Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-08-08

'On, were gOln Ter make Dill O
money. Mic" with an uneasy laugh.
''How we goin' ter make money,
pap. tell me thatp"
..Oh. yell find out when we git
started
Mic glared at him with a malicious
look. All the hatred in his soul looked
out through his eyes, but 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 and quoting pow
ers. and he skunk 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 a mischief eff don't
watch 'im,'' he muttered as he got up
uneasily and went out of doors.
''Mam. be you willin'?" The poor
ploring look as the door closed, and
then she knew that he was only too
well aware of the nature of the unnat-
ural plan.
mo, Nicky, bean't," she answered
with a 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 1 sh'd cross i'm. Meb be
you'll like it, Nicky."
"LiEe 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
smoothing his unkempt hair with
touch of plying tenderness.
It 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 stified heart
would break.
The days followed each other in
monotonous succession as the white
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 ST.
lence, turning his glazing eyes upon
the sightseers at times with alarming
ferOcity.
One day Sam pitched the tent on a
green common just in the outskirts of
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 eff
we do we'll here" he said, with his
nearest approach to good humor.
A purpose had been forming in the
run away at the first suitable oppor-
tunity, and an idea of beguiling 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 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 a degree of salts
faction that he was growing reconciled
to the life which his avarice had
planned for him.
just across the common was a mod
est little white house with we'll
shaded porch upon which two chill
dren were playing, one a little fairy
with long, golden curls, over whom
an elder sister kept almost constant
guard. for she was only baby and
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 a constant source of
trouble to its inmates.
Mic was eating his coarse dinner,
while Sam was canvassing the town
with advertisements, whel a tiny
golden head came peepipg in at the
tent door.
''Pease, may Dolly tum ir?" said a
sweet, silvery voice. II boughted 90
a tookie. a pity tookie. Dolly did"
Mic started. He had seen pictures
of angels and had dreamed of them,
but had never seen such near ap-
proach to one as this soft-eyed little
cherub, her white hand stretched out
to him with its cookie Offering and the
lovely blue eyes filed with timid
wonder.
Come in, little Dolly" said Mic. in
voice which was a surprise to HIM
self, he was so little accustomed to
speaking gently. The child sidled in.