. "I've got a
cooking stove-for real fre-and
blocks and a ball with string"
Billy, who belonged to a club for
the practice of the great American
game, and was what A. Ward would
call the most superior battist among
the I. G. B. B. c., or "Infant Giants, -
smiled from that altitude upon jim
my, but promised to go and play with
him the next Saturday afternoon.
Late that evening, after we had got
home and dined, as sat in my room
over Pickwick with sedative cigar,
gentle knock at the door told of
Daniel. I called "Come in /" and en-
tering with a slow, detected air he sat
down by my fire. For ten minutes
he remained silent, though occasional
ly looking up as if about to speak,
then dropping his head again to pom
der on the Goals. Finally I laid down
Dickens and spoke myself:
"You don't seem we'll tonight,
Daniel ?"
81 don't feel very we'll, uncle.".
"What's the matter, my boy?"
"Oh- -ah-I don't know. That is,
wish had words to tell you.'
studied him for a few moments
with kindly curiosity, then answer
ed.
"Perhaps I can save you the trouble
by cross-examining it out of you.
Let's try the method of elimination.
I know that you're not harassed by
any economical considerations, for
you've all the money you want; and
know that ambition doesn't trouble
you, for your tastes are scholarly.
This narrows down the investigation
Of your symptoms, istlessness, general
detection, and all to three causes
Dyspepsia, Religious Conflicts, Love-
Now, is your digestion awry?'
"No, Sir, good as usual, I'm not
melancholy on religion, and"
"You don't tell me you're in love p
"Well-yes-I suppose that's about
it, Uncle Teddy"
| I took long breath to recover from
my astonishment at this unimaginable
revelation, then said.
"Is your feeling returned?"
II really don't know, Uncle.
don't believe it is. I don't see how il
can be. I never did any thing to
make her love me. What is there in
me to love? I've borne nothing fol
her-that is, nothing that could dc
her any good-though I've endured
her on account, Imay say, anguish. So
| look at it. anv wav Won nlease Tne;th.