Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-10

his sympathetic face, but it was plain she did not understand him.
 '.I reckon ye can't make me out. little bird, from the way ye look," he said; but ye needn't be afeard, ye needn't be hfeard."
 The children were pressing about them, and the father drew Lannie upon his other knee, The pudgy little fellow looked at the pale-faced child a moment. then, touching her thin hand, he looked up into the IT. R7l's face and lisped: She Lannie's siatcrl Lannie's new sisterl and the other children jumped up and down with glee.
 The mother heard it as she entered, and when she came forward with the tiny dress and shoes that once had clad thelr little Breeze, hor heart was full Taking the willing cEild to her breast she passed into the other room again to cloth her in dry garments, and the big, ragged, steaming man leaned forward and poked the fire, and the children wondered, for his eyes were wet Presently the woman came back, and, with a quick step, set about getting breakfast Armor remained leaning forward, steaming, and gn1t-y dinly into the bed of burning knots. Pesent- ly his head sank down as if it were lead; he had fallen asleep from utter ex- haustion. The woman touched his shoulder.
 Drink this cup of coffee, Trave,'' she said soothingly. It'll strengthen you till get some breakfast on the table"
 But he could hardly drink it, his hands shook so, and he looked up pite- ously in her face. Lucy. I'm amost peggedl' he said
 ''Ics; Oh, Travc, can't you stop now? Can't you quit drinlSing?" she cried, and her thin frame shook from head to foot.
 The man swayed forward over his knees and groaned; Lucy, I will if l kim" But suddenly he threw himself back with look of torture in his face. II need it now! I'm ;burnin' up, Lucyl' he cried. "Ain't there any in the house2 Jist spoonful!'
 A look of despair spread over the woman's face. "Trave, there ain't any," she said You must go to bed now, and sleep until y'r better," and she led him into the ether room as if he was a trem bling child.
 When she came out again she asked for Paul, but none of the children had seen him, and she went anxiously to the door and looked out The boy was li1nping slowly up the path with his fa- ther's rusted rifle on his shoulder, He had found it in the bottom of the water logged boat.
 'Brcallfast is most ready. Paul, :" said the mother, and her voice was an infinitely tender caress, She did not | praise him, but he saw an approval in 1 her eyes too great for words 'I'm not much hungry, mother" he said. "I'll get the tubs filled, so we can go to work when y're ready" When the poor meal was prepared he came in and ate a few bites in silence. l The food chollcd him when he looked at | his mothers care-worn face. Suddenly as they sat at the table, the father cried out wildly in the other room, and the wife ran in and they heard her strug- Eling with him. The children grew still and the little waif looked fright | cned and pcrpleXed.
 ''It was right up there on the ceilin'P' cried the man; fright up therel an ii had green eyes and red-forked tonguel It was an awful snake, Lucy, and ii l jumped down onto me an got round my | neck an was chollin' mel Oh, it was l chollin' mc!'
 l Paul got up and, lifting the little gir in his arms, looked at the children | r1eaningly, and they followed him out l He placed his delicate burden on g bench in sunny place down by the wall, and, asking Carl to watch then wEile they played, he went back tc l help his mother. She came into the | room as he entered. It struck him tc | the heart, she looked so worn and pitt
 ful.
 "IIc's sleeping again" she whispered
 Don't you go in where he is, Paul, un
 less call you; perhaps the spell won
 come on him again"
 The boy turned aside and sat dow
 before the fire, and began drying hi
 wet and clinging clothes The woman
 went slowly about her work, an'
 sounds from the children playing in tn
 sunshine came floating in
 The two did not talk; some question
 touching the little stranger, who sh
 could be, and through what mysteriou
 peril she had come to them, may hay
 cbbcd through their thoughts, but the
 had no heart to speak of it. The chi
 dren might gambol on the grass, wit
 the deep indigo sky above and tn
 fragrant rain-washed air comin
 through the pines and filling them wit
 zest, but to these elder two the very al
 nosphcre seemed thick and stagnan
 with the curse that lay upon the family
 After time the woman fnishe
 washing the poor, cracked dishes an went out, and the boy reused himse.
 and stirred wearily about. He fe
 stiff and heavy, much as if he wer . partly numb in body while his min was painfully widc-awake. He foun [ his mother putting the tubs in positio under the shed, getting them ready z f once for work.
 "Mother, ye ain't fit to-" pleaded th = boy. "Ye ain't fit to work; ye didn l sleep none last night, know ye didn' = See, y're all of tremble now, mothe can't we wait till tomorrow" 3 I've have nothing to eat in the hous 3 | Paul." she said 'IVe must get thes