The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-19
A STRICKEN SHRINE.

enc TOO smart 70 caught. ne EAAAs Viz
basement shutters, aud hammers on tho
back of the stoop, and rings the bell with
his dirty eetn-here the spinster dimly per.
ceiv ed that her Indignation was becoming
illogical and hesitated bet ween breAtns.
"a bad boy, reueated Snoggs the grocer
"There's no turning ones back On him. liz
a fg here. and al apple there; bunbun
now, and bit o. cheese then. And he's
90 plagued sharp that when one do look he's
sitting on a bar'l, whistling Sabbath
tunes. And It do count up amazing, Miss
Barker, especially when one considers how
clus' his parents be, and how begrudging
of living profit"
"a bad boy" chimed in Mrs. Chumley,
as she lifted her market basket from the
counter. II hate 10 have little Willie 20
with him. that l do. It's mischief from
morning uptil night and such mean, tor
menting mischief, too. Boys will be boys,
and for one Pm glad on it, but when 1t
comes 70 ha1ging cats and manning dogs,
and tripping up old women, and always
making the other boys take the risk, then |
say, Willie. you stay in doors with your
NANNY aud let that wicked Bobby Ruth
erford be-
Meanwhile the object of this neighborly
cavilinR was seated at home in his little
third-story back room munching stolen
raisins and reading THE Fortunes Of Nigel
He was away from his sister Ruth, whom
he had forced 20 appropriate the fruit; he
was away from Eunice Maitland, her play
mate, who had expressed her contempt for
the transaction; be was by himself, with
something TO eat and something to read,
and he was absorbed and happy.
The room was cold, its appointments few
and mean, the chair hard and broken, but
not for him. His surroundings glittered
with a glow from Fableland. He was
Edward of Waverley, gallantly marching
IN the van OF the MacIvors. he was Arthur
Of Oxford, creeping along the dizzy lodges
of Mount Pilstre. he was that tall strip
ling Quentin, with his fathers sword bound
20 his side, giving the French king as good
as he gave, and thus winning post in the
famous Guard. He was Vanbeest Brown,
following the old gypsy mother into the
smugglers' cave, and thus reRaintng the
Nights OF Ellangowan.
All these he was as he raised bis eyes from
the gage and dreamed, and not q dirty little
boy with low forehead, bushy black hair
and small, furtive eyes, whom the neigh
bors would like 10 shake. How easy. how
very, very safe IL was to be a herol One
had but TO grit ones teeth and dash for
ward, and lol the deed was done, even as
this Nigel Olifsunt had snatched old Trap
bois the miser from the flame. he could
have done it just as well, better, indeed, for
would he not have also borne away that
massy, iron-bound chest OF goldl
At this instant there we're agonizing
screams from below. Bobby sped down the
stairs two steps at a time. He rushed into
the sitting room. The girls were huddled
together, their light dresses in q blaze. The
brass screen was down before the hearth.
Little Ruth 10 her play had fallen against
IL. Her clothing hal touched the fire, and
Eunice had sprung to her rescue. Bobby
never hesitated.
he tore the heavy spread from the center
table, finding malicious Joy in the thought
that he would thus smash drop light and
glassware and not be punished. He
wrapped il around the children. and the
three rolled on the floor together. The
danger was soon over, but not until Master
Bobbys hands had been quite seriously
burned, aud more, so surprised was be by
such a smartinR conclusion that he rolled
further than the others and caught his leg
In the CRATE. How he did scream, to be
sure, and how his flesh did creep and tinge
and pain.
This was not what he had bargained for
the little wretches, IL he had only known
that heroism meant suffering they could
have helped themselves, and he would have
the raisins. o. o, the lad jumped up and
down in anger and anguish.
The entire household hurried to the scene
The little girls. more frightened than hurt,
were kissed and cuddled and tucked into
bed. Then came BobbY's turn. The serv-
ants stood about With awed faces and
whispered what brave bye.n His mother
tenderly soothed him and when he kicked
and swore ascribed it TO the reaction. The
dnrfnra in,
while they pronounced the injuries Of the
girls superficial, and had them playing to-
Rether In a week, they looked grave as they
discussed poor Bobby's leg: and Eunice's
eyes suffused and her lips trembled when
ever she came TO his couch and saw his
white, pinched face. How her gentle little
heart throbbed with expenditures
On the very morning of that eVentful day
she bad called him horrid sneak, and he
had retallated by saving her life. Eunics,
too, had read and dreamed, and II the Seven
Champions Of Christendom were ever REIN
carnated in a single matches hero that
single matches hero was Bobby Ruther-
ford.
Never mind, Bobby" she falsered amid
violent sobs. "When we grow up I'll be
your wife and take care OF you"
But I'll limp just the same" grumbled
the lad.
those sports Of which the neighbors had
complained. Perhaps he would not have
cared to, for during his long confinement
he had pondered much, and appreciated
fully both what he had endured and what
he had gathered. While be CRASHED his
teeth over his folly, he was not blind TO it's
recompense. People yielded 70 him now
and made much of him, and he liked it.
How silly he would be to peril such a con-
dition. His lameness became a plaintive
auxiliary, and Mrs. Chumley aud old Miss
Barker now callei him "a sweet, pretty
dear, and Snoggs, the grocer, often gave
him handful of dried apples.
Even his father, VINO had always re-
gArded him with dubious eyes, now said
there must be something in the boy after
all. As for his school companions, CONS
passion led them under the yoke, and habit
kept them there. Bobby was nearly
killed, you know, saving some girls, and
we always make a good deal Of him. was
the way they explained 1t to newcomers.
Old Mr.. Rutherford was a man OF mod
crate circumstances, who tried to do well
by large family and was worn by the try
ing. Gradually the solo of the good wife
and the refrain of the girls and the chorus
Of the nelRhbors imbued him with the con-
viction that his son Robert was thing set
apart, pearl of great price, to be kept 10 a
benehting case. SO while George was
taken into the store and Edward made over
TO Uncle James In the country, Bobby was
reserved for a more excelled fate
He was incapacitated from manual labor
he had become thoughtful aud taciturn /;
why should he not some dav asoand tha