Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-05-14
AN AWKWARD HERO.

Il can't see what brought him her
anyway None of us asked him t.
come am sure"
UNLESS it was Denzil He is al
ways so soft hearted about such peo
pie. If he looked as if he wanted t.
come, you may be certain DenM
gave him an invitation.
Yes, said Denzil quietly, Il die
ask him to come"
II can't tell what you did it for,
then responded the one who had
first spoken; for Of all disagr reeable,
stupid creatures Caleb Orton is the
most disagreeable and the most stu
pid.
Never says a word all day long,
but just sits and stares for al the
world like one Of those wooden i'm
ages before tobacco shops"
Yesterday" said a girls voice, ~
was trying to cross the brook on the
stepping stones, which, as you know,
are very slippery Master Caleb
happened to come along, and without
saying a word he picked me up and
carried me across as if l had been a
bundle. When he saw | was angry,
he turned very red, muttered some
thing about being afraid | might
wet my feet, and went off, looking
more sheepish than ever"
He does nothing but ride around
the country on that bicycle of his,
and"--
Now, look here, fellows, and you,
Mollie, interrupted Denzil, you are
all mistaken about Caleb Orton. Tell
me, did you ever know of his saying
or doing a mean thingg"
No reluctantly from several of
the party.
well, then, l tell you that Caleb
Orton is true gentleman at heart
He may be slow and awkward. l
don't deny that. You may not like
his looks. That is a matter of taste.
But in spite of his queer, shy ways
he is one of the best fellows that ever
lived.
And all this time Caleb Orton him
self stood in the shadow of the hazel
hedge, not ten steps distant from
where the party of girls and boys sat
upon the lawn. He had meant to
join them, but had paused where he
was, with an unhappy sense that he
would not be welcome among them,
and while debating with himself he
heard all.
Caleb was slow, as Denzil had said,
but he could not help seeing that his
young companions, except Denzil
Graham, avoided him. He had often
wondered why. He liked and ad-
mired them all. They were so
bright and clever that he would have
been satisfied just to sit with them
and listen to their talk. But he no
ticed that they became cold and silent
the moment he joined them. He
had tried very hard to gain their
good will, but everything he did only
seemed to make matters worse.
Sitting by himself in his room, or
wandering off alone in the woods, he
had many times pondered over this,
with a very sore heart. What was
wrong with himl What had he done
to offend them2 Now he understood.
He hesitated a moment, drawing
his rough red hand over his eyes,
then without knowing very clearly
what he meant to do he pushed his
way through the hazels and stood be-
fore the party.
Instantly silence fell upon the
group. Those who had been talking
against him looked little umcom-
Portable; for there was something in
the boys face which they had never
seen there before,
No, said Caleb, as DenAl beck
oned him to a place beside himself
ON the settee. NO, DenHl; | only
came TO say that / heard all did
not mean 10 listen, but / know now
why none of you like me. I'm not
angry, only very sorry. am clumsy
and dull can't talk like the rest of
you. l cant do things that other
boys can. wanted to make friends
with You, but somehow / couldn't.
1t wasn't your fault. suppose am
different from other fellows ! am
going away tomorrow, and and
hope you will forgive me.
He spoke hurriedly, in a choked
voice, and broke down at the end.
He was ashamed OF the tears he felt