The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-15
LITTLE BROTHER.
BY j. t. TRowBRIDGE.

But he was a shy and sensitive child,
with features almost as delicate as those
of girl. And compared with his big
brothers, he seemed fitted well enough
by the nickname they had given him.
They were great, rough fellows, the
youngest of whom, though only seven
teen, appeared a full-grown man. That
was Luff-a word into which his real
name, EhphGz, had been appropriately
boiled down. Somehow Lqtf Keller ex-
actly described the fat, stout, chubby
checked, jovial, rude, reckless sort of
boy he was.
Then there were Walt, aged nineteen,
and Russ. twenty-one; tall. bony, mus
cular young men, loud-voiced, full of
coarse fun and brag. How Milton (that
was the name of Little Brother) could
have been one of the same family, and
yet SO wholly unlike these three, was a
subject of wondering remark to every
body who knew them.
The nickname had not been bestowed
upon him out of tenderness, am sorry
to say, but rather out of contempt.
They could not understand how any
body should be so fond of books and
pictures, hreside quiet and his mothers
society.
AO lIuGA was, OllllOn lOFcQ TUl as
well as they, but very different sort of
fun; and it was his dread of their rude
ways which drove him to the chimney
corner and the shelter of his mothers
affection. She was a gentle, quiet wom-
an, to be the mother of three such bois-
ferrous young men; and the youngest
boy was naturally her pet.
Many time she had to take his part
thu fx-ra ha
them, especially from Luff Not that
Luff was viciously cruel to Little Broth
er; being so unlike him, he never knew
how cruel some of his tricks really were.
If he thought of anything Milton espe-
cially abhorred. like the sight of a rep
tile, or the blood-curdling shrek of a
sharpening saw, he took strange de-
light in int1icting it upon him.
He's got to get used to such things"
he would say,when the motherreproved
him; 'twhat's the use of his being a baby
all his life?"
but what's the use of your torment
ing the life out of him when YOU know
that he can't endure such thingS?'' she
many times had occasion to reply, with
eyes that could flash when she was
reused.
Gentle as she was, she had much re-
served dignity and determination of
character, which commanded the re-
spect even of the Iawless Luff He
would turn laughingly away ar such
times, with a careless '.Oh, y ~. won't
bother Little Brother any more" ana
perhaps play another trek upon him
within an hour.
MIR. Keller, a kind-helr;ed bat not a
very refined man, also took the part of
the youngest when the others were too
rough with him: more to satisfy his
wife, however. than because he thou yht |
Milton ought to mind their Jokes
snow, boysr' he said one day, as he |
was about leaving home, ''don't YOU 60 |
to plaguing Milton while I'm away; do |
leave him in peace for once, if only to |
please your mother
They were digging well in the cat |
tle-yard; they had reached ledge which |
they had to blast, and Mr.. Keller was |
driving to town to get some drills sharp |
ened.
Now, Miltonr' he said to Little
Brother, who held the gate open for him
to drive through, help your brothers
and don't mind their nonsense"
What you call nonsense is sometimes
awful to mer' replied the boy from the
ground. ''Why can't they let me
alone?'
ssThey would, if you wouldn't pay
any attention to their jokes said his
father.
Il can't help paving attention. Mil
me for and hold me up to the brink of
the well and make believe he is going
to tumble me in?'
GtRrt Won know ho xran'+Ef Said hic 1
father.
''Of course | know he won't. But
don't Ike to be held at the brink of the
well and made to look down with him
pushing me! 1t gives me a horrible |
feeling" And tears started to the boys
eyes.
''Well, we'll! | don't think he will do
it any more; any way, try not to mind
it if he does" With which mildly con-
soling words MIR. Keller drove off to |
town.
1t was some time before Milton went
10 the yard where the work was going
on. That gave Luff chance to forget
his fathers parting charge to him and
to prepare another trick for Little
Brother.
'.Milt! Miltn' he called They're
waiting for your
As Milt knew that he was expected to
help Luff draw Walt and Russ up out of
.he well, he reluctantly left the kitchen
corner and his book and went out in
answer to the call.
Luff stood amid the rubbish at the
edge of the well leaning on the windlass
md looking down. Milton, as he drew
nigh, could hear the steady cticE-clfck of
he sledge and drill below.
He walkad oarafnllv around m fho an,