Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-11-22
AFTER MANY DAYS.


iac fofuAsF SuAPei ueiNiceb hSfe ofol
aud We Esfs waiting while our seats were
assigned III seoording TO our tank IN
scholarship. N-srl7 all the lass year
poys were there--exoept, indeed, the Is |
graduates, whom We missed irctn the |
front rowland there were many new |
faces, some eager sbd self confident, |
Others wearing tiulid. shrinking express |
sion, the telltals of stited homesiekness. |
one by one the nsnss had been called |
and their owners had responded. AT |
length 'Jssper Langley" said the pro-
fsssor's clear, incisive voioe. Thera was
moments pause, and from the shadow
of pillar In the extreme rear OF the
room rose an odd, uls-shspen littls figure
the head OF youth OF Is Or IL set upon
the marrow, bumped shOu d5rs Of a CHILD
OF 10. As tue newcomer walked slowly
up the aisle, betwesp loaU.e row VI
curious gazsrs, his own eyda cast down
and q red flush burning in each thin
cheek, could think of nothing but ths
white captive iu sn Indian story | once
read--"Running tho Gauntlet
The Seats usually allotted 10 the boys
OF the school proved insufficient for their
accommodation, and several had already
bsen placed III the grit division Il
seemed cruel mookery Of fate that ss'
Jasper Langley a. the elbow Of Lily
Barton, the prettiest girl OF tns school.
But, as II the physical contrast had not
been enough, the spoiled little beauty,
with swift, involuntary lifting Of her
round shoulders and pOut OF her red lips,
moved to the tarthest limit OF t4r seat,
evident mind to avoid he's new ueighh or
Poor Lily was more thous htlsss than
Intentionally oruel-yOuth aud beauty,
30 rich in themselves, are often iutOleraut
OF lack in others-buC with the morbid
sensitiveness of the detorued th3 bow saw
and comprehended the gesture. Ia al
instant hs shrRnE away iu his turns
look OF sharp pain in hia face, minglet
with bitter, almost defiant Illumination
very sad to see.
Instinotively l glanced at Margar.t
Lee-"Queen Margaret" We used q cal
her--the dearest girl in ell the school,
and pIoudest, too, with tbe grand, ear
less pride which could have gO-e to death
rather than stOOp to q mean so, Tears
were trembling on her loug ls4hes, bar
cheeks famed, and her sweet, irta lips
were pressed tightly togetuer ID II 70 hold
back the indignant words tnA- struggled
behind them. When We wera uisuieae1
from the room | saw her psnse III ,ns
professors desk, speak u Ia loE,
earnest tone. He bowed y it IL assent
to request-snd 1 fauclet-wasJ tue
next morning oonirmed-tbBt sla bad
begged TO change seats with Lily Barton.
May walk with you, Margaret i'' /
asked, as We dOnnsd our usts aud wraps
that afternoon,
She stopped to kiss ule--she Was tall
for her 10 years--and whispered hur-
riedly;
"NOt this time, May, dear; you will
understand Why
She went out Of tie door with d quick
step, Gray after her Aren't you going
to stay and arrange for cur archery
match p
81 cannot, Ned - she a. gsred. Jasper
Langley who was slipping quietly away,
looked up at the SQUAD Of uer voice, aud
IS he did SO she gave MIN one OF her rare
smiles like sudden sunshlns.
Nobody needs Al introduction at
school," she said 10 him ~ those clssr
tones OF hers, which always commanded
every EAR; 'sud since | lesfnsd your
name at roll-oslt 1 imagine that y ia ar
one OF our new neighbour 10 lhs cottage
in the grove. Father told "a tnst 8 Mrs
Langley had taken it,"
"Ies, that is my mother Thgfs a..
only We two
"My mother would have csllsd, hui
she has been Ill, >" Margaret explained
ut will b. so pleasant 70 have sue Gotta.
occupied again. And / shall slways 8,
sure of company tor the long wBlk--t1e
is, II you don't mind. "
In the rush Of feeling which over
powered him the boy tuyusd away al
face. Margaret seemed no. So office b..
silence.
IL is lonesome sometimes, Van know
she went on Especially ip winter, v hi
the darkness comes on 30 early, ano r0L,
OF the others go with me nearly all tG
way"
The boy looked up at her Win 4ia sou
IN his eyes, and even the most thought
less among Us realized that al sll4o-
sacred companionsaip WAS sealed balWss'
tine two, an the whole power Of 'Qussi
Marssrst's" prestige IL tho academy g.
to guard the poor unfortunate from slisa
or insult.
As the weeks psssed we found .LA
Issper's inhrmity was only OF Tia body
aud mentally lie WBs strong and ulBtuf
even beyond his yezr5. mastering Ai
tasks with ease, aud showing a b.aadt
and grasp OF thought when ,st5nishs
teachers and pupils alike. From her +
learned the little we knew Ut bis uistoe,
His parents had bssu Of Easllsh 5lrtE
his father dying just As tDe bF8l swan,
toms OF the dreadful di5aAse appsaic
which had bdgbtei ia p-r7s Lie, a.
leaving his wife, wilu broken lssl.l 90
narrow uIeans almost hiandl-sa lu
strange land. Mother aud sOu bad 1ps
all IN all to each pther--se4 El.r.i .tt... D..