The Red Cloud chief., 1884-09-26

comfulI than me living alonger my iolI
old sle-cat of a mother. who doeJ he
hest 10 make rue miserbull. yosrs 10
cyc- and the day after. Edward viz
gins" a dead silence rcigned in cour
as Peter slowly speit out the letter. an,
NJ! eyes were turned 20 Widow VIC
Gins. She vas n hony woman. no
more than fifty. with knucsly fists. an,
4, mus, have gone hard with her so,
had she turned on him in the full ten.
pcs, Of her wrath. Before the !e,te,
was half read through she had rise.
from her yea, a2d was glaring a, hin
in such q iTeatening way that Mr.
Mumps deemed il prudent TO GIT I Ii,
lie closer TO them. But wien Pete
arrived 81 the climax. and she hear,
herself likened TO "a jolly old she-cat.'
her mood strangely changed. Withnu
a world she lifted a glass Of ale frou
the table, poured the lig.or over be.
hands. AID went through the move
menis of washing them. sprinkled he
rccreat offspring with the surplu. drip
pings. dried her trembling fingers or
her apron. and stalked mutelg out o. Ia.
room
Thus formally rcnouncel by his wild
Dwell mother. defendant AT some few
moments visibly embarrassed and TN
certain what to do: nor did Hiss Croy
! gins behavior at this juncture tenI I,
restore his salt-posscs.ion. Whether
under the altered aspect of Affairs sh,
regarded him as an abandoned orphan
it was only commonly human To PITY
or whether she was overcome with re
morse for having been mainly instru
mental in causing this painful -upture,
1 ran not say; but while she slightly
glanced at him in his pcrpIesity In,
memorable hardness in which her face
was set gradually thawed. and n teal
was seen To tTicklc between tho finger:
OF the hand with which she presently
covered her eyes. Oh Croggins. how.
ever. remained unmovcd. Growlingly
rebuking his daughter for her dis.
play Of weakness. he chcerfully proceed.
ed with the case. Whether that letter
was wri: in chat or in p~layIulness.
or a mixshur If both. or whether
it was rally what it purtendel 10
be, young Virgins knows best. Any
how, she As knows han best seemed to
have her Own ideas about it. and yea
all are witnesses that they were raythcI
strong 'uns. Very well, then. on we
goes. fust Of .Ianivary that letter is. and
though | can't show you what the an.
swer to it was, here's another. See
what it is to have the gift of eddicatior.
and to be always a writing. Only n
few weeks afterwards. in which what
he says Peter shall read out 10 YOU.
Ketch hold. Peter, and don't laugh over
it like you did last time, or you'll get q
clip aside OF the ear. les your sis.
ter you're reading about. bear i'm mind"
And with a solemn visage, PETE com.
menced: dear Rarsberry-Yot. know
them clancy tec-things what you took a
fancy to at the shop in HoxtonI Well.
they're bought and paid for. my chick
a-biddy, and you've only got to sond for
'em. and they're yourn, Our'n. / mean.
of course. wish as how it was winter
time stead OF spring. Stead OF grow.
ing shorter the days get longer. anC
that makes it seem to stretch cut the
days and weeks that stand atwiSt--'
But at this point young Virgins rose
to his feet. That's enough of 1t. guy.
ner, he remarked. with desperate calm.
ness. ''ShOve 'em all back in that
blessed old box, and put the kiver on.
! won't stand out about the promise.
didn't think I'd put it so strong, bu,
there's black and white TO- it, and il
can't be got ver very WE'LL SAY,
you. then what have you got to say a,
10 writin' hat winding-up letter break
inn oil nfrJ IT, -vt.nt n-,-
What's Sarah got to say about that
soldier?'" Had Mss Croggins been
of the male gender. and a desertel
from the army, and at that moment ]
military escort had stepped into the
room to effect her arrest she could moi
have exhibited more sudden conSterua.
ton. Every n in court was more Oh
less amazed, and old Croggins, looking
from one to the other, could only e,acu.
late: Soldier. What soldier:?" 1.-The
n she meets on the sly" said Edward
Virgins. sternly; 1.-THE n what she
was seen with at Battersea three weeks
ago last Sunday, when she told me she
WAS going to the Orspital to see her
aunt; the IA what l see her with. with
my W eyes, kissing at ten O'Clock a,
night. at Broad Street Railway Station.
There she is: let her deny it if she's
got the face to do it." And down sat
young Virgins, with his arms tightly
folded over his heaving chcs,.
But Miss Croggins did not faint;
neither did she fall .on her
knees and implore her father for
giveneSs; she laughed outright. and
there was not the least tinge of hys-
terics III her merry tones. You cal
Gus Donkey. she exclaimed. "why Of
course l kissed him. and I'll kiss him
again a hundred times if 1 like. ]
didn't mean it to come out just yet,
cause though the money is~paid the
papers amt made out yet. and he won't
his liberty till next Friday. when
means to come home unexpected,
and surprise you. father. 1t is our Bill
he means, whose been away these five
years. He's got sick Of scoring, and
I've been saving the money to buy him
Off-and he's coming back to be the
chap he used TO be. And now.
Virgins, YOU know all abou, il.
and you can 60 home II your mother"
But instead Of taking her advice the
young barrOwman did something
that was much more likely to tend TO
his ultimate happiness. Relieving his
pent-up emot ons with - loud "Hur-
rah -. he flung up his hat. and vaulting
over the table that stood between them.
went straight for Miss Croggins.
and. whether she would OF no. gave her
a hug and = kiss. She resisted some
what, when he kissed her again. when.
in open court, she kissed him in return.
And so the case came to = happy con-
without either me or Mr.
Mumps being called on.-London Icic-
Care is a good economist in =
it will save nine stitches by