The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-10-21

But OH do wish't ye'd let me stay.
Oh, III tend the baby-rll do anything
anything but tell. I'm so tired o.
trampin'! / kin cook, too. ! know
how to make Johnny-cake," and he
looked at her appealingly through his
tears.
There was a suspicious moisture in
Mrs. Stones sharp eyes, too; but she
considered it beneath the dignity of an
admonisher to yield so soon.
''So!' she said, "they's a secret bout
1t, hey?"
"Yes," he answered, still with that
fearful gaze.
She worked on for five minutes.
IN ye're a runaway. hey? Well"
Peter looked her straight in the eye.
mo; didn't run away mot like We
mean ] did; my folks knowed I was 60
in to leave"
"oh! m they encouragedye, mebbe?"
inquired Mrs. Stone, with irony.
YES, they did; m dad bought my
ticket fer me, m nav put up my
lunch"
Mrs. Stones jaw dropped. 1t was
evident that the boy was telling the
truth
Then they know where We be?" she
gasped.
mo; m they don't want to--fer
awhile"
well, o all things" 81 can't keep
boy aroun' like that" she was think
ing. But he was holding Adelia with
easy security, and the child was cooling
and patting his thin, freckled check,
and her own work was progressing in
a surprising manner without the baby
to care for. Mighty curious" she
muttered, under her breath. "Well,
see t We behave yerself," she said
aloud, in tone of admonition.
"Yessem," answered Peter, obedient-
ly.
He behaved himself very well, though
his secret always troubled her. and
made her feel as if she had not quite
got him under her thumb He attended
Adelia day after day with no sign of
failing courage. Mrs Stone went so
far as to admit in his hearing that he
was not bad boy, though there was
was a merry fellow; and, when he
sang the baby to sleep, Mrs. Stone was
reminded of the way the birds used to
sing in her eastern home on a morning
in May
One day he had gone out for stroll
while the baby was asleep; and, need
ing hip for something, she went to the
door and called:
Peter oh, Peter!''
The boy was in full view; he turned,
but made no sign of obeying.
Peter" she called again. Good
land! Have We gone deaf?"
This time he ran toward her hurried
ly, and arrived breathless.
IL fergotr' he said, in apology.
Mrs. Stone stared.
''Fergot yer own name? Well, that's
likelym
Il won't do it agin," Peter promised.
Mrs. Stones eyes made a two-fold
impalemento of his small body.
Il don't b'lieve we've give me yer
right name" she cried, in accusation.
Peter did not deny it. But | amt a
villain" he insisted. Tits ne 'ssary,
for the present I'm behavin' myself,
amt 70"
Mrs. Stone was obliged to admit it.
But to go under false NAME" she
cried, in strong 6isapproval.
Peters habit was to get up early,
long before Adelia was awake, and
climb to the summit of the great black
foothill in the rear of the house. 1t
was a harmless amusement and was
not interfered with. When questioned,
he could not explain this pleasure; he
could only say that the sight Of the
mountains from there did him good.
These solitary moments on the Hill
were a revelation to Peter. An all
embracing sense of supremacy thrilled
through every atom of his little body
as he sat with his eyes fixed upon The
valley, which looked so helpless lying
there at his feet. He could imagine it
was altogether at his mercy, to be de-
stroyed or preserved according to his
will. II could take hold o it m fold il
up lay it away in one o the gulches."
he once thought filled with a dreamy
ecstasy of power. Those were mo-
ments of exaltation, of spiritual up
lifting, such as the first man must have
felt while gazing ont upon his splendid
heritage-the earth and all the fullness
thereof
One day he asked Ranchman Stone if
he owned the land in the next valley
beyond the Black foothill in the rear OF
the house.
YES, was the answer
I'm goin' to have dad come n buy it
some day" said Peter.
IN sell it cheap" said the ranch
man, IN it's good land"
Il like the looks O it." said Peter.
gravely. The BOY was blessed with
strong practical qualities of which Mrs.
Stone prophesied good things. II
reckon oats nd grow fust rate down
there"
Il reckon they would. N they's
good water there, too"
YES, said Peter, meditatively. ut
makes me think o what it saws bout
Egypt in my juggerphy-'a strip of YER
dure in the midst of the desert"
Afterward the ranchman asked him
jokingly when he was going to bring on
his father
when his troubles blows over a lit