Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-12-04
A BROKEN PITCHER.

VACATION WIS orAWlnR uiRn, oHe ""s NY
brother Arthur and were sauDtering
through lonely vale.
Suddenly my attention was arrested
by Arthur, exclaiming: II say, Tom,
lookr' pointing to female figure lean
ing against IN old stile in an attitude
of the utmost detection, What beau
tiful face that girl has 3R
And obscured though she was by the
dire poverty which was evidenced by
her dress, she Was beautiful to behold
as she stood gazing down, with an ex'
preston OF terror IN her eyes, upon
some fragments Of broken earthenwsre
at her feet.
| could not resist the temptation to
speak, so going up to her side, said
kiudly-"My child, yon seem 10 trouble
Can't help you" a.
The child upliftel her eyes moment
to my face With 0 strange look, IN
which distrust seemed to DO the upper
mast feeling. Then, appearing to galu
confidence from what she discerned in
my features, she said: 81 have broken
the pitcher and aunt will beat ME for it.
Oh, | Am afraid to 60 home"
Where is your home p asked, and
what is your nainrs fsttt III
Her old expression of mistrust re-
turned as she moved away few steps
from my side.
What do you want to know for'' he
asekd, brusquely.
1t was evident that kindness was
thing unknown to the poor, neglected.
looking child.
! want to know simply becanse feel
friendly interest in You. Here, lcon-
tipued, drawing 'rom my pocket gol-
den coin, lie money 10 buy another
pitcher. Your aunt need not know OF
the breaking of this Que. and y"n will
escape your dreadful punishment. Vow,
do you believe that meal only kindly
to you!
The dark eyes dilated; hen they soft.
ened with a sudden film of tears, DIS
graspng my hand, she exclaimed, III
eager, childish tones:
'Ob, sir. | thank you. Now, | need
no, y. afraid 10 20 home. lam so sorry
] was 10 moe. bnt it is seldom thai any
bu rough words come 10 NE Twill
tell y"u my ualuc: 1t IS Annie. and !
am I'D Hrs'er's niece
A. listened 30 her words my heart
tilted with pity, tor had hear dreadful
Stores nt ;hp kind Of life the old woman
size called amt led, and ] wondered 40
logger at the manner Of suspicious re-
serve which had struck me so strange
il one of her youth.
The next day babe goodbye for an
other year to my home.
Amid the duties and distractions o1
college life, the above episode slipped
from my mind, TO he recalled once more
Oh perusipg letter from my brotber:
'You remember the little girl with
the beautiful fsce you l,efriended when
ste broke her 'tcher 2 he wrote. We'll
she and that dreadful old woman Heste
have left the place, and no one knows
why or where they have gone. l fra
that poor child has u sad tnture betor,
her
Ten years passed since the date Of tn
above, ears which had wrought man,
changes. In them my father had died
ard later, my brother Arthur, grown t
mans estate. bad brought 10 the oil
house Il bonny bride. Then. in tn
course of year later, u little strange
bud arrived, who grew aud thrived, all
in due time learned to stretch out hi
arms in welcome te bis bachelor uncle.
My Trends often laughed and joke
mt about following my younger broth
er's example aud cho"s,ng wife. Bn
though thirty years had rolled over III
head. had never felt my heart puise
throb the quicker in the presence Of au
woman. But this summer of which
an new about to write, / conld max
that boast no longer. Early in the se'
sor Arthur. his wife, their three-yea
old son and myself, had come TO a retl1
ed nook by the seaside to spend tn
simmer months. There were only
few people staying in the small hott
besides ourselves.
Two of the number, an elderly, era.
haired lady, and her beautiful compal
,on, whom supposed was her daugh
er. interested me at first sight. The
names were Mrs. and Miss Garter. BIZ
though whenever we met | exerted m
self as never had done before to he e
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