The Red Cloud chief., 1881-06-02
TOM.

Eaic Wllstlcu DIV, ndTuly DTlUntcncu the
gloom a dozen PAGES around them. The
WIND tore through the streets as if it
had gone mad; whirling before it dust
and snow, and every movable thing il
could lay its clutching hand upon. a
poor old battered kite, that, some time
last autumn, had lodged far up in the
tallest tree in the neighborhood, and
had there rested peacefully ever since,
believing its labors at an end, was
snatched, dragged from its nest, and
driven unpityingly before the blast.
Some feeble efforts it had made to
dodge into corners, lurking behind steps
and diving into areas; but not a bit OF
it! Down would swoop the wind, and
off it would go again.
At last. driven around one of the long
row of barrels, that stood like wretchcd
sentinels along the sidewalks edge, il
flew into the very arms of a small boy,
who. seated on the curb-stOne, crouch
ed down i'm the barrels somewhat ques-
tionable sheSter. Such q very small
boyi He looked like nothing in the
world but a little heap of rags; and the
rags were very thin, and the small boy
was very cold. His nose. his ears, his
hands and his poor bare feet were blue.
He was almost too cold TO SILVER, Ger.
tainly too cold to rOtice the unfortunate
kite, which, as its enemy, the wind, APP
preached with a roar. seemed TO cover
close to-him, as if begging his prOtec-
ton. Round both sides of the barrel at
once came the wind, shook hands right
through poor little Tom, and, bowling
with delight, rushed off with its misera-
bic victim.
"Tom"-that was all the name he
had. Who he was or where he came
from no one knew, except, perhaps,
the wretched old woman with whom he
lived; which meant that she let him
sleep upon a pile of rags OF the floor
of her miserable room, and sometimes
gave him a crust. and oftener a blow.
When she was drunk-and that was the
greater part of the time-Tom took to
the streets; and by night she was very
drunk. The boy was perhaps some
six years old; but as he covered down
on the cold fiag-stones, with his worn,
pinchcd face and dropping head, he
might have been a hundred.
A carriage came rafting through the
icy street, and stopped close by him.
The door vas pushed open, and two
children half tumbled out, and, leaving
the door swinging, rushed up the steps.
Tom watched them stupidity. heard the
quick, sharp ring of the bell, caught a
glimpse of something that looked very
bright and warm, and then it was dark
again. He turned his eyes toward the
carriage, expecting it TO drive off
again; but it still stood there. The
coachman sat upon the box like a furry
monument. One of the horses struck
the stones sharply with his iron hoo,
and cast an inquiring glance around,
but the monument sat unmOved.
Toms heavy eyes looked through the
open door into the carriage. Dark Us
il was, he could see that it was lined
with something thick and warm. He
raised his head and glanced about him.
If he were inside there the wind could
not touch him. Oh, if he only could
get away from it one minute, He
would slip Out again the moment the
house door opened. Intending his
stiff little body, he crept nearer, hest
tatcd a moment, and. as the wind came
round the corner with q roar, slipped
swiftly and noiselessly into the car
riage. In the further corner of the
c a he curlcd himself into a lit e
round heap, and lay, with beating
heart. listening to the wind as it swept
by.
1t was very quiet in his nest, and the
soft velvet was much warmer than the
cold fiagstones. and he was very tired
and very cold. and i'm half II minute he
was sound asleep. He did not know
when at last the house door opened and
a lady. gathering her cloak closely
around her. came down the steps-did
not know even when the suddenly ami
mated nlonument descended from its
pedestal and stood solemnly by the
opon door until the lady had stepped
inside. But when it shut with 8 slam,
and the coachman, returning to the
box, drove rapidly away. the boys ewes
opened and fixed their frightened gaze
upon the lady's face. Preoccupied
with her WI thoughts, she had not no.
ticed the queer bundle in the dark cor
ner. But now, her attention attracted
By some slight movement on his part,
she turned her eyes slowly toward him,
and then, with a suppressed cry Of sur
prise and alarm, laid her hand upon
the door. The rattle of the wheels
and the roar of the wind prevented its
reaching the ears of the coachman;
and Tom. rapidly unwinding himself.
and covering down in the bottom of
the carriage, said, with a frightened
sob:
Il didn't mea no harm. l was aw-
full cold. Say, just the door, miss
is, and I'll jump out. You needn't stop
the kerridge."
The lady, with her hand still on the
door, demanded:
..How did You get in here"
1.-The door was open, and l clum in,"
he answered. at was awful cold"
The lady took her hand from the
door. Come nearer" she said. "Let
me see your face"
Tom drew his ragged sleeve across
his ewes, and looked up at her over his
shoulder. They had turned into a
brilliantly lighted street, and she could
see that the tangled yellow hair was
soft and fine and that thebig, frightened
eyes that raised themselves 10 hers Were
not p;~ckpocket's eyes. With a sudden
impulse she laid her glOved hand light
ly on the yellow head. Where do you
live?" she asked.
Something in the voice and touch
gave him courage. '.With Nanny
SAL" he answered, Strengthening up
'sme and some other fellows. Some
times we begs, sometimes we take the
barrels. When VIZ get a haul it amt
so bad, but when we don't we ketch it.
She's drunk tonight, and she drove us
out"
She pushed the heavy hair back from
his forehesd. lis Nanny Sal your
mother?' she asked.
mo-" cried the boy. almost fercely;
and then added sullenly, Il amt 60,
mona"
Slowly the gloved hand passed back
and forth oyer the yellow hair. The
lady's eyes were looking far away; the
boys face was like, SO strangely like
another tace.