The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-01-02

years, noticed the Grange IN the boys 10
meanor, He lNoNed at his white face and re-
mombcred that It had been round a"d glow.
Ing short time before ena understood that
h. suffered. lie was too old AMI imbecile TO
have the cause Of it al straight in his mind;
but sorrow has b., own Ian suage more elo-
quent than words and this he unders God.
Poor Davy! Poor Dawn he mu tered,
as he patted the boys head Then as his
sympath.es overwhelmed HIM he bent and
kissed the shiny face of Davys doll, leaving
its painted cheek stained with the tears that
rolled from hs wlthered ones.
They al gathered around Davy-surpriSed
and pleased at his silence and patience. They
were IA strange company of CONSIDERS
crazed, crippled woe BECOME, cad in mean
garments and owning nothing but their inn
perishable souls and their lattered bodies.
Yet all that they had-kindneS|-thay gave.
Each one forgot his own grief, whatever it
was, in the presence Of the boys more un.
bearable one.
Davy said nothing to all their kind words.
He only held Lizzie Ann close to his breast,
as though there was comfort in her compan'
ionship, and rocked the harder.
The next morning he rose with dry eyes
and made heroic effort to be hopeful. rs
it to day go homei" was his first question
His lips tremhled when told that it was not,
but he shed no tears John Keller appeared
early on the scene and removed one of the
black beans from the string, which now
/ ornamental Davy's person as n necklace.
Yet the boy did not seem hopeful He was
only quiet. His tears fell no more but his
silent patience was even sadder than his re-
belliou1 lamentations. Not being creature
of stout will, his spirit was as wretrhed in
woe as it had been buOyant in happiness. He
seemed TO have suffered beyond the point
where ray of hope brings strength. He IA al
changed his vail II want to 20 home, to
I'm going home,n nut he sail it without
spirit and apparently without hope; and it
was, if possible more heartruudng than his
first wall
His spirit was broken and so was his phvs-
icai health lie had grown so weak h" could
not sit up long at "A time, aud so would lio
hours If every day on his cot staring al the
wall, though seeing il not. His eyes ere
looking into some realm outside of all ma t.
rial things, for they had changed strangely.
Instead Of the simple, vacant look of his
pleasant days, they had grown deep and
luminous, with that wonderful beauty which
is seen in the eyes of those who have suffered
great anguish of spirit
And so tie days went on until all the beans
were gone from the string but one, and the
next day would be Christmas
John Keller had coun ell the hours of the
long week with even greater Impotence than
Davy He had grown into the thought that
lie would rather set that homeSici boy down
ON the doorstep of his old home than to come
n for princely inheritance. Before he
started to town in his wagon that morning
le had said to Davy when arranging the
bean necklace, "To-morrow you go, my
boy; tomorrow" and Davv had repeated
his usual refrain, "I'm going home"
Keller brought letters home with him that
evening, which was nothing unusual; hut
among them was one that took all the life
ont Of his face when he heard its contents.
1t was from Davy's brother and counter
mandcl the order to brine Davy into town
on Christmas. They had decided not to have
him come until New Years unforeseen
circum- tauces made the doav uancs arv."
To atone for the delay ne should "sJaf a day
or two when be did come etc.
Some tears were shed over the cruel news,
but not 'v nayy. Hours before thn lo'tar
arrive be hod he'n living in hi, cot, his sad
ewes staring through the walls that irnuri5-
onad him into the land of his d,au. When
they went Go u him they toml ljn asleep,
the now c7IupIal bus comforting doll
cUt.haj IN ONE hand and haii close TO his
WOe-.yg9le lace.