The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-08-21

turned and looked the man in the eye,
his own burning with fierce light
"Oh, we're goin' ter make a bit @
money, MIC" with an uneasy laugh.
How we goin' ter make money,
pap, tell me that?'
"Oh, yell find out when we git
started"
Mic glared at him with a malicious
look. Ali the hatred in his soul looked
out through his eyes, but a strap with
buckle with cruelty sharpened points
hung in full view. and the boys bare
back had tasted its horrors too often to
forget it's persuasive aud quoting pow
ers, and he SUNK down before the fire
without the words which were burn
ing on his tongue.
The man eyed him furtively.
9Th boys got tn very devil in him.
an he'll do me mischief ef | don't
watch 'im," he muttered as he got up
uneasily and went out of doors.
MAN, be you willin'?" The poor
boy turned to the mother with an i'm
ploring look as the door closed, and
then she knew that he was only too
we'll aware of the nature of the unnat-
ural plan.
"No, Nicky, I bean't," she answered
with half-whining tone of kindness,
but what kin | do? Pap 'ud take the
strap ter me jest ez quick ez he would
ter you eff / sh'd cross i'm. Mebbe
you'll like it, ,Nicky."
Like it, man," and such tempest
of repressed wrath and woe burst from
the boys lips as the feeble mother had
never dreamed of.
"Hush. Nicky," she whispered fear
fully, as the flood of vituperation and
grief poured forth from the over
charged heart. Pap III hear, an I'm
afeard he'll strap We awful"
Il wish't he'd kill me an have done
with it,"
mo, no, Nicky, thet's wicked" in
her surprise and perplexity doing what
she had never done in her life before,
smoothing his unkempt hair with a
touch of plying tenderness.
1t was too much, and with quick
upward glance in her face he burst
into flood of tears. One touch of
kindness had broken his heart, and,
hearing the fathers returning foot
steps, he crept away to his hard bed,
sobbing as if his poor stitled heart
would break.
The days followed each other in
monOtOnous succession as the white
covered wagon jolted from town to
town. 1t was only the poorest classes
of course which patronized the pitiful
show, but Sam Vedders' itching palm
was satisfied as nickels and dimes
passed in even faster than he had an
ticipated, and he had relented toward
his unhappy charge to the extent OF
bringing him bag of candy and pea
nuts as a peace Offering, for the boy
had borne his indignities in sullen 81
lcnce, turning his glaring eyes upon
the sightseers at times with alarming
ferocity.
One day Sam pitched the tent on q
green common just in the outskirts Of
a large village, and announced his in.
tention of staying until the town was
thoroughly worked for customers.
"You jest spruce up an look alive,
Mic, an I'll buy We picter book et
we do we'll here" he said, with his
nearest approach to good humor.
A purpose had been forming in the
lads mind, settled determination to
run away at the first suitable oppor
tunity, and an idea of beguilihg his
unnatural parent with cunning entered
his untutored brain.
Eyes, pappy," he answered, with
unwonted cheerfulness, "ther'll be
lots O. folkses here. Say, pappy
won't We buy me a jack knife. too?"
"Mebbe. Mic; mebbe." Sam looked
, at the boy in surprise, for he had not
shown so much boyish spirit in years,
and he thought with degree of salts
faction that he was growing reconcilet
to the life which his avarice haG
planned for him.
; just across the common was mod
est little white house with wei
shaded porch upon which two chill
dren were playing, one a little fairy
with long, golden curls. over whom
an elder sister kept almost constan
guard. for she was only a baby ant
{ loved her own mischievous way, which
was not always safe way, as the fam
lily had too often learned. The rail
road ran just little distance from the
house and was constant source o.
trouble to its inmates.
Mic was eating his coarse dinner
while Sam was canyassing the towl
with advertisements, when a tin!
golden head came peeping in at tn.
J tent door.
"Pease, may Dolly tum in?" said I;
sweet, silvery voice. II boughted OF
tookie, pity tookie. Dolly did"
Mic started. He had seen picture!
of angels and had dreamed of them
but had never seen such a near ap
proach to one as this soft-eyed little
cherub, her white hand stretched GU
to him with its cookie Offering and thu
lovely blue eyes filled with timit
| wonder