Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-07-27

nue. from one of the side streets just
/ below the Park. It was a cool after
noon in the middle of June; the road
way was crowded with carriages and
the sidewalk filled with double line of
people passing each other on their res
pective ways up and down town. At
the corner of Fifty-fifth street Millicent
met friend, and drew aside by the
railing of the great Presbyterian church
for moments gossip. While so en-
ployed she found herself all at once
crowded against the railing by burly
market woman, who explained apollo
getically that it was to ssmake room for
the procession
What was the ssprocession?'' Mill
cent looked down the street, and here
is what she saw.
Two dozen children-girls and bows
ragged, barefooted, hatless some of
them, but with an attempt at cleanliness
| and a general air of good humor that
made up for all deficiencies. They were
| walking two by two, in tclerably good
order, except that half a dozen sur
rounded their leader, walking sideways,
backward, anyway, SO that
they might keep in his immediate vi
OAAAoy civ Aooh up III LIS hIIkOky AdSCs
And the leader, tall young man. with
tattered-looking small boy and by the
girl, Millicent with start recognized.
The boy she did not know; but the girl
was Kate Finnegan, and the young
man was no one else than Jack Wendo-
yer. Clearly the procession was Katie's
picnic. In all her own wonderment
Millicent could not escape hearing the
expressions of the bystanders. It was
the warm-hearted market woman who
spoke first.
''Bless his honest facei'' said the
hearty voice. ssIt's good man he is,
or the childer ID never set such store by
him.
The next comment was from Milli-
cents friend.
s'How queer, Milly! Fancy you and
me exhibiting ourselves that way. And
[ dare say he's respectable
hind, to identify which Milly did not
enough heard the grave, kindly tones in
which she was standing, and she list
ened now intently, as though somehow
or other her destiny depended upon it.
"That man," the voice said, sis
made of the stuff they make heroes out
of. 1t takes more moral courage to
walk up Fifth avenue at the head of
those children than to fight a battle"
The girls heart gave responsive
throb. ''To Think she said, peni-
tently, to herself, chow silly and blind
I've been all the time!''
Just at that moment the procession
was abreast of the place where Millicent
stood, and Katie's eyes rowing restlessly
among the crowd of lookers-on spied
the familiar face. go, there's Miss
Broon!" she shouted. 'sPlease let's
stop and speak to her, Mr.. Wen'ver,''
and without waiting for permission she
sprang away to Millicent's side.
'sKatie!" cried Jack-it must be con-
fessed little peremptorily.
But Katie did not heed either Mr..
Wendover's cry or the amused looks OF
the spectators.
go, Miss Broon!'' she was saying,
sswon't youfcome along. We're goin'
to see the 'nagerie and then we're goin'
to have picnic. And there's lots to
eat!'
Jack had halted in an uncertain way,
and the procession was all broken up.
ssKatie!" he called once more.
$50, Mr.. Wen'ver!" she cried, turn
ing around and pausing distressfully
between the two attractions. "Wouldn't
you like Miss Broom to 90 with us? She
told me the other day she knowed you,
and there's lots for her to eat.''
Jack moved step or two toward Mil
licent. Some of the crowd had by this
time turned away, but enough remained
to make it an embarrassing situation for
both, especially as every one was obvi-
ously very much entertained and was
waiting expectantly for the issue.
Gracious!" exclaimed her friend,
in unaffected surprise; edo you know
Hump
But Jack was already speaking.
"I hope, Miss Bruen, you will excuse
Katie's impetuosity," he said.
Nlillicent looked up bravely into his |
face. Her resolution was suddenly but |
resolutely taken. Perhaps it had been
taken before and only needed some OPP
portunity like this to give it expression.
edo you indorse her invitation?" she
asked.
JACK IOr an Instant was uuInD. COulu
it be possible that she would accept it?
that she would parade up Fifth avenue
with characterization lot of children,
in the face and eyes of her fashionable
friends? More than all, that she would
20 with himp His brain fairly reeled and
his heart stood still. 1t was a little time
before he could speak.
"Of course indorse it, Miss Bruen,'
be said at length, and then he added in
a lower tone, s'with all my heart
They were only four little words, but
hey brought a new light into Milf
cents eyes and fresh joy in her heart.
Perhaps she had been vexing herself
,ver her fathers old suggestion as to
he reason of Jacks absence. But if she
lad, Jacks tone and look even more
han his words told her there was no
iced. With happy, half-embarrassed
augh she turned to her friend, who was
the picture of ill.concealed
and said:
81 guess I'll have to leave you. It's