San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-19
LITTLE CABS JOURNEY.

across the courtyard into the interior Of the
apartments occupied by the family of the
little Gabriel, who was Familiarity called
Little Cab" by all in the house. The father
was a cutter in tailor's shop; the mother,
a sickly woman, and already white haired,
though but As years old, busted herself with
the housekeeping, and used up in that the
remnant of her health. OF her five children
the three eldest had swarmed out from the
home; there remained only girl of IS, who
was a dressmaker, and Little Cab, who was
a hunchback Born of parents who had
passed half Of their lives in unwholesome
workshops, or in dark and badly ventilated
stores, Little Cab was the victim of incur
able ricketts,. His twisted spine brought his
shoulders nearly up to the level Of his ears;
his slender and feeble legs bent under his
warped and badly balanced chest; he could
walk only when his form was held up in
a peculiar corset. From this distorted body,
which bulged out both front and back,
arose a head, too highly developed in form,
but with a face of an exquisite delicacy and
of singularly piquant expression. Although
he was years old one would have thought
him hardly 5, judging from his poor stunted
and twisted body; one would have called
him 20 at sight of his thoughtful face, his
projecting brow and his great dark brown
eyes, SO sad and so precociously thoughtful |
Father, mother and the big sister worshiped
him, because of his loving manner and his
extraordinarily lively intelligence. The doc.
tor had forbidden them to let him do any
work. but to distract him and to change hi
surroundings they took him to a school,
where he limited himself to listening gravely,
yet retained all that he heard. One evening,
after school hours, l noticed him under the
porch of the house, seated against the wait
ing room of the janitor. His mother having
gone out to make some purchase, and his sis
ter not having yet returned from her shop
he had found the door of their rooms CLOSED
on his return, and, leaning against the wall
his eyes turned eagerly towards the street, hi
was waiting with thoughtful and pain.
fully resigned looked. While l questioned
him, his black eyes threw over me long,
observing and frightened glances. In the
meantime the big sister arrived, all out Of
breath.
"Ah! my poor Cab" she cried, 81 have
kept you waiting! You were growing i'm
patient, humph?"
"No," replied Cab in calm voice, clear as
a silver bell, 81 was only saying to myself
that perhaps you did not want any more of
me, and that you would not return. am so
sick and so wearisome."
"Ah, you bad boy" murmured the young
girl, as she covered him with kisses; then,
turning towards me with her eyes full of
tears, she is so delicate" she added, land SO
intelligent; he reasons out things just like a
grown up person. What a pity he has SO
little strength The doctor says that if he
can 60 this summer to Berck, the sea air and
the sand baths would probably cure him
But Berck is far away, and then there is the
expense. After all l am going to try to
make enough to carry him there"
And the Erave young girl worked from
morning until night to lay up the needed
amount. She wore herself out working over
her sewing machine; she cut, laid together
and sewed with hardly a moment Of rest
Well into the night heard the sharp and
hurried movements of the machine, resem-
bling the abrupt rustling that grasshoppers
make in the fields; beyond the curtains, il
Illuminated by the lamp, / distinguished the
hard working girl in outline, and / thought
involuntarily of Hoods terrible Song of the
Shirt"
Everybody in the house knew the story Of
Little Cab, and the wives of tho tenants will
ingly intrusted work to the big sister They
stopped the child in the halls, on the landing,
in the courtyard; they fondled him, they
treated him with great tenderness, they sent
him dainties. He, always shy, recoiled from
the caresses, and, more uneasy than diverted,
meditated for long time on these sudden
marks of friendship
why does the lady on the third floor give
me playthings," asked he thoughtfully OF
his sister, ''since she does not know mer
Then, after moments elaboration, he
added, with clearness of perception that
was heartrending because of the glimpses it
gave of the hard thinking to which this
child's brain was subjected: sit is because
am hunchback, no doubt"
Much work came in and the little pile of
savings in a remote corner of a bureau
drawer grew steadily. July was close at
hand, and they had already begun prepare
tions for the departure-the purchase of a
handsome leather trunk, the making of a
suit for the child-and little Cab, who was
in state Of wonderment, talked to bis
schcolmates of nothing but his journey to the
sea baths, when, at the eleventh hour, an UNI
fortunate accident came to throw everything
I'D disorder. The 1IIng wife o. theIroy