Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-13
In TWO HALVES.
The Story of Divided Bank Note.
THE FIRST HALF.

The FIRST HALF.
Wet and dreary. 1t is midwinter;
the scene is Kirklington, on the Lon
don and Northwestern; the time one
quarter to eleven; just after the night
mail flashed through without stop
ping-bound for Liverpool and the
north. The railway officials are col
lecting preparatory to going off duty
for the night.
"Where's Damp asked one of the
crowd upon the platform.
Il saw him in the hut just after
the one-quarter to eleven went through.
Can't have come to any harm, surelyp"
mo: he said he'd seen something
drop from the train, and he went down
the line to pick it up"
And Dan had picked up something.
1t was basket, common white
wicker basket, with a lid fastened
down by string. What did it con-
tainP Dirty clothes? What?
A baby-a child half dozen weeks
old, no more.
"Where did you come across itP"
asked one
Lying on the line, Just where it
fell. Perhaps it didn't fall, perhaps
it was chucked out. What matter?
I've got it, and got to look after it,
that's enough for me!'
The mites linen was white and of
fine material, but he lay upon an old
shawl and few bits of dirty flannel.
All they found was a dilapidated
purse, a common snaplock bag-purse
of faded brown leather. Inside was
brass thimble, pawn-ticket and the
half of Bank of England note of 100
pounds.
A new parson-Harold Treffry-had
come lately to Kirklin9ton.
He is now paying a round of par
ochial visits accompanied by an old
college chum, who is spending Christ
mas with him.
'.Yonder,n said Treffry, pointing to
a thin thread of smoke which rose
from some gaunt trees into the sullen
wintry air, ''yonder is the house-if,
indeed, it deserves SO grand name
the howell, rather, of one whose case is
the hardest of all the hard ones in my
parish This man is a mere hedger
and ditcher, one who works for any
master, most often for the railway, but
who is never certain of job all the
year around. He has a swarm of
young children, and he has just lost his
wife He is absolutely FRUSTRATED;
aghast probably at his utter incapacity
to do his duty by his motheress little
ones. | wonder if you could rouse
him? If you could only get him to
make sign, or cry, or laugh, or to
take the smallest interest in common
affairs. Jack, | believe you're the
very man. You might get at him
through the children-that marvellous
hanky-panky of yours, those surprising
tricks; Il child takes naturally to you
at once. Try and make friends with
these. Perhaps when the father sees
them interested and amused he may
warm little, speak, perhaps approve,
perhaps smile. and in the end give IN.
Jack, will you try?"
Jack Newbiggin was by profession
conveyancer. but nature had intend
him for new Houttin, or a wizard of
the north. He was more than half a
professional by the time he was full
grown. In addition to the quick eve
and facile wrist he had the rarer gifts
of the suave manner and the face OF
brass. He had even studied mesmer-
ism and clairvoyance, and could upon
occasion surprise his audience con-
siderably by his power.
They entered the miserable dwelling
together. The children-eight of
them-were all skirmishing over the
floor, except one, child of seven, a
bright-eyed, exceedingly beautiful,
boy, the least-were not natures
vagaries we'll lznown-likely to be born
among and belong to such surround
ings, who stood between the legs of the
man himself, who had his back to the
visitors and was crouching low over the
scanty fire.
Here, little ones; do you see this
gentleman He's conjuror. Know
what a conjurer is. Tommy" catch
ing up mite of four or five from the
floor. No, not you; nor you, Sarah;
nor you Jakey"-and he ran through
all their names.
.sThey now ceased their gambols
and were staring hard at their visitors
the moment was propitious; Jack
Newbiggin began. He had fortunately
filled his pockets with nuts, oranges
and cakes before leaving the parson-
age. SO he had half his apparatus in
hand.
The pretty boy had very soon left
the father at the fire and had come
over to join in the fun, going back
however, to exhibit his share of the
spoil and describe voluminously what
had occurred. This and the repeated
shouts of laughter seemed TO produce
some impression on him. Presently he
looked over his shoulder and said-but
without animation:
1T is very good of you, sir, surely;
very good of you to take so kindly to
the little chicks. 1t does them good
to laugh bit. but it amt much they've
had to make ,em lately"
1T is good for all of US now and
again, take it" said Jack, desisting
and going towards him, the children
gradually collecting in far off corner
and comparing notes.
You can't laugh, sir. if your hearts
heavy; if you do it can only be a
sham.n
While he was speaking he had taken
the bible from the shelf, and resum-
ing his seat began to turn the leaves
over.
I'm an untaught, rough country
man, sir. but have heard tell that
these strange things you do are only
tricks; amt it so?n