The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-26

de day afore. n den I'll come ober an nuss re,
shore" With these and various other instruc-
tons as to what he should do, and what he
shoulnnt, she betook herself after her husband,
and left Pete alone in the cabin.
After looking about for whiio he proceeded
20 array himself In the old and badly-worn suit
of clothes which had belonged to his father Ho
had to roll up third of their length to make IL
possible for him to walk in the trousers. and by
drawing the s'galluses" tight over his shoulders,
bringing the belt up under his arms he managed
to keep the seat from impeding the movements Of
his knees. The coat was altogether too large to
stay upon him, so the child made a tight roll of
it, and wrapping it in handkerchief together
with the poor food remaining in the cabin pre-
pared it to swing over his shoulder with stick
as many forlorn being has carried all his worldly
effects before.
An old hat completed his outfit. Taking his
small bundle and casting last look about the
squalid room he went out to the graves and seat
ing himself beside the newly made one, sat with
his head In his hands and gave himself up to the
luxury of grief
She had not been model mother, that poor
fever burned shape lying hidden from sight here,
but to the best of her ability and capacity she
had done her duty as it seemed clear to her.
Pete thought with pang that what she had
said upon her death bed of him, applied equally
to her. Truly they had neither of them had
much of chance. He sat there pondering
drearily OF the past and future
The prospect looked equally dark in either
AS the day waned and it grew a bit colder he
arose reluctantly and with streaming eyes looked
for the last time upon the graves which held all
kin TO him he had ever known. With many
backward glance which only revealed the mound
swimming through his tears. he followed the lit
tie path out to the cabin, closed and fastened its
rickety door, and swinging his small bundle over
his shoulder had at last turned his face towards
the great world of which he knew so little.
Striking into grass grown wood road, he fol-
lowed it until it merged into one better used and
showing recent wheeltracks.
AS he sat down to rest moment before enter
ing upon the new road he heard swift feet APP
preaching behind him, and turning his head saw
Wash accompanied by Gumbo, hurrying towards
him.
Washs eyes rolled in establishment in his head
as he perceived the bundle, but were finally riv-
eted on the pantaloons and hat luxuries unheard
OF for mis- own tender years, which correspondent
with Peters.
Gumbo viewed them with suspicion, and shifted
at the turned.up lengths around the ankles as IL
to intimate that he had small respect for any
g-gear palpably so misapplied as they Wash
broke the silence in awe-struck question.
Nv. "Whar 20 ewine' Peter
"Golly! Is yo' gwine ter tromp all de ways
Mus be powfu' long ways; mus be mos fifty
mile"
Fifty miles was the limit of all distance to
Wash's understanding, and he imagined the
jumpingoff place of the world could be found
fifty miles from anywhere.
when yo Gwine ter come backV'
Dunno"
The awful Indebtedness of this struck Wash's
affectionate heart with sudden pang.
Use nebber ewine yo moahw he burst
out with sudden prophetic realization Of time
and distance, and the breaking of a friendship
heretofore, to his small mind, as much a matter
of continuance as life.
Gumbo, who had been gravely regarding pro-
ceedings and evidently considering what was the
best way to get from between the horns of a
dilemma, sgnifed, by wagging his stump of a
tail and wriggling his yellow body affectionately
between the two, that to the best of his judg-
ment the proper thing was to return home at
once. which conviction he endeavoreG to enforce
by running little way down the path, and wait
ing with every appearance of expectancy to be
joined by the two children. But they were both
too much concerned with the interview to attend
to his suggestion
Wash was numbering openly, but Pete, hav-
ing shed many tears. had reached that misera-
BILE, unrelevad stage of grief when tears refuse
to come His heart ached for Wash and for him.
self, but he could not express his emotion. Gum
DO came back with dignity and sat himself on
end between the two, whom he regarded with
affectionate solicitude
Marin tole me to go up Norf," said Pete at
last. "Her folks is up Norf. gotter go. Maybe
[ kin come back by an by"
Wash was somewhat comforted by this but
still cried, little less dismally though. Pete
continued
''Yo tell 20 nanny gin her tn cabin, 'nwhat
tina is"
Washs eyes stuck out with the magnitude Of
this gift.
Good by, Wash"
Unable to longer contemplate the spectacle of
his playmate's grief he caught up his bundle and
ran off down the main road.
Wash and Gumbo ran after him for little
way, the latter overtaking him and demonstra-
ting by joyful barks and leaps that he appreci-
ated the joke and was willing TO catch him again
if he wanted another race. Pete patted him on
the head and with backward look to where
Wash was sitting beside the road, overwhelmed
with woe at parting with him, he went resolutely
onward. Gumbo followed little way, and then
returned dejectedly to his master.
Captain. that boy you took on at Bayou Flats
has yellow fever"
The captains face blarched. yellow feverl
Are you sureW
positive. It's violent attack, too"
''Well, the only thing to do is to keep it from
the hands If you let them know they'll all be
frightened into it."
The young doctor smiled sorrowfully, and
went to attend his patient
Pete's thin, yellow face was flushed and burn
ing. It gave him, in the half light, a look Of
health which he had never possessed. certain
fullness about the features seemed like the flesh
he might have had, and the healthy glow which
would have mantled it, with proper food and the
bracing climate of the North, which his mother
so longed to have him reach. Spite of his rags
and squalor, there was certain plain nobility
about him, rough and rugged dignity which
showed through like token of what might have
been.
He turned his feverish eyes toward the doctor
as he ent cred.
Il amt never goin' te see tn Norfl" he asked
it.with pathetic half-answer in the negative
conveyed through the question.
The young physicians shook his head. II don't +
believe you ever WILL" he said. Something Of
the utter forlornness of the child seemed to i'm
press him. for he spoke pityinglv.
"Marm tole me to go up Norf-an' maybe I'd
have a chance. IL amt never had no chance
-hyarabouts."
The doctor could readily believe that
"Marm told me-if doan hustle out mighty
spry-after she's gone-I amt goin' ter git ther't
all. We uns has all died hyarabouts."
The stimulus of the fever seemed to open the
always sealed fountain of speech He hurried
hia cho SD;fh