Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-09-05

her worry dearly lIo was i happy
follow indeed when thcro came TO his
home baby girl aud his love for tho
tiny thing was second only 10 bic aI-
icction for tho baby's mother Soon
nftcr the little ono came Bill moved
10 tho city. whore no had obtained
employment aud then all his bad luck
came 20 him.
His wiio, who had boon SO neat "A
housewife, gradually changed into a
slattornly gadaboui Sho read cheap
story papers and went 20 Tho mntinees
az the third-rato thoaters while her
home and her child, as well MS poor
Bill, were altogether neglected. Bill
was beside himself with grief, and had
IL not bcon for tho baby, which he
watched, tended and played with all
through his leisure hours, possibly he
might have done something reckless
Ono day while Bill was at work the
careless wifo aud mother eugrossod
in dime novel; dropped the baby
from her lap, and tho little One was
hopolessly crippled by tho faiL When
Bill came homo and learned the truth
he cried like child with grief Ho
irctted all the night, and In the morn
ing remained awoy from his work
that he might hold tho baby. laid upon
a pillow. In his arms Often tho toars
would roll down his checks, but he
never once sooldod or roproached his
wife.
AT last. overcome with remorse and
unable to endure the sight OF her hus-
bands gIef and her child's pain, the
girl (she Ngas but twenty put ca her
hat and went out, 10 return no more
to her home
For elk years the poor fellow tender
ly cared for his baby, but when the
little girl was seven years old she
died. and Rin was left without any
comfort at all.
The lineman had been alone for
three years when he behold the face
OF the little child at the crooked win
dow-a face that opened old scars, but
which none tho less swelled Bilrs
tender heart with kindly sentiments
toward the little cripple.
Before he went down no nodded
cheerlly TO tho girl, agd ii sent a
thrill Of pleasure through the hig fel
low when the wan face answered hi:
greeting by faint smile. For many
days Bill nodded from the cross-arm.
70 his little neighbor, and ho felt a
though they were really getting quite
well acquainted.
Soon the spring time came, and on,
warm, sunny day the lower sash o
the crooked window was thrown up
while the child leaned forward as &
to inhale and enjoy TO the full tn,
sweet balmy air of the May morning
Then the acquaintance Of Bill aud tn,
small. pale-faced cripple was begun II
earnest
That's good. said the lineman
after nodding as usual. "You wan
some OF this fresh air to bring bach
the roses to those lily-whito checks
How does my little nelghbor feel to
dayP"
At first the child only smiled, as sh,
children will, in response 10 he
strange friends remarks and inquir
ice, but before very long this bashful
ness wore away and then the girl chat
ted freely to the big man on the loft.
pole.
Down in the street the people an
the teams hurried to and fro, bu
forty feet above them Bill the Line
man and the tiny child convorsed "a
gethcr with as much privacy a
though they had been in the quiet an,
secluded parlor OF country house
From the child Bill learned that he
name was Millie. and that her aunt
her good aunt, she always called her
was obliged TO leave her alone al
through the day because she workel
In big factory, whore they mad
mems neck ties and such things. Tn
child seemed TO know nothing abou
father or mother; as long as she coul,
remember she had been with he
"good aunt. who was with her ever.
evening and all thro ugh the long sun
days.
Bill, as may be imagined, possessed
some fine feelings, though he was bu
.lineman. Nothing could have in
duced him 20 intrude on the privac.
Of this good woman. who was evident
ly poor, yet who, in her poverty
cared so well for the child that was
apparently, not her own. Sc Bill al
ways timed his ascent OF pole No. a.
In the fore noon, about ten or clever
o'clock, when IL was tolerably certain
that the woman would be at the fac
tory, and on Sunday he never went ~
at all except for a moment quite earl.
in the day.
The child from time TO time asket
Bill a hundred questions about hi
, work and the telegraph, and she wa
particularly interested In the music o
the wires, which muraured 50 sweet
. ly all the time, like an Rolian harp
And Bill, who was splendid story
teller--having amused his own littl
girl in days gone by with his origina
, tales-toid her that the good fairie
made the music on the wires. He OK
planned, too, how messages are sen
, by telegraph and, for her amuse
| ment, would frequently place his ca
to an insulator and relate prett
, story, which he made believe wa
I passing over the wires.
Yes, indeed. they were great friends
we're Bill the Lineman and littl
Mile. and after they had been aC
! quainted few months it is hard I
: say which would have missed th
a other most Bin was always takin
the child something. One day whe
5 he swung himself up the pole his bi
4 belt would be bulged out with
: flower pot containing a choice an
: fragrant plant At another time hi