Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-12-23

breath: And now, there's the deuce to
pay Then he slowly crept oul and
back to bis summing place.
After Mr.. Stern went away tie
house was strangely quiet a half
starved street cat, that wandered BY,
saw Humpy lying in the sun, his head
buried in his arms As the cat skunk
| By him into the house, i saw on the
homely hair sofa . girl sobbing convul
sively and saying from time to time:
ooh, mother. If you hadn't died. Oh.
mother. il you hadn't diedl' The cat
wandered back into the kitchen, and
gnawed away, undisturbed BY the boy
lying motionless by the door, or by the
girl sobbing there on che sofa. When
the cat left che house the last thing il
saw was the boy lying silent in the
scorching sun, and the last thing it
heard was faint moan that sounded
like ooh, mother, If you had not diedl"
There was little supper for Humpy
that night, but he did not seem to
notice il. He 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 and
started for her room, and as the lamp
light fell on the misshapen wretch she
stopped and looked at him. The boy
opened his eyes and they looked at each
other.
"Humpy, il any one should ever say
anything again me, tell 'em ! did the
best motherless girl could do
Humpy looked at her ah, SO loving
". and yet SO shrewdly, too.
"E'il do that" he growled, and shut
his eyes again, while Mary went up
tairs.
Mary loved Humpy as only a woman
can love monstrosity. and yet she
would give him no other hint Of what
WAS 70 happen.
When Mary had gone up stairs.
Huwpy opened his eyes very wide.
drew from his pocket bunch Of keys.
ratified them, and chuc.zled.
"I'm a thinkin' Mr.. Stern viii have
to go away by himself Then he
crept up stairs very softly.
About ten o'clock 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 him,
she came to open her door.
They were both surprised, very much
surprised. The door vGs locked, ind
Humpy was chuckling to himself in
dark corner downstairs. But Humpy
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 Humpy 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 t0swing 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. He heard Mary and
Stern coming down stairs. He felt
another and another, and then q hot
singing pain rushed through him. He
shut his teeth and held on. Another
wrench and he sank shapeiess mass
on the floor. while the awful burning,
shooting pain wrung . CRY Ct agony
from him, that shook the girls heart.
Throwing aside the bundle she carried
she knelt on the door and took him in
her arms. As she bent ever him to
sooth him her hair tumbled down over
her shoulder and streamed over her
eyes. but she paid attention to nothing
bnt the boy.
Nr. Stern bent over and felt the
cripple's arms and legs and when be
touched the shoulder the boy shook
and gave q weak, shuddering moan.
Its nothing serious. Mary" Mr.
Stern said; sonly wrenched shoulder.
Hen Be all right in. = day o. two. put