The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-27
JUST So"

asides croored as It sat on its perch,
stirred mp something IN me evil and
vindictive. Perhaps l had no natural
inclination 70 pets. Often when l had
been over -weAriei at the old farm house,
the sight OF mothers hens scratch
scratching for a living had lrrltated me
with sense OF overwork. But they at
least came honestly by their living. l
respected them; but this pampered, over
fed thing made my flesh crawl as it
clung ogling to its perch, or dropped
laEily down 20 pick mp bit OF cracker,
nibbling thereat with an uncanny chat
ter. No; / did not like pets. Aunt
Margery did. This ugly foreign favorite
had absorbed all her affections, /
thought to myself bitterly, as | watched
it that mornings She caressed the crea-
ture; she spoke 10 il endearingly; but
for her own kith and kin she had moth
ing but everlasting tau t-hnding and
ceaseless sxactlons.
A few tears dropped down upon my
hands as / sat there. The parrot, blink
ing down upon me, drew up one skinny
claw, scratched its emerald head, and
screamed, Just SO "a pet phrase
which served il to express the most sub
tie meanings, apparently, and with
which it seemed TO jrer at my emotion.
This was the third morning l had
waited for Dick-poor Dick, light
hearted, high-spirited Dick who had
taken up his cap and left after his last
wori-battle with Aunt Margery. This
blow had taken the sunshine too utterly
out of nv life, and there, as / sat at the
window, / mentally shook my fist at this
gibbering thing, SO sheltered and
favored while he was adrift-where :?
What would become of Dick? oh, what
would become of Dick? The lad had
always had some business in the city
that sat lightly upon him, coming and
going at his leisure; but now for three
whole DAYS his face had not hghtened
the gloomy house. The longing to
know Of bis welfare, the yearning to
see him, had grown intense and intol-
erable. And now, rendered irritable
and distraught by my anxiety, l had
quarrelled with Aunt Margery myself
Il 70 whom her invalid state had hith
erto excused so much, who had been
her patient nurse so long, and her ac-
knowledged peace-maker between her
self and the outspoken, impolite Dick.
/ had fallen from nv high estate; was
an outcast from favoF-not worth so
much in Aunt Margery's eyes as this
leering old parrot.
Well, / need sacrifice myself no
longer. / was free to go away. Oh,
how useless, how mean aud degrading,
seemed all that I had submitted TO and
suffered! 1t gould benefit Dick no more,
and. in his absence, dropped it's splen-
did apparel of self sacrifice, and revealed
itself beggerly and sordid tameness Of
spirit.
Outside of this narrow groove where
I had grubbed and vegetated there was
a thrilling, splendid reality OF existence.
A sort of winged feeling took possession
OF me as L contemplated the possibilities
of the future. The parrot put up his
elfin claw, blinked at me from the cor
ner of his eye, and cried, Just SOL as
he Topped back into his open cage
From the window where that cage hung
I could see the glowing gardens and
pleasant lawns stretching below, and in
the wistful hazy distance the city seem
ed to shadow through-the bright busy
CITY, where every one was astir and at
work. Dick was there too somewhere.
Dick did "business" easily and ire
sponsibly as a bird. Why should not l
do business? I began to take account of
stock-to make a mental estimate of my
self. 1t is surprising, in this CONNER
cial valuation Of ones sell, how percent.
ages shrink. A little hazy knowledge Of
history, a little nebulous acquaintance
with general literature, light touch
upon the piano-all these things look
painfully threadbare on examination,
like stage properties seen BY daylight,
l could not settle upon any specially in
which l was pre-eminent. | must leave
NV future to fate, and / did so with the
delightful insouciance of youth.
So the early dawn found me at the
garden gate, face to face with the kindl.
ing morning, the garden quiet and
odors. I felt a sort or sinking at the
heart not quite in accordance with my
enterprise. But the hustle about the
depot, and all the sights and sounds o.
travel, speedily dispelled my grief. and
once in the cars, my spirits rose TO the
occasion. Oh, l would do something
be something yeti and nibbled bit Of
cake. by way OF breakfast, care-free anc
happy and confident.
The city was quite inspiring as en-
tered it-so delightfully."- active and bust
ling that it took my breath. People
were coming and going purposeful anC
br1siuessful; everybody seemed to hav'
his eve on some goal ahead TO be reached
in a given time. ] only walked leisurel!
along, enjoying the scene, and wonder
ing TO myself if / should know Dicl
sbould I meet him in the whirlpool, o
would he know me.
All these faces were strangers faces
OF all these people not one had any in
terest for me. The gay scene dimme'
for n moment, and for a moment fei
the chill of isolation, as the crowd swep
bv. WONDERED was Dick as lonely, a
wistfuI. as The question was answer
ed by sudden heart thrill, for there
lusty and ruddy, stood Dick before me
fear 1 clasped his hand with un
necessary fervor as / said, "Oh, DlcR
where did you come fromy
"Where did you come from 2" re
sponded Dick, sharply
"I- Well, Richard, 1 can't stan
Aunt Margery any longer-I cG"H nc
and I've left, Richard"