The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-30
"A CHANCE SEED"

bCutuu1 So SAND
other a happy New Year.
Denman was a small country town,
and one OF the churches was a little way
in the woods, with pleasant woodland
paths leading to it. That Sunday, in
the great public road which ian in front
of the church, there was a large travel
ing wagon, which had stopped under a
tree. ,
The mules had been taken out and
were grazing in the woods, and a ragged
little urchin sat astride the tongue OF
the wagon, gazing c%uriously at the
passers.by with wide open eyes:
"Wot do them folks mean, dadY" ne
asked of q tall, sickly-looking man, who
was leaning against the wagon. "Wot
is they sayin' Happy New Year to each
other fur? Wot is it all about?"
The man laughed a hard and bitter
laugh. ...
have got fine clothes and a fine house,
and heaps of good friends, and don't
have any use for anybody, folks will
wish you all kinds of grand things. 1t
don't mean nothin' much, this Happy
New Year. It's just like sayin' how
dye any other day."
;It sounds fine, anyhow" Nathan
said, m%editatively. "Reckon any OF
them is goin' to wish US Happy New
Yearq It might please ma, you know"
mo, you fool" the man cried, an,
rrily. "Ain't we poor and ragged, and
What do you think them fine folks care
for us? Do you think your poor sick ma
cares now whether they speak to her OF
not? If you or I went on the premises
for a bucket of water, more likely they'd
take US up as tramps instead of sayin'
Happy New Year." ,
He scrambled into the wagon and
made his way to the rear, where a woman
lay on a mattress tossing and grooming.
At times, she seemed to sink into q pro.
found stupor, and then to rouse up with
incoherent mutterings.
'It's swamp fever, not q doubt OF
that" he muttered; "and no chance of
gettin' on for ever so long. No money
to pay a doctor, and I reckon they'd see
me in Jericho before they'd come to her
for nothin.: I don't like that blue,
pinchcd look round her nose. 1t looks
like poor little Glen and Hannah before
they died."
"Allanm the sick woman said, sud
denly, opening her eyes. "What day is
this?"
"It's the first of January. Dorcas; New
Years Day"
"We've been a long time gettin' to it,
somehow. We've been years comm,
haven't we? and it's such a long
road"
IF YOU mean we've been a long time
on the road since we started" Allan
answered, soothingly, for her eyes were
very wild, sits been just two weeks, and
you've had the fever for seven days. But
you feel better, old woman, don't youi
You'll start to gettin' we'll this very Ne"
Years Day."
She sank back again and the dimness
began to gather in her eyes. But his
words seemed to have made some impress
sion on her brain. ,
'"A new year! a new year," she NUT
tered. "a new year to begin all over
again, Allan. You'll throw away the
liquor and you'll be a new man, and I'll
-lll be fine and glad again."
She fell into a profound sleep with
the words on her lips, at least into
what might have seemed to be sleep,
but for spasmodic t~witchings of bel
parched lips. =.
In the meantime Nathan, from hi'
perch on the wagon tongue, swung his
legs and watched the people going tt
church. A little girl came tripping along,
a child about 8 years old, the pretties!
little creature, Nathan thought, he hao
ever seen.
He had lived all his twelve years on
vast Texas prairie, seeing only the rough
est of men and women, and children
who, in their small way, were as rough
as their parents. This dainty little crea
ture, with her soft crimson cloak and rec
hood, reminded him of a beautiful rec
bird.
She looked at him, smiled, and called
out, "Happy New Year, little boy!"
Nathan did not answer. He did no
know what to say to this unexpected
salutation, but he colored to the yer,
roots of his curly tlaxen hair, and kicked
more vigorously than ever against thu
tongue Of the wagon.
The child paused, and looked at hin
with surprise in her bright eyes.
"Hasn't you got any tongue to talk
little boy" che asked. "Why don't 20,
20 to church?"
Nathan stuck out his tongue a little
way, indignant at the suspicion that ht
was deficient in that useful member.
"Why don't you go to church," sh'
repeated.
He glanced from his dirty, ragged
clothes to her pretty costume. 1t wa
the first time in his life that social dis
tinctions had dawned upon him. Tn
little girl saw the look, and with a quick
ness beyond her age understood it, ane
q look of pity came into her face.
"You'rc awful poor, little boy,
guess" she said; "but then, you know
you might wash your hands and you
fate. If you was clean, Mr.. Crane-hc'
the sexton, you know-would give yo1
q seat in church."
81 don't want to CO." Nathan foun(
his tongue at last. ':My ma, she's awfu
sick in there" with g jerk of his thumb
toward the wagon; "and dad he say
she's got swamp fever. Two of us die'
with the fever in Texas, and we're NOV
in back to Mississippi, where dad com
from. When mas we'll, l don't 60 S
dirty: but she's awful sick"
"Oh, I'm 50 sorry" with quick sym
pathy. But my papa can cure her, sure
Why, he's the very bestest doctor in tt
Unrld That's nur house ~ n0intinr t