Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-12-17

screening sun, anu lilc ltV9I IliiiS ~
heard was faint moan that sounded
like "Oh, mother, If you had not dicd''
There was little supper for Humpy
that night, but he did not seem to
notice it. IIo went over to the SOFA
and lay down with his long bony arms
crossed under him. After the dishes
were washed and the last evenings
work done, Mary took the lamp ana
started for her room, and as the lamp
light fell on the misshapen wretch she
stopped and looked at him. The hoy
opened his eyes and they looked at each
other.
"liumpy, if any one should ever say
anything again me, tell 'em did the
best a motherless girl could do"
IIumpy looked at her-ah, so loving
ly, and yet 50 shrewdIy, too.
'I'N do that" he growled, and shut
his eyes again, while Mary went up
Stairs.
Mary loved IIumpy as only woman
can love a monstrosity, and yet she
woull give him no other hint Of what
was to happen.
When Mary had gone up stairs,
Humpy opened his eyes very wide'
drew from his pocket bunch of keys,
ratified them, and chuc';led.
"l'm a thinkin' Mr.. Stern will have
to go away by himself" Then he
crept up stairs very softly.
About ten o'clock a buggy drew up
in front OF the door. Mr. Stern jumped
out and rushed Up the dark stair to
Mary's room. When Mary heard hlm,
she came to open her door.
They were both surprised, very much
surprised. The door T0s locked, and
Humpy was chuckling to himself in a
dark corner downstairs. But llumpy
| chuckled too soon for, with few
athletic shoves of the shoulder Mr..
Stern sent the weak pine door tumbling
off its hinges, and sprang inside to
meet the girl. lIumpy heard the dull
crack of the door, sprang to his feet,
and rushed to the foot Of the stairs.
A niche in the wall barely gave the
stair door room enough to swing to and
fro. Humpy shut the door and put
his broad back against it, while he
braced himself against the wall with
his pipestem legs lie heard Mary and
Stern coming down stairs. He felt
another and another, and then hot
stinging pain rushed through him. He
shut his teeth and held on. Another
wrench and he sank shapeless mass
on the floor. while the awful burning,
shooting pain wrung a cry of agony
from him, that shook the girls heart.
Throwing aside the bundle she carried
she knelt on the floor and took him in
her arms. As she bent over him to
sooth him her hair tunblcd down over
her shoulder and streamed over her
eyes, but she paid attention to nothing
but the boy.
Mr.. Stern bent over and felt the
cripple's arms and legs, and when he
touched the shoulder the boy shook
and gave a weak, shuddering moan.
"lt's nothing serious, Mary Mr.
Stern said; "onlya wrenchel shoulder
He'll be all right in day or two. Put
him down and come along"
The girl only held the boy the tight.
er. Mr.. Stern felt out Of place. lie
waited for while in the dimly lighted
room, but the girl kept the boy in hel
arms, soothing kissing, and crying
over him, but he felt so brutal and SC
cowardly that he sneakcd out like {
whipped hound and drove away
When Tom Ryan came home Mary
told him everything, and Tom only
said;
"Well, well, Mary, let it end there
You have been foolish, but llumpy has
kept you from being wicked"
And in about a month the street cat
passing by saw Humpy in his old place
as well and happy as ever BEFORE
Washington H0tchet.