New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23

her little fat arms, shoulders and throat ali oa'c'
her bright tangled hair knotted in bewfldering con-
fusion all about her head and her big blue eyes
looking down upon him with . curious interest How
long she had been awake he could only CONJECTURE
but evidently her patience had at last been exhausted
and she had about premeditaedly TO arouse NM
Billy was charmed BY the little picture above him
and smiled CHEEKY greeting She smiled too, ngas
merrfIy and said, What's your namcT
piIrvs said he whats yours :"
Tho smile straightway faded from her face like The
color from withered blossom and she glsnced
hurrIcdly and anxously around tho room
s.Uheres the black man ~ she whispered.
a'rhc black man p cried Billy. What black man,
my dearl'
Don't you know hfmf He's had me ever 20
long"
Billy was puzzled "A black had your hs
repeated "why. you don't your uncle. do
your
"Yes'. she said, "thats him. and he says II
don't call him uncle he'll cut OF my big toe
Billy wsrlock Jumped upon his feet like shot.
1.-THE devil he did he cried "I'i punch MS head
for that ~
And his Knife has got SIX cutters In I'll
al guess he only fdnnng,' said Billy " He
didn't mean It,"
"Thats what he said,' she insisted.
ayes, my DEAR but he didn't mean IT. He was
Joking
"1hats what he ssidr Her accent was very
positive, and she added as IL coming IL o'ei' nm
knife had six cutters
Billy felt himself somewhat at q loss TO deal with
this welformed impression, he contented himself
with the remark ark o. But you haven't told me VII"
She rose upon her knees in the bed and leaned
over toward him. Ny really name is htchen'
THAT'S ADJUST Lotchen.'
where's your mother, Lotchenr
{" / don't know; do your"
said Billy to himself And Il ths, WreHelsr man
is your fathers name, LotchenP he inquired, aloud
aYour father. Haven't you a fatherr
me into toohplck If he wants to'
"weI he won't want to- he said. Don't you b
afraid. I'll take of you"
"Oh, Will you"
@For little while, anyhow
aWen, iii you get your breakfast
Where's he gone7'
He's upstairs in his room. You go 70 bin
II don't want to CO. I'm afraid Of his Knife.
sit and hold on to my big toe all t day ,i Have you
gS n he could not Pehsps her nat
nnral trust in mankind had been somewhat shaken.
oghs an srsTed s to- S es he Of he bed
over and put her two hands on his, and said Then
let's YOU s9 aa me es amused m s plaza e ad
eve won't do that, Lotchen, but shouldn't wonder
love your our ''' '
:" he loves his nose BETTER she replied
His nose He's all the time rubbing It UP snA
But don't he love you, tool'
What makes you think that?'
"'Causc Pm afraid of him"
"When did you see him FIRST, Lotchen?.
@Yes, l know that what's he oeen doing with
| your
The expression on her face bland that Billy
saw, whatever Mr.. Wrangler might iLtend she knew
nothing more than that she was being had under cir:
cumstances that caused her constant fright lie od
not question her further, but went into the E,chen
whore his mother getting the griddle hot for NE
and he told her OF Wrangler and the child. She went
in to see Lotchen and snugsed the little one np %
have merry Christmas and she mustn't be afraid Of
anybody for her ply thai is B SSn mother tsTs wb sy
and nobody should brighten this dear little SOUL
and the old lady began now to express her IDEAS IN thar
strange language which IS hidden from the wise and
prudent, but revealed unto grandmanmas and babes:
blessings = she said, .besslngs on e dear hear. AZ.
e little body, wiz o little yOun nose an 70 'ftie
blu eyes, an 70 little youn' checks. an 'e lite youn'
eys s b s tauHe s was si sweet tile wing and ny
wiz him big fist, an, him date big arm Billy dust take
soul a am ' row EN- m ye en- in e Mort Yiver ye H. not
carn' tall bout . ice but dus frow 'em In an vet
r asS Ios smiled and put up her pretty face
be Kissed which she didn't have to do twice before Il
hammers all his ;e for nOthnS rolled up hs shirt
the air as If suggest what would happen 10 any one
who laid as much as his lie ph finger on her Ter ~
that round pretty face and wondered what he should
say and do when the black man came 70 get hor
cakes disappeared. and when thirty Of them had been
disposed Of BILLY felt himself ready to meet Mr.;
to ask Mr. wranger and the ofiener he thought thcm
the NE M his sss @ sor SSS @
He waited 1G az nS two SS sT mo MI S sss
and 10 interview Mr. Wrangler IN ME hall bedroom.
lie told Lotehen to go into his room where she had
afraid. he locked her In and slowed the kcv
away in his pocket Then hG shot Upstairs to tss
was just he had left IT The night before with ths
away 1t had evidently been without tenant during
the Rsh Al ha hm's e DAY Sa 9f aD wac Sc as
in vain.
Two days afterward express wagon drew up be-
fore the smhy and a box was delivered TO Billy
marked with his name. It contained liberal supply
Of childs clothing, which Lochcn recognized as hcfs
Little by little Billy and his mother drew from her
fragments Of her history. She remembered big
house by the water. and a little bed OF hies-ofthe-
valley under a couple of pear trees She remembered
a colored named Pete. but there was no response
in her memory to the words father and mother
on her mind was one Who called her Lassle' and
gave her horrd stuff from bottle In wooden spoon
lighter with each Of them Ills snithy IN the cellar
l%e old ho@Se over The saloon disappeared and
the IT had occupied became parlor for Lotchen
The dodgers went out one by one until the whole
house By's dwelling.
one day when she nearly fourteen years old.
Billy received letter that worried him good deal
1t was dated at the Newcastle Jail IN Delaware IL
read
NY Dear Warlock:
1t seems be definitely settled about nv being
an error of judgment You can by the enclosed
newspaper clipping that ought not 10 have been In
volved In the scheme of the creation You neednt
mention II to anybody else. I forget what name you
A''" ~ CEPHAs wRANGLER.
The newspaper clipping contained these words:
Nothing, therefore, remains for the Court but TO
pronounce the sentence which jury, almost wholly
of your selection. has ad1udged your fitting
doom The crime you have committed Is the most dread
full known 10 the law. For u there Is but one penalty,
the requson Of your life in forfeit for the you
have taken. The sentence Of tho Court Is that you
be conducted hence TO the prison from which you
and that you be confined there until Friday. the