The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-09-11
self. because they reminded him OF his
old homo in the Berkshire Hills.

|0lIs DoCduSo tHoy rouluucu uliu Va Mo
I'D homo in the Berkshire Hills.
The lineman was now anxious to
zee who the new tenant might be, but
MS curiosity in that direction was
doomed to disappointment Never, in
all the many times that Bill after
wards climbed the tall telegraph pole,
did he once see through the window
the owner OF the hands that scrubbed
the floor and cleaned the glass and
placed the flower box upon the win
dow-sill.
But before very long he did see a
face at the window-such a wee, wan
little face it was, too-so pale and yet
so pleasing-the face OF a little girl,
perhaps seven or eight years old. Bill
saw that she was cripple, lying upon
an adjustable invalid's chair, and. as
the lineman turned his head from the
white face with its large, sad eyes.
something fell from his brown and
roughened cheek to the sidewalk be-
low, where it made a wet spot about
as big as a twenty-fve-cent piece.
For the sight OF the crippled child
awakened memories in the heart and
mind Of Bill the Lineman that were
more bitter than sweet, and always
very sad.
Ten years before, when Bill was o
strapping young fellow in Western
Massachusetts, he had married one Of
the prettiest girls in the village. Bill
was proud Of his girl wife and loved
her very dearly. He was happy
fellow indeed when there came to his
home baby girl and his love for the
tiny thing was second only to his af-
lection for tho baby's mother. Soon
after the little one came Bill moved
to the city. where he had obtained
employment. and then all his bad luck
came to him.
His wife. who had been so neat q
housewife, gradually changed into q
slatternly gadabout- She read cheap
story papers and went to the matinees
at the third-rate theaters, while her
home and her child, as we'll as poor
Bill, were altogether neglected. Bill
was beside himself with grief, and had
it not been for the baby, which he
watched, tended and played with al
through his leisure hours, possibly he
might have done something reckless.
One day while Bill was at work the
careless wife and mother, engrossed
in dime novel, dropped the baby
from her lap, and the little one wal
hopelessly crippled by the fall. Wher
Bill came home and learned the truth
he cried like child with grief HI
fretted all the night, and in the morn
ing remained away from his worl
that he might hold the baby. laid upor
pillow, in his arms. Often the tear,
would roll down his cheeks, but hi
never once scolded or reproached hi
wife.
AT last, overcome with remorse ant
unable to endure the sight of her hus
bands grief and her childs pain, tn,
girl (she was but twenty put on he
hat and went out, to return no NOR
to her home.
For six years the poor fellow tender
ly cared for his baby. but when tn,
little girl was seven years old sh'
died. and Bill was left without an
comfort at all.
The lineman had been alone 70
three years when he beheld the fac
Of the little child at the crooked win
dow-a face that opened old scars, bu
which none the less swelled Bill
tender heart with kindly sentiment
toward the little cripple.
Before he went down he nodde
cheerily to the girl, and it sent
thrill OF pleasure through the big lei
low when the wan face answered hi
greeting by q faint smile. For man
days Bill nodded from the cross-arm
to his little neighbor. and he felt q
though they were really getting quit
we'll acquainted.
Soon the spring time came. and on
warm. sunny day the lower sash ,
the crooked window was thrown VI
while the child leaned forward as
to inhale and enjoy to the full tn
sweet balmy air of the May mornin.
Then tho acquaintance Of Bill and tn
small, pale-faced cripple was begun
earnest
That's good" said the linemal
, after holding Us usual. "You wal
some Of this fresh air to bring bac
the roses to those lily-white cheek
How does my little neighbor feel t
J dayp"
r At first the child only smiled, as 81
children will, in response to h
? strange friends remarks and inqui
, les, but before very long this bashfr
. ness wore away and then the girl cha
. ted freely to the big man on the lof
. pole.
, Down in the street the people al
4 the teams hurried to and fro, b
a forty feet above them Bill the Lin
man and the tiny child conversed
gether with as much privacy
4 though they had been in the quiet a
, secluded parlor Of country hous
Q From the child Bill learned that h
4 name was Mile. and that her aunt
' her good aunt, she always called her
r was obliged to leave her alonc