Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-10-25

was.
The next morning, when she stepped
out on her back porch, there was the
little blue eye again at the knot
mole, and shrill voice called
out: .'Oh. there you are! I've
been waiting for you ever so
long. Mother told me to say that I
was very sorry frightened you yes
terday; and that / mustn't ever come
again to bother you. if you don't like
TO have me look at your flowers.
Did you say / wasn't to really look
through your nice little knot-hole?"
Holes don't belong to any body"
said Miss Lydia. tartly.
''Oh! can really come again them"
exclaimed the child, delightedly. 'I'll
tell mother what a nice lady you are,
and then we'll be friends, won't we? /
haven't many friends, 'cept two or
three. Do you like boys?" he contin-
ued.
mo. / don'tr replied Miss Lydia
''They are plague and nuisance"
81 wish you did," said the child,
because then may be you'd give me
flower"
''Just as thought, said Miss Lydia.
THE next thing you will be managing
to get over the fence and help your
self"
'tOh, no! couldn't. I've got a pain
in my back and have to go with a
crutch. 1t hurts awfully sometimes,
and then cry, and mother rocks me
in her arms and cries too; and then we
both feel better. But couldn't climb
the fence, even If 1 wanted. nor run,
nor any thing"
''Well. if you don't, your brothers
WILL" returned Miss Lydia
mo. they wouldn't. They're away
all day; and besides it's wicked to steal.
Didn't you know that?"
'Humphw said Miss Lydia, though
in somewhat modified tone.
A moment later, a giant red chrys-
anthemum found its way through the
knot-hole, with hasty: There, run
away, child!' and the little crutch went
tapping back to the house, with the
coveted prize.
1t soon became quite regular thing.
for the little blue-eye to appear at the
knot-hole, when Miss Lydia was tend
ing her flowers in the morning; and
unconsciously she began to watch for
it, and miss it if it was not there.
With his innocent prattle, and gifts
of cherry-stone baskets and impossible
boats, gradually the little fellow found
his way through the outer crust to
Miss Lydia's heart; and not a few fra
grant blossoms fell through the hole,
into the eager little hands.
Whats your name?" he asked one
day, in childish curiosity. Mines
Jerry-Jerry Howell. 1 was named
after my papa. He died far away in
California; but he used to live in this
very place, and he told us to come back
to his old home, and may be somebody
would be kind to us, for his sake"
The trowel dropped upon the box
border. Jerry Howell! The name she
never thought to hear again; buried in
the past, with her youth and happi-
ness!
The child rambled on, but she did
not heed him, and presently he went
away.
There had been a lovers quarrel,
which had terminated fatally. 1t was
mostly her fault, and she knew it,
though she had been too proud to own
it. But somehow she had never for
gotten the look in those blue eyes, as
the garden gate slammed behind the
boyish figure that went striding down
the street between the rows of naples.
The next week he sailed for the far
West; and some years later the news
came back to his native town that he
was happily married. From that time
Miss Lydia was a changed creature;
for in her heart she had truly loved
blithe, impulsive Jerry Howell, and
too late bitterly repented her hasty
words.
She buried herself vigorously in her
uncongenial work of country school
teaching, until called home by the adj
vancing age of her parents, who finally
passed away. leaving her with a mod
est income and the old brick house.
Almost all her young friends had
married or scattered. and those who
remained were repeled by her GOODNESS
and reticence; so she was left almost
entirely to herself, and it was little
wonder that her life became narrowed
and sunless.
And now Jerry Howell was dead. and
the sweet-faced, fair-haired little wom-
an in black, with the two manly lads
and the delicate little cripple, were his
wife and children. And they had come
to live under the very shadow of her
roof. She had always heard that truth
was stranger than fiction; but now she
had living proof of it.
The next day the little blue eye was
missing, and the next and the next.
At last Miss Lydia grew uneasy, in
spite of herself. She actually went out
| of her way, on an errand to the mar
ket. in order to pass the house. And
there was old DIR. Maxwell's gig tied
up to the post.
Mrs. Howell opened the door for him
just at that moment, and seeing the
tall figure lingering at the gate. came
down the steps with a pleasant smile
and outstretched hand.
"You must come in and see Jerry"
she said. He has been asking for
you. and will be so glad to see you"
Il thought, perhaps" begun Miss
Lydia. hesitating. II only wanted to
find out"
YES" said Mrs. Howell, kindly.
he had one Of his bad turns, worse