Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-27
JACOB AND ME"

Its sO hot and tickly and tangly and b0versome, and I'm old enough to look like q boy.' he said, which was true. His mother put her arms around him-they were sitting i'll the big wick CT chair by the rarlor window-aud held him as 1T she would never let him go.
 ''I want my baby as he iS," she said, which was also true. There was little 1 silence.
 It was low, little room, full of ! quiet and half darkness. There were some well filled bOokshelves, well chosen pictures, just enough pretty and more or less wOrn rugs and cushions and bowl of garden roses on q low table. The child leaned his head against his mothers shoulder. the despised hair bright tangic against her dark gown and gaZcd adUriugly into Ter face, but she was looking out of the window across the meadow. where the black | trees and the slender spirc of St. Mi | chacl a.ld All Angels were clearly de- fined against tho cool twilight sky. There was a clurchyard around St. Mi chaCl'S. but it was i'll the shadow. Tho twilight dcepcned. \ cowbell tinkled i'll the distance, and a young man and two girls with pretty shirt waists and tennis racquets went chattering laugh inEly by.
 That 's the boy that plays the organ at St Michael'S," said Rupert. II go in sometimes to hear him do it He likes it. When he isn't playing, he is talking to those three nice girls in the little house down the road. They each have a ascrapbook, and the little boy has a scrapbools, and they put everything in''-
 He stopped suddenly, his gaze fol- lowed his m"tltr'S across the meadow, and he slipped one soft arm around her neck, while she took possession of the little brown hand and kissed it gently. An old woman came slowly down the road-an old woman, with straight, white hair, blue calico gown and red handkvrchicf twisted around her neck. She wa' driving q flock of clamoring ducks and gvr>,, and Rupcrt's interest Was at once awakened.
 Buy me one, mamma, one of the big whi'n oliv$. IL would be such good company, and I'll never say another word about the hair. It was an odd fancy and O,ldcr bargain, but it ended i'll Mrs. Cardell's most promising gan der. very much surprised and named Jacob. being shut up in Mrs. Wares chicken house for the night
 He did prove ''Goud company. With q string around his leg for safety, he followed Rupert hither and yon. To- gether they planted a garden and dug 1t up from time to time to sec how it grew" together they hunted for frogs ln the meadow. and together they waded Ill the brook below the hill; together they sat on the steps when it was time for ''mImnIa" to cOr2U home, holding a long and rather one sided conversa- tiCn.
 In September a plan began to grow in Rupcrt's little head, and he told Ja- cob all about 1t.
 Mamma had begun to teach in town now and was away all day. Julia, the maid. could be very good when she chose. hut tho day Rupert came tum- bling into the kitchen, his feet very muddy. dragging after him poor bewil- dercd Jacob ly the length of his string, trying tO explain all i'll a moment, she said:
 Did ever see the like of such n bOthersome child, and the pcsIy beast'' and picked them up unccrcmonious- ly hy the left wing and the right arm and put them down on the doorstep Rupert cried a little, and Jacob went to sleep on one leg, and presently Julia rcpcntIf!, spread a nice slice of graham bread with apple sauce and presented it as peace offering, explaining that she had just scrubbed the kitchen and was i'll tempered into the bargain along of reasons you cant comprehend. And tell ne about the plan, darlin'
 Rupert suifTed, ate some of the bread and fed the rest to Jacob, talking all the time
 Mammals birthday and St Michael and All Angels day come just the same next Saturday-and papa used to buy goose and apple sauce and a cake with candies. Twenty eight it was last year. This year makes 29, and the big punch bowl full of Michaelmas daisies papa used to go way into the coun- try when we were in the fiat in town, but here the meadow is full of them. Jacob and me found them-and candles III the silver candlesticks and dinner cards Could you paint dinner cards, Julia: The boy that plays the organ could do them, I think, '' but Julia was thinking of something else, her fore head wrinkled up, her pale blue eyes gazing into indefinite distance
 Rupert wondered suddenly why Julia
 dldn't 20 on and finish being pretty" Her hair was soft and wavy and brown, and though she twisted it up tightly twice a day it generally rippled loosely above broad white forehead. Her eyes were very light. but shaded by long dark lashes, and her cheeks were the beauty ceased. Her mouth was very wide; her waist was very big; she her. self was very long. and her fingers wert bent quite crooked with rheumatism. Rupert tried to straighten them out as she went on talking
 Its cake you're wantin, and ap pie sauce and daisies-them's easy got and candles. There's plenty left from Christmas. but a goose'd be q big item on the bill, an it as small as it has tt be. an bit of steak here, an a handful of mutton for a stew there, an Q lilli. putian roast of a Sunday. There's Ja- cob now"
 Rupert stood up suddenly and gather. ed Jacob into his arms He was grow. ing very heavy.
 We're going to find the boy that plays the organ, he said with dignity.
 He found him on the piazza of the little house down the road, deep in scrap. books and newspaper clippings, with two of the girls, while the other eirl was making lemonade and putting in .