The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-03-30


sec nothing of his features but a long red
nose and DEEPEST bcady black eyes. His
fustian Jacket was Worn to rags at the ell
boWS-and 50 was mine, as for that-Split in
the seams between the shoulders with the
constant strain of the labOring arms. Once
upon time his top-boots had been black,
but now they were all the same yellow
clay color with the trousers that were
tucked into them, and Just as badly in need
Of repair.
l followed with Van Hoeck. He held my
arm, not for support but for guidance, be-
cause he was stone blind. He was thirty or
thereabOut. | believe; but he looked twenty
years older than |, who am now about
twenty-siX. Though he was Dutch by birth.
he looked like an Asiatic, being small,
daI jew, with all the cha acteristics Of his
people; while l, with my fair skin. light hair
ana large frame, am pretty true in appear
ance to my Northern race. lie was better
dressed than any of US, for though he had
accompanied us, and roughed il so far as
board and lodging were concerned, he had
taken only financial part in the enterprise,
his blindness naturally debarring him from
labOrIou5 part His clothes retained
something of their original appearance.
Albeit he had worn them d g. after day for
eighteen months at least; whereas mine.
what with exposure to the sun. the sweat OF
work, rough usage, and the strange devices
employed In repairing them. were scarcely
recognizable as Christian clothing His
lace gave moro sign of strain and fatigue
than either the Judges or mine, which
might well be, seeing how great relief to
the mind physical labor is. There was d
turrow between his brows. deep lines de-
scending from the inner angles OF the eyes.
pinched look about the nOStrilS and flesh
less cheeks, that gave fearful, strenuous
eagerness to the weird expression OF his
face. And that expression was weird nav,
even rcpulsive. though his features were
not ill-Shaped, and it was due chiefly to the
popularity Of his eyes. Most people of dark
complexion, Ike his, have a dark iris to the
eye, but his was of steely gray, and was the
more noticeable because there was the iris
and nothing else; there was no pupil-noth-
ing but that gray patch upon the yellowish
ball of the eye. He kept his eyes open when
his mind was preoccupied. Often. when he
was sitting near me while | worked. have
changed my position that | might not see
those CHASTITY eyes vide open to an African
sun. Yet unconscious of its glare. There
was something terrible in his blindness.
Our rear was brought up by the Kid"
The name by constant use and familiarity
had long ceased to be slangy to my ear.
Poor little Lola! She was the raggedest
and most disreputable of the lot, though it
Was not for that reason that she walked
behind us: indeed. had she suspected that
to follow implied inferiOrity she would have
marched ahead of her own father. That
was her character.
The child wore ragged red flannel pet
ticoat, a camisole that had once been white.
and q cOloTed handkerchief tied loosely
round her neck. She had q string of colorpd
beads upon her wrist, but neither hat on
her head nor shoe on her foot Her purple
black hair grew low down on her temrla
and broke into curl over the ears at the
nape OF her neck, and wherever it was I'M
controlled; il was matted together in a
thick. loose plait that fell down to her waist
and tied at the end with strip OF red fan
mel. torn from her pettcoat. She had the
prettiesJ little hands and feet, dark olive
skin, large but beautifully shaped mouth
with the finest teeth l have ever seen. and
PAIR vl glorious black eyes, full OF audaCitv
ana betraylng only too faithfully her wild
and ungovcrnable disposition. Property
dressed tand washed, she might have
passed FOR Spanish princess: in her pres
ent condition there was no installing her
for anything but the self-wiled little savage
she was.
The Kid had given US a deal of trouble
had We !oreSeen how much, | do not think
Van Hoeck or l would have put in that post
script 20 the agreement which her father.
tha Judge, induced us to subscribe
Tie hid has eyes il her head for 10 see
with, the Judge said, in urging her claim
upon our future consideration, END she
Kin use EN- as we'll as us in lookiu' for
stones. end likewise, bein a female. She kim
cook our meals for us: she kin wash DII.
shuts, end she kin sew US up. end keep us
nice end tidy. Whether she was capab!e
Of helping US in these matters l cannot sav.
all know is. that she didn't What Kim
you eXPeetE asked her father, in extclIa-
non; her mother was the darter of a burned
greasyr, end it amt the Kids fault if shes
got gteaseT blood in her
We came mp with the Judge at the dock
gates, where he stopped to address pcliea-
man stationed there.
hin you tell me, my friend" he said,
where the best bank in this town i 10
cated?~
think the policeman's first impression M
he regarded Us was that we had felonious
purpose in asking this question. for he ali
not reply Immediately. and with reluctance
directed US to the High street, and told US
TO inquire there of some one else.