Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1880-08-14
THE CROW'e NEST,
A LITTLE BOY WITH HIS WITS
ABOUT HIM.

said MIS-. Bray.
cpl Co." said johnny.
"What g" said Mrs Bray, half smiling,
"thrce miles across the mountainside in
all this deep snow! q
.'I've often carried fathers dinner to
him "hen he was in the maple-sugar
camp" said JOHNNY, "and that's half Il
mile further than DR.. Denton's. It's
something Of a walk, to be sure"
II should shiuk So" said Mrs. Bray.
"But think could go quicker than
any one else" said johnny, as he looked
pitirully at The little babe IN the cradle,
whose dimpled face was all flushed wiki
fever 81 love Willie, you know, and"
And here a great lump seemed to lise
up in bis throat ana check his words.
Johny and Willie were motherless chill
dren. Their father earned his livelihe cd
by cutting pines in the forests, hauling
timber and doing odd jobs geper~lly
whenever he could get Il chance. Their
motfiet had died'a few morths before, and
a Kind nelShbor had offered Il home to
the child, en- for the sake OF the little cr-
rands and chores that John"y could do.
Mr.. Bray was very kind to hem and took
the best possible care Of the baby; but
there was many Il night when Johnny
Law awake, softly crying to himself with
his arm around Willic's neck and think
ing of the dear, dear mother he had lost.
And it was his greatest ambition to OBJ
tain q good situation in the neighbour
l. la
and help support Willie.
:.For l know that my father is very
moor" said Johnny, ''and if only could
assist him, know that mother would be
pleased in heaven"
..Well," said Mrs. Bray, after a little
hesitation, Il think you had better So.'
SO Johnny put on his cap and tied his
fadad worsted comforter about his neck
An oycrcoat was an unknown luxury to
him, but his coat was warm and snug,
and he set off OF IA brisk walk, that was
almost IL run, in the frozen March sun
SHINE. over tho mountan-side that was
willie and glittering with snow. For all
tho dazzling sunshine, tremendous gale
| Of wind was b!owing--such 4 gale as
| m;rht make ImarineIs tremble on the
decks of ships. standing far out to sea-a
| gale that shook the tops of the trees, and
made them groan and creak as il giants
| in noiu were hidden within their huge,
! mosSy trunks.
And how Johnny found hisway through
! those trackicss woOde, where there "as
no uaths except here and there the paw
marks of n stealing fox or wild cat, or the
ve,vcty tracks Of rabbits, nobody couiG
| cuos,. don It think that Johnny him
self knew. He kept his eyes steadily
! ,n tbe sun and now and then paused |,
| lcoL for rude signs cut in the b.rh OF th'
| hirrh-trccs, which served rs Il sort o
! uulde post to him. After long walk
! crcs.iu.r TWO or three frozen streams an,
u,t+iug over % huge rocky chaem b.
meaus of fallen tree trunh-WMc!
oroored GismalIy ~ Johnny picked III
v.,,. across it, rs If it had half Il mind t
S,an itself in two and let him dow
among the snowy rocks below he reach
| o., the doctors house Oil the othef SIG
and left his message.
..The doctor isn't ill.," said Miss Phoebe
,,o doctors sister; "but I'll tell him tn
ycrv minute he gets back. lie can drlv
,ro,,ra bv the road i'll bis new cutie
and Dcrhaps he'll be there before y"
are
"I hope So" said Johnny, wisttuliS
.h.cuuse our baby is very sick
..You .lad berter stop and have bit
| I phrlhp. s.lt'S mos
dinner" sad MISS ii'oNoe'
ready"
ooh, thank yon," said johnny; "hut
cou1I,.'t stay-I must sc back TO Nill!'
7 can quiet him better than any one els
when he is aiing and irettnl.
SO Miss Phoebe gave him DRINK
milk and 4 piece OF not gingerbread, an
ba started lack home again. Ii was ge
ting Oh toward sunset now, and 'onhh
was anxious to get home.
81 think perhaps it wonl1 be short'
out - he thought, ''if could get down
tlc railroad track and walk on that
far as tho great gray rocN, ana th'
.r,ss the icc-pond to the old road"
He scrambled down the steep and II
.,o,, side of the bleak mountain and so'
c,,uo to the single railroad track "p'
u ,,1,ich il passenger tram ran at eng
o,rlncll in the morning going south; III
< in tho afternoon going north. inc
;, WAS II freight train at noon Also o"' u
y bad passed by long since.
..It must be near now,' Thought
- s.I shall hear the noise Of the tf"i" 'S
70 comes and besides they always "lo"
"a whistle at the great gray rock"
st uc walked alang, swiftly and steadi
!, ao,, dawn in his rockets Il