The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-08-31
-. NEWBERRY, S. c., WEDNESDAY AUGUST 81, 1881


door swinging rushed mp the
! steps. Tom watched them stu
pidIy, heard the quick, sharp
ring of the bell, caught glimpse
Of something that looked very
! bright and warm, and then it WAS
dark again. lie turned his eyes
toward the carriage, expecting it
to drive of again but it still stood
there. The coachman sat upon
the box like ! furry monument.
One OF the horses struck the stones
sharply. with his iron hoof, aud
cast an inqririns look around,
but the monument sat unmoved.
! Toms heavy eyes looked
through the open door into the
carriage. Dark as it was ho could
see that it was lined with some
! thing thick aud warm. He raised
bis head and glanced about him.
If he were inside there the wind
could not touch him. Ub, if he
could only get away from it one
minute lie would slip out
again the moment tho hOuse-door
would open. Uubending his still
little body he c:ept nearer, hesi-
tatlng q moment, and as the
wind came round the corner with
q roar, slipped swiftly and noise
lcss!y into the carriage. In the
further corner Of the scat be curl.
cd himself into q little round heap
and lay, with beating heart, lis
tcning to the wind as it swept
by.
1t was very quiet in his nest,
and the soft velvet was much
warmer than the cold fagstones,
and he was very tired and very
cold, and in half d minute be was
fast asleep. He did not know
when at last the house-door open
ed and a lady, gathering her
cloak close around her, came
down the steps-did not know
even when she suddenly-anima,
ted monument descended from
its pedestal and stood solemn.
~ by The open door until the
lady had stepped inside. But
when it shut with o slam, and
the coacbman, returning to his
post drove rapidly away, his eyes
opened and fixed their frightened
gaze upon the lady's face. Prcoc-
cupied with her own thoughts
she had not noticed the queer
bundle in the dark corner. But
now, her attention attracted by
some slight movement OF bis part,
she turned her eyes slowly to-
ward him, end then, with q sup
pressed cry of alarm and surprise,
laid her hand upon the door. The
lie of wheels and the roar of
the wind prevented 1t reaching
the ears Of the coachman : and
Tom, rapidly unwinding himself
and covering down in the bottom
of the carriage, said, in Il fright
ened sob:
4 didn't mean no harm. | was
awful cold. Say, just open tho
door, miss, and III jump out. You
needn't stop the kerridge.'
The lady, with her hand still on
the door, demanded
How did you get bere!'
The door was open and l clum,'
he answered. 1T was awful
cold.'
The lady took her hand from
the door. Como nearer she
said, 'let INC sec your face
Tom drew his ragged sleeve
across his eyes and looked up at
her over his shoulder. They had
turned into a brilIiantly-lighted
street, and she could see that the
tangled yellow hair was soft and
fine, and that the big frightened
eyes that raised themselves to
hers were not pickpocket's eyes.
With a sudden impulse she laid
her gloved hand on the yellow
head.
Where do you live? p she asked.
Something in the voice and
touch gave him courage.
'WithMammy SAL he answered,
Strengthening up-'me AND some
other fellows. Sometimes We
begs, sometimes we take the har-
rels. When we get u haul II alnt
so bad, but when we don t we
ke:ch it. She's drunk tonight
and drove us out
She pushed the heavy hair back
from bis forehead. is Nanny
! q ,, cha oel,aJ