The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-15
CHATTER MI.

CHATTER VII.
 T,sta walked on t,li nish,iAll Then he reached quiet itle hamlet. Al first he iancied It was deserted, the old old houses were so dark and slll, but he learned that most of the people were at work all day n the ields and were only nov coming home. An old womln told him this. siung a, her door and plating straw with l.au, brown fingers. She brought ham some milk and drlcd h6s and huach 0f bread, and told him he mig ht rest there for the night She lived there with her son and hls vile. They would be home soon to supper. They had two llule children, who were in the field with them.
 They were all very poor she ~ea, ol cheerly, !" but the Worst oi the year Was over now. The long, bright summer would soon come. Living WAS easier and cheaper then"
 I,sia sat there, leaning his chin on his hands, and teelng rrs'ed anu at peace, while his eyes rotmeI over the preJIy quet place, and on to the dark hills where d convent bell was sounding the Ave Nara.
 IECoEuliJ tuGIC GAttlC Il SouHd 0l pant ing breath and swift feet, and dark ioIm leaped out of the gloom and fell al Flsta's teet, spent and Wcil-nlgh eN. haua.rd.
 The boy started up with an exelama- lion that broush, the old woman to tte door
 "It is Coco :" he cried "He has come all this way; he has found me by himself Oh The brave, clever Coco And the tears s,reAmed down his face as he hung hls arms round the faithful creatuTeS ne 1. and ,hugsed him close and fast.
 Coco whined and parked, and showed by every means Tn hls power his delight al dudiDg hls liitle human tuenI, and when the old woman and her sou, who had come up. heard the story, they brought him water and food, aud TIsta bathcd his poor fee; that were dusty and bleeding wIih ther long journey, and then ttc kindly people mace them come and share thcIr frugal supper and so for that night rista had food and rest.
 In the e3ly morning he rose again, litle fso,so and with aching lmos, but still resolu,e 10 mAIca yard. But the woman soa told him frIcnd of his Wal going down 70 A town some leagues of with cart of ear,henwaTe, ana would .ake him so lar on hls journey and save hun the walk.
 Tsta looked rueiully at his few remain ing cons, but the mln bade him put them by and not dream of payment uii he was asked for it. And so ~Hh tears and graceful words the httl: lad accepted the offer 80 kindly made and with Coco on the straw by hls side set forward an- other sage on h,s journey south.
 He travelled ali day m the cart some times waking beside with Coco ts the music cf the Jingiing bells, sometimes resting a, ease on the srA~ beside the ear,hen pots and pans that the man sold Tn the hitle villages upon ther way.
 That a:Sa. E.4ta reached t4sline, and rested at A iittle inn where the m lo, Cio, put up his horse aud cart. In gratitude f-r all the kin ness they ho red hun, inc iiitie lad pu, Coco through hrs tt,cks, and sitting there ID the dusxy lGni ID the great arched doorNay, re him,cH sang gayly and merrily all their i4vonte sonEs, and toe people wcr- deiiGnted, and would have sao~ered tnen scint coin upon him only ina, he reai Ssi % ;a<e anything, kno sing hoT p ,or they were. and hog small and scant the savings of the winter mus, 3e.
 He has heart to1 big for his bo iy," the women sad, touched deeply by his pretty face and pretiier ways and by his simple lI,tle s;ory, and the resJiuuon that was ID nm, small and frsil as he looked.
 Two more oaYs went by.
 I1 fh@ n f-a uxNaFheF Th sa0AA A cold winl s~ep. over the mountain heights, and brouZh. sudden showers of ram with IL. Yet agaln fotuoe belriendcd him. A rsveling >rtis,, seem him shel- ;ering ulcef a heage with the dog oy ms side, spoke ,o him, and ended oy making a sketch Of the two
 h was pretty picture, and the artist made 1t te,i very psSaS'!s ss1TJ. H- ps.nted II 4fter gard, and t orougnt hln a fame that he had never imagined could be hiS.
 Macy p.ople grew familiar with that llttle chilcisn face with itS big, uplifted i eyes locking straight up to heaven, and | the ragged shir, open over the thia iiirle l chest, and the dog sitti1g beside the ! small fo:iOrn figure, as pAtheilc in its | faith and endurance as himself The 1 arts. called i: Ills Only Fnend" When ! he had completed the sketch, which he took while bnef gleam of suns nine parted the rain-ciouds, he m ade the boy l come with him to the nearest station, and took him and the dog as far as Or | vieto, where he was staying
 TIs,a felt himself almost at his destina- l ton then aad the artist took him to his l roo nS in the Via del Durano, and feasted !