The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-01-30

That 10y brought this the devil you
know. though / don't see why you eall
him that
-oh, said John, taking the note, and
reading II, langnidly.
Hang i. Harry he said. 8 l must 90
out tsiis evening to N iserable literary
club up town. Get my things. viii you,
and light the gas"
Harry carried matches loose in the
( pockets Of his trousers be pulled out
handful, grandly. and climbed up 70 the
desk among the ink pots and lighted the
gas He scrambled down. went to the
closet and took his father's clothes. which
he admired very much, more than the
wener did, for the coat was TOO tight
II was old, aud as tight as Philip Fur
mans coat, and John was afraid that il
aiso would split al the inSed SANS when
the tail young man Was dressed, Harry
looked at him with ave such smooth,
brown hair, such a shining s.siri, rising
/ sabiirnely out Of the disorder lie tower
ed oyer the grubhy little boy.
What paws y said the clean young
father with disapprerai, and Harry aid
them
Old man, said John, you viii be
SCARED up here. all alone, won't your
Humph!" :" said Harry Scared p
~Good-by, sir
Good-by. Papa
John put on his ulster and hurriea
down stairs his son followed hin to the
{ landing and watched him with sober
face til be was ont Of sight Perhaps
the thousht o. solitude did alarm hinl,
for he c..iieI out, softly
Papa, I want to speak to yoa bit
joan did nos hear, 50 the boy went back
into the room.
Bus the father did return for a moment.
: He ran gp out Of breath. with = paper
bag in his hand. and a bottle under his
arm.
Yoa must have supper, you know,
you little nuisance
The boy sprang on his father and hug
q him veiemently, but said nothing !;
later John found a spot Of moisture on bis
I breast, as II, when the lad had pressed
his little cheek aeains; IT. he had shed
tear.
Gooi-by, dearie.p ssid the father. aIf
a eollecter should turn up. just you tell
him / won't be back Eli !aten
Harry entered the room again. SHIT the
door, pus the bag on the bed for the
present, and sat down on rocking-chair
to think How very quiet i vas How
large the room boxed, and what star
ing window was that ene he wished.
just for once, there was a cuftain in front
oft, which he oould pail down, to hide
the wbite, dead clothes thai gibbered At
him as the wind made them iutter On
the line, and he did not Ike the idea that
those unhealthy cats might come across
the roof to look in At MIN. lie wished the
steam would not thnmp 50 in the pipes.
lie wondered what time It was. and wish
ed his father had not lent his watch to
man He guessed It must be about eight
O'Clock. lie knew boy who had to 90
to bed at eight O'Clock Humph, lie could
at up a. late az he pleased
Harry lookei little and babyish as he
sat in the biz rocking-cliaif, graspiny the
arms. turning IN the toesofhis feet, rocked
sloomiiy, and booking Gp q, the big kin
dos ss the beckoning shirt sleeves. lie
hopel a cli would not come and look al
him through the glass. and ifs rat should
run ont ofthe closet, he did not know
What he should 90.
The Whole evening was before him and
he had the liberty Of the room; but. for
some reason. he did not feel excited,
not Ike playing. Il needs resolution 10
play by ones self He would rather resd
in some Of his f4ther's books. perhaps.
Still rocking he examined the literature
on the revolving bookcase. That Ency-
clope,lia, with the long name, wzs no.
bad, especially the volume wiih the plates
Of snakes. but he did net care to hunt for
them then what Was the fun Of looking
az hooded cobras where a fellow WIS
alone Al the topofthe house, where the
fire made the shadows under the bed
wriggle strangely His father had not
praised the fire. after all. Harry wished
he had not taken the trouble to make Il.
What frighif1l shadows there were He
turned M the gas very high and looked
at the books again. Mscaulay's ~Esszys.'
He knew who Macauisy vas he esssb-
lishei missions in New York city ~An-
iulals Of Quiet Neighborho5l.v That
sounded good, but there We're no pictures
in it. He did 10, feel Ike reading. after
az be kicked the old b0ok-cass doxsed-
y. and sent it whiriing arounl, stared Up
at the ceiling, and tried singing, On
ward. Christian soldiers
The light Jared and shone on 4 silver
frame thai was placed on little table bv
the bed. Inside the glit,ering frame was
a ninistnre Of 3 beautiful young woman
in full ball dress. 1t was the only beau
tiful thing within the four walls. In that
disoriered room part Of Johns clothes
we're hesPed on the bed. the rest we're
thrown into the closet Papers were il
eouflsion On the desk, and we're falling
out Of the halfoDened drawers. The dir
II green walls were bare, the mantel-
piece was hideous. 1t was a scene Of dis
comfort and ugliDess, in the midst OF
which sat the disconsols:e little boy,
rocking IN a creaking chair nnderthe gas
light, which shone on his shining
head
Ths. was the picture seen by the gen
tleman who, a few minutes later, came
up the stairs, oPened the door, and look
ed sfeTniy in. He was very tail old
gentleman, as tall as Harry's father.
Erect, be did not stoop at all at the
shoulders, but his knees trembled little.
He was dressed for the evening, and his
coat vas not too tight for him. nor was
il linked at the seams. In hs battonhole
he wore magnificent flower His head
vas held up haughtily and he had a
fiere gray mastache, ike generals, and
alarming eyes he put up double eye
glass, and looked severely about the
room; he did not notice Harry at first,
but apparently saw every other object,
the silver framed miniature included.