The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-11


the little fellow, and one morning, to her
own astonishment, for she had no thought
of it the second before, she answered
back, "Hollom
1t wasn't very loud, nor very enthusias-
tic, but the boy heard it, and gave half
nod. as if to say: "That's all right" and
trudged on the same as before.
From that time it was settled thing.
She always said "Hollo" in answer to
his "Hollo!" Hers grew little more
hearty, and he always gave her that en-
couraging nod which meant, evidently:
elf you keep on trying, you'll get
there"
If you had asked Miss Jane about the
boy. she would never have betrayed the
interest she began to feel in him. But it
was just about that time that the weather
began to grow cold, and sometimes
sharp frost and good cold night made
Miss Jane think about winter.
THAT boys hands do look awful
cold," she said to herself one day. "He
can't seem to keep 'em warm. He's a.
blowing and clapping of 'em all the
time" And Miss James little soft place
grew little bigger and little softer,
till she remembered pair of socks up in
a chest that, years ago, she had knitted
for brother who went away and had
never been heard from. The socks were
new.
She wondered if she couldn't ravel
them and make that boy pair of nit
tens2 She did not even know the boys
name. He was always that boy" to
her. He still called out ''Hollo" when
he went by, and though he couldn't hear
her answer, he still nodded in his CHEEKY
way.
Miss Jane set up the mittens. Queerly
enough, she set the first one up several
times. She guessed it was too big at
first. "No boy would want his hand
all wobbling about in bag" she said.
Then she set it up so small that she was
ashamed of herself not to shave more
sense" D..
When the wrist was done she fell to
thinking that "that boy was so kind of
CHEEKY that he'd like a red stripe in
'em." He should have red stripe, and
when Mr.. Collins called that day, to
take her butter to towns, she asked him
to bring her back little skein of red
yarn.
After this the mittens grew. and it is
well they did, for the cold winter had
come, and the snow was growing deeper
and deeper.
"I guess he'll want them nlittens now
if he ever does, and I'll give 'em to him
right away" So the next morning,
when she heard his CHEEKY "Hollo!"
she raped on the window-pane so loud
that he came to a full stop. But recover
ing from his surprise, he started off again,
nodding carelessly. Miss Jane was not
expecting this, but she was rather re-
lieved, for the moment she had raped
she felt that she was unprepared to say
anything.
What should she say9 She didn't
know. But she did know that she had
knitted those mittens and the boy must
have them. She must think up a way
to make him stop for them. She did
lot of thinking that day and the next
morning when he called out, she had
ready fastened on forked stick outside
the window, the mittens.
She raped loudly. The boy turned
and saw them. With one bound he was
up at the window.
care they for me2" he shouted, JOY
fully, through the window.
She nodded her head.
"You're awful goodw was his answer,
looking up gratefully as he ran on his
"I wonder if he thinks So" thought
Miss Jane: "He's got some manners,
anyway"
That afternoon it showed and con-
tinued to snow all night. Miss Jane
thought it looked like heavy storm,
and when night came she made Dolly as
comfortable as she could, fed her and
went into the house. The next morning
the snow was drifted 50 that poor Miss
Jane couldn't get out of her door to 60
to the shed. Neither could she see out
of the window where she usually watched
for that boy" to 60 by.
She had plenty to eat and plenty of
fuel till she should be shove!ed out. She
did not feel worried about herself. But
poor Dolly! who would care for her!
She fairly cried as noon came on and no
one came to her relief. She couldn't
hear any sleigh-bells. She began to
think the whole town was buried. Her
one little attic window looked over to
the woods which were deep with snow.
Would no OF think of herr
She remembered with sigh how little
she thought of anybody else. She re-
membered that she wanted to live alone
that, crushed with sorrow when one by
one of her loved ones had died, and the
dear brother was never heard from, she
had turned against all the world. She
had rebelled at her hard lot. She had
moved away from everything she had
ever known and shut herself up in her
little cottage with no thought nor inter-
est in anybody else. She knew no one
but the minister and-'that boy"
A kindly feeling crept over her as she
remembered the boy and his hearty |
"Hollo!" every morning, and then she
said to herself "How glad I am I got
those mttens done. l guess he'll be
mighty glad of 'em such day as this.
Anyway he VIII, if he can get out of the
house. I wonder where he lives and if
he's showed up, too-what's that2"
She listened, and merry voice she
knew full we'll called in the distance,
"Hollo." and Mis- Jane screamed back
"Hollo!" as loud rs she could. She did
not know if he heard her. She heard
scraping and shoveling coming nearer
and nearer, and before long face was
peering in her window.
sHollo!" said the bright, CHEEKY voice,
and "Hollol" said Miss Jane, in just as
,boorr q ono oo che onu1d muetor for the