St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1879-03-29

uoiS
Il wouldn't even talk to boys who
teased me, if Were you, sissy. 1t
only makes you angry, and then you
act in such a way that you must
feel sorry afterward. Do you live
around here?"
The soft look was dawning in her
big, elIin eyes again. Poor. ioriorn
creature; 1t Was positive luxury to
hear II kind word, or have even the,
smallest interest ulsplayed III her,
My names Doshy AIeldred, and
[ live across Them ere meddelis,
down IN uLat red shanty. I'm old
Me!dred's girl. % > o.
though he was, Howard ap-t
preclated the defiant ring i'll her
VOICE us she gave her last morsel OF
information-"old Meldred's girl.
the very worst that cuuid be said of
her; the outcasst, neglected, abused
daughter Of i miseraBle, drunken
sot; and his kindly blue eyes glow
ed with pity.
Its too bad you should be al
lowed to so So! Couldn't you 80 to
| school, or-or something's" 'F.1
Go to school? Yes, l see my
self, in these RAGS" = I8f,Y u
80 Ilen there was pride below all
these rags, but not the pride that
would have led her to take suitable
cane of herself. '.' ~,
Towards impulse was to try to
awaken such proper pride.
| Il don't think tile clothes weull
be iii your way half as much as your
thair, and your dirty hands and face.
Doshy, if you'd wash up, you'd be Il
real nice-looking girl, l believe. J
/ She stared ut hmm with that Won
dering, steady glance she had.
You think I'd be Il nice-looking
girl, Mr.. Howartl?' III.
There was almost awe in her
voice.
10 be sure. Why not? Ny sis
ter has dark eyes and yellow hair,
like you. only 1t isn't SO loug and so
wavy; and everybody says she's
pretty. would really like to see
you with your hair ized out7of those
tangles."
i A sudden glow sprapg 70 her
eyes.
You would? You woulda No
body ever wanted me to do any
thing before. only git out o the
way. You think7I could look like
other slrls? Oh, Mr.. Howard"
and a sobbing sigh shook her, and
he saw tears IN her elm eyes-"you
don't know how awful much I'dlike
to be like the rest o the girls / seel
| GIT awful tired o beins 4jdst no
body but old Meldred's girl, with
nobody to say nothin' to me, and
/ no mother or sister, or nobody but
just my own self.
Howard impulsively reached Out
his hand, so fair and shapely, and
grasped Doshy's grimy hard one.
Don't cry, Doshy; nnsybe it'll all
come right some day, if you try to
keep yourself as nice as ever you
can. And don't you ever talk to the
rude boys that tease you, Doshy-
do you understand? Here, I'm real
glad I stopped to speak to you |
think you're o real nice girl. Don't
you want this to remember me by
ito remember you had one friend
who encouraged you little?"
. He discovered a little gold-and-
blue enamel fan from his watch
chain, and gave it to her.
Aud when he had gone, Doshy
Hooked ut it, with a still, solemn,
touching look in her, blackseyesl.i,k
Il do wonder if / ever could be
like other girls? Well, if they GIT
this here fan away from me they've
got to be mighty cute! | am a-goin'
to begin to fix up little; mebbe-
l don't say l ,riH-lnebbe Ill take
that there place Miss Whipple offer,
ed me to help 'em; and she said
their Sarah'd learn me my letters.
Well, if don't never learn no let
tiers, Eye got solid gold fan, any
- ho ~, Il aG,t