The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-05-20

n0xt to me carried o large packet or
starring" which he had bought at one
of Hle sweet stalls. He began to insert
il into his side pocket, and in his strug-
glea drove an elbow sharply into my
rib shifted my position little.
ssgom's wife would ha' felt it source
b. pSide, had she lived"
But / ceased to listen; for In moving
! hid happened TO glance at the farther
eudof the carriage, and there my at
tsntion was arrested by curious little
piece Of pantomime. The little girl--a
daxk eyed, intelligent child, whose PAL
lor Nas emphasized by the Grape which
s1nokhered her--was looking very close
IL It the old gentleman with the hump
staring at him hard in fact. He, on the
other hand, was leaning forward with
beth hands on the knob of his malacca,
his eyes bent on the floor and his mouth
squared to the surliest expression. He
setIned quite unconscious OF her scru-
tiny, and was tapping one foot impa-
tiently on the floor.
After minute was surprised to see
her lean forward and touch him gently
on the knee
He took no notice beyond shutting
about little and uttering slight
grcwl The woman who held her put
out an arm and drew back the child's
hand reprovingly. The child paid nc
heed to this, but continued to stare.
Then in another two minutes she again
bent forward and tapped the old gentle
mans knee. This time she fetched q
louder growl from him and an irascible
glare. Not in the least daunted, she
took hold Of his malacca and shook 1t te
and fro in her small hand.
II wish to heavens, madam. you'd
keep your child to yourselfr
For shame, Annieln whispered the
poor woman, cowed by his look.
But again Annie paid no heed. indeed
she pushed the malacca toward the old
gentleman, saying:
''Please, sir, will ZEE warm Mister Bar
rabel WI this?"
| He moved uneasily and looked harshly
1T her without answering. "For shame
Annien the woman murmured second
time; but saw her lean back and teal
started and rolled down her cheek.
eff you please, sir" repeated Annie
will ZEE warm Mister Barrabel wi this?'
The old gentleman stared at her. Il
bis eyes you could read the question
aWhat in the devils name does the child
j mean?r The robust woman read itther,
and answered him huskily: "Poor mite
i hhe's buried her father this mornin; al
Mister Barrabel is the coffin maker, al
nailed Inn down"
n ssom, said Annie, this time eagerly
| doll did just nowy'
4 Luckily the Oh. gentleman did not u,
derstand tbs last allusion. He had M
| seen -.Ie group around the Punch an
y. Judy show, nor If he had is it likely b
would have guessed the train of though
] in the child's mind But to me, as
looked at my fellow passengers nos
} and the deformity of his shoulders an
remembered how Punch treats the III
! dertaker, it was plain enough. Iglance
at the child's companions. There wa
nothing i'm their faces to show that the
took tn., allusion. And the next minut
| was glad to think rIs- ! alone kne'
what had prompted Annie's speech.
i For as ! looked, with beautif.
change on his face, the old gentlema
had taken the child on his knee and wa
talking to her as | dare say he hal nevt
talked before.
/ Are you her motherY' be asked, 10 ol
ing up suddenly and addressing tn
woman opposite.
Her mothers been dead these tw,
year. I'm her aunt, an TIM takin he
home to rear long wi my own childer
He was bending over Annie, and ha,
resumed his chat. 1t was all nonsense
something about the silver knob Of hi
malacca-but it took hold Of the child,
fancy and comforted her. At the mex
station / had to alight, for it was th,
end Of my journey. But looking bacl
into the carriage as I shut the door,
saw Annie bending forward over tn,
walking stick and following the patteri
of its silver work with her small finger
Her face was turned from the old gen
tleman's, and behind her little black ha
his eyes were glistening. Arthur J
CUTLER Couch in Speaker.
/
Discouragement for Jail Birds.