St. Landry democrat., 1882-01-14

along, babbX'
Il war six year old an deadn't loike
bein' called babby, but t mother
launched a. standin' in the doorway us
we cot intiv t boat. Charlie stood oop
aft as we sailed away an waved his hat
to her, whole she shaded her eyes to see
him the betther. LATHE lad as were |
knowed moother's eyes war red as she
turned back intiv t house, though l
knew. too, that she war smilin'. | think
. moother's smile over her yoong chill
dren have always a tear in hidin'.
".Lads,' says Charlie, let's 90 to t
cliffs for eggs
".Ey, ey,' says Frank an Jamie,
but Ned must bide below-he be too
LATHE to climb.
"Iwar put DOT at this, an said | could
climb as weel as anybody, and | would
room off to sea in mun-o' war and
climb out on big spara if warn,t let oop
at birds nest on t cliffs. Charlie sat
doom and took my LATHE chubby hand in
his long, slender fingers.
."'Ned,' says he, lets measure. Moo,
when tina fingers grows rs long as mine
thee shall 90 birds nestin' i cliffs
Then, bein' taken oop with measurin'
at my sma' brown knuckles, | forgot
ABBOTT t disappointment. Charlie had
sike way O comfortin' us yoong uns.
"At last we lay off t cliffs and Frank
cries OUT: You be two old goods sittin'
above that ledge
al can get oop there says Jamie,
pullin' off his jacket a-s.
Noa,' cries Charlie, room t boat
ashore an we'll 90 oop together
$50, we landed, and Charlie sat me
doom on big, white stone, broken from
t. cliffs above; and, says he, to keep me
quiet and amused loike, says he: Ned,
doantee foiget t cake 4,
q moind how greedy | war and hoo
kept feelin' t cake i my pocket whole
watchin' t lads goin' oop t'face O t
rocks. nimble as cats. Charlie war
ahead, but he stopped short at an ugly
shelf hangin' oyer vary sharp, then
they all cam oopwi' him. They talked
awhoile an tried to raise oop an peep
| over t top, but it war too mooch for t
yoonger lads. At last Charlie motioned
| Wi one free hond for 'em to bide still
and he lifted himself clear oop onto t
| shelf. But t nest war still higher, on d
second shelf, an t face O chalk atween
t two slanted ootward and overhanging
war sike a babby an so used to have t
lads climbin' that thout it foine to see
Charlie hair BLOWN loose away oop on
those heights. I mind weel t pink
cheek an t fair hair, and two old goods
screechin' an flynn off t other ledge, as
Charlie, huggin' close to cliff, lifted him.
self rect oop to t nest on t higher shelf.
He shouted soommat and [ knew he had
t'eggs, for t other lads began movin'
doom. In a minute Charlie swung of
that copper ledge, but farther DOT than
where he climbed oop. He bent his
head atween his arms to see where his
feet would strike, and t'other lads shout
ed carelessly, Coon on, COON on,
butt f.
Denis eyes dilated, his whole frame
trembled, his voice was hoarse and low.
''But Charles body hung loike plum
met an measured t few inches by
which t copper ledge at that spot over
looked t. lower. There was no brace
for his feet, his fingers had slipped toe
near the edge to secure a grasp tina
might raise him oop to the shelf he hae
left. He hung sheer, and Charles DROP
would be-straight doom t face O t
cliff. I couldn't understand t whole
danger, but moinded Charles face wal
color O. t. chalk cliffs. He spoke to t
other lads; then they turned like cliff
too, and I could max DOT their faces a!
they cam scramblin' doom reckless an
quick.
"'Hold on, Charlie; hold on, dea
Charlie they cried, and hooried to
boat.
/ "sNed,' says Jamie, sbide quiet
Doantee scare Charlie. In two minute
we'll max yon fshermun COON an let
rope doom from above. Bide still!
Then, shold on, Charlie they shouted
an put off to some men who hooriet
ashore to scale the cliff where it wa
lower, carryin' ropes and poles wi EN-
Hold on, Charlie cried, echoin
t elder lads. / can hear moo t sound Q
my own sma voice. He nodded brave
" back to me, and I sat watchin' t hal
blow over his white face an seem ho
his 1.-THE yoong body swayed and trem
bled over t dreadful height. T oil
gools COON swoopin' and screechin' bae
to rest, and just then a great pity TO
Charlie sprang oop i my heart. ldidn'
know he hoong there for loife or death
yet had fee1fn' he was i trouble, toe
and wanted to do sommat to help Q
comfort him: I moinded mothers cak
i my pocket and in my silly, babby fash
] ion thout that would do him good an
: give him patience till men coold let doc
a rope from above. I started oop t eli
J never thinkin' that even bigger lad
couldn't safely pass t lower edge, BIT
thinkin' only of Charlie, and in a mooe
died way, that I was fit to be a sailor o
, mun-o-war and six-year-old chap q
J could climb anywhere.
"'Charlie sees me comm as he looh
) down atween his two bonds, and shake
bic hood of mo