The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1894-01-12

smell of Grape, broadcloth and camphor.
The youth who had wedged himself
next to me carried large packet Of
"fairing, which he had bought at one
Of the sweet stalls. He began to insert
it into his side pocket, and in his strug-
giles drove an elbow sharply into my
ribs. shifted my position little.
Toms wife would ha' felt it a source
O. pride, had she lived"
But ceased to listen; for in moving
had happened to glance at the farther
end OF the carriage, and there my at
tention was arrested by a curious little
piece Of pantomime. The little girl--a
dark eyet., intelligent child, whose pal
lor was emphasized by the Grape which
smotherod her-was looking very close
ly at the old gentleman with the hump
staring at him hard in fact He, on the
other hand, was leaning forward with
both hands on the knob of his malacca,
his eyes bent on the floor and his mouth
squared to the surliest expression. He
seemed quite unconscious of her scru-
tiny, and was tapping one foot impa-
tiently on the floor,
After minute was surprised to see
her lem forward and touch him gently
On the knee
He took no notice beyond shuffling
about little and uttering u slight
growl The woman who held her put
4 out an arm and drew back the child's
hand reprovingly. The child paid no
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 a
louder growl from him and an irascible
glare. Not in the least daunted, she
took hold Of his malacca and shook it to
and fro in her small hand.
"l wish to heavens, madam, you'd
keep your child to yourself!"
For shame, Annie!" 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 ee warm Mister Bar
rabel wi this?"
He moved uneasily and looked harshly
at her without answering For shame,
Annie!" the woman murmured a second
time: but saw her lean back and tear
started and rolled down her cheek.
IF you please, sir, repeated Annie,
"will ee warm Mister Barrabel wi thisg
The old gentleman stared at her. In
his eyes you could read the question
; What in the DEVILS name does the child
: mean?" The robust woman read it there
and answered him huskily: Poor mite
, she's buried her father this mornin; al
Mister Barrabel is the coffin maker, al
nailed i'm down"
Now said Annie, this time eagerly
will 'ee warm him same as the biz
. doll did Just now"
Luckily the old gentleman did not un
8 derstand this last allusion, He had no
: seen the group around the Punch ant
. Judy show, nor il he had is it likely h,
" would have guessed the train of though
u in the child's mind. But to me, as
looked ut my fellow passengers nos
+ and the deformity of his shoulders all,
: remembered how Punch treats the un
!. dertaker it was plain enough, lglancet
u ut the childs companions. There wa
y nothing in their faces to show that the.
0 took the allusion And the next minut
G WAS glad to think that alone kney
: what had prompted Annie's speech,
l. For as | looked, with beautiful
+ change on his face, the old gentlema
/ had taken the child on his knee and wa
& talking to her rs dare say he had neve
y talked before
u Are you her mother?" he asked, looh
a ing up suddenly and addressing tn
u woman opposite,
II Her mothers been dead ts&s tw
l. year FIN her aunt, an l'mI taEin he
% home to rear long wi my own childer
ri He was bending over Annie, and ha
Is resumed his chat. 1t was all nonsense
4 something about the silver knob of h
H. malacca-bu it took hold of the child
fancy and comforted her. At the nel
N station | had to alight, for it was IL
IL end of my journey. But looking bac
into the carriage as | shut the door,
a saw Annie bending forward over II
'k walking stick and following the patter
or of its silver work with her small tinge
" Her face was turned from the old gel
tlemau's, and behind her little black h
p his eyes were glistening. Arthur
o Quiller-Couch in Speaker.
uo The Value of Cats.