Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1882-02-04

n
The dull cold day was at its clo,c;
but the heavy rain aud the strong south
wind which had swept tbe~town since
early dawn still continued with uudi-
milishcd fury. The gate shriekcd rs it
tore about the corners and lashcu the
faces Of the few huirying oot-pnssen-
gers; while the driving rnln penetrated
everything drcnching the streets. flood
ing the cutters, md collecting III deep,
treachcrous pools ~ the Corner cross
ings.\ The bare trees moancl and
writhtd and wept; the swinging sign
boards in front Of small taverns creak-
I'd and groane d dislnally; the tall Chin
ncy Of the Dumbleton Knife Works
y, cl,ed thr, atcnngly; and III the midst
oi ..A<fffe t,lmult the great river was
swelling and strnining III its wintry
bonds, while the sharp cracking sound
cd ever and anon from the broad field
of ice that stfctcncl from shore to
shore and little streams Of water began
to appear here and there, running swift
ly along the frozen plain.
March h"d come in like IA lamb; it
WAS departing like II lion; and, STROUD
dcd by the wind and rain and heavy mist,
the lust night of the month came thick
lv down.
1t was past supper time, past closing
time for the mills and factories, past
trading time for the stores, and. except
for MI occasional light here and ther,
IN some saloon or corner grocery, the
windows along the business streets OF
town were dark and the rAln beat I'M
needed against their black panes. Few
people were abroad, and even those few
seemed to have been forced upon uu.
welcome journeys, for they hastencd
through the sloppy streets with bent
heads. shivering as the sharp wind tor,
nt.thcir wrappings or the gusts OF rnll
beat upon them.
One such man, clad III q heavy oil
cloth cont was walking rapidly up State
street when. inst at u particularly windy
corner, he came in sudden contact Will
IL lad WHO was crouching i'll front of {
lnkor's window, where II single lamp still
burned, cycling with hungry gaze th'
dnintles within.
"Hullo, cried the man, starting
back Il, almost ran over you, III.
boy" Then, looking more sharply a
the dripping figure before him, IL
continued, "Why, Jerry is tina
you?"
YES, sir, replied the other, hal
pulling his tattercd cap from his head
IF you please, SIR, 1t me
"Wha's wrong?" said Mr.. Waiter
son, the proprietor Of the great mill
that skirtcd the river. for it was he
What's wrong? Why are Won not y
home? The mills closed two hour
ago.
II know it sir; but haven't worke,
this week, sir. for sister Neliies SICK
an I've been n nussln' of her up ut ou
hoardin house. You see, sir, sine
mother died, an our house WAS sold
N.llic an me has stopped at Ms Craw
ford's boar din house; but my money
gave ont. an Ms Crawford. she tol
me this murnin = she said, sir, thl
mornin -. The boy stopped abrupt
ty.
WHAT" Come, Jerry, speak ont
You're uut afraid of me. Tell me whA
she said.
"Wcll, sir, she did say rs how | mus
now; for, if Nellie WAS ngoin to be sic
an was asoin' TO quit work to nus
her. she didn't see how she'd get he
money, An our week ran out to-day
sir, an MY money too; all but 20 cent
an that 1spcnt for oranges for Nellie
An Mis- Crawford, she said rs how
couldn I eat at her table, thout l pal
first. s. Jest slips out iuto the stree
nj meal times, for tear Nellie'd know
wasn't catin'. an twould worry h.,
She bciu' sick. An that's how | cam
here, sir.
The boy finished, hnif frightened
his own long speech To 1.-The master,
and AGAIN pulled at his ragged cal
while the wild March wind tossed III
yellow hair about his wet face and til
c,id ram beat upon his scantlly-cia
should, rs.
Mr.. Wattcrson Ctood an instant l
deep thought. 1t WIS hare. for him
realise such poverty rs this, and anon
his own hands too. Jerry was ''bol
bin-boy' II. the mills. whom he ha
known for avoar or more by sight, til
only support of widowed mother an
s'st.r-now OF tue sister only, it SCENE
but the lad had always been brigh
faced anu cherry, and the great propr
etor remembered hum as one of the ha,
piest among his boys. That this chill
could actually suffer for food Will
striving to care for his little charg
Cthe orphan Nellie seemed to the gel
tleman too terrible to be true.
And yet there just before him, h
II, III, &l,a ste
which his lips had repeated, stooiJerr