Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-07-12

D
like weary eyes Of the old man came bit
ter sweet tears.
ooh, pickaninny, little angolp' he cried,
and then he fell on his knees.
Get up, you stupid old Adam" com
manded Mimi, running toward her friend
and putting her arms round his neck.
"Oh, liley misscy, We makes ole Adam
feel so good.
"Mind and throw that bunch of lilac
when l leave the ring. Adam, continued
the child "And isi,@ my dress pretty
real spangles Adam, and openwork stock
ings!"
aye bet, lilley missey Adams got a
bunch oh lublcy white lilac. He bought it
all hissclf Will misscy be too proud to
come to him after all the slJ7utin and clap
pin and glib him u kiss for true lub's sakey"
"I'll come to you, Adam. You may kiss
me now, Adam"
And he kissed her.
When the time came for his little picka
nnny to appear, he grew horribly nervous.
He had been forbidden from going near
the ring but what cared he for all the or
ders in Chrstcndom!
In the distance he could see Mimi
mounting her little white steod, and then
Boppo, the riding MASTER sprang on his
own brown horse, and, taking the long
silken rcins suspended from Floss mouth,
prepared to ride behind the excited child.
The music was beginning to play an old
plantation song, and Mimi, blowing
kisses, rode in front of Bcppo into the ring.
The old mans heart swclled ut the round
of applause that greeted her Adoringly
he watched the little figure in its diapha-
nous drapcry, and he could have wept for
Joy when the first turn was successfully
accomplished Presently the time arrived
when Signcrina Dingo and Bcppo were to
jump through four gaily decorated hoops.
This part of the performance filled
Adam with nervous apprehension, and he
did not like the look of the great brown
horse in the wake of the white pony. He
crept forward into an opening Of the ring,
unheeding the blows and curses lcvelcd at
him. In his hand he held great bunch
of lilac, the perfume of which contrasted
with the close, unpleasant air.
What a pretty waltz tune they were
playing, and that darling pclaninny how
well she jumped One ring was success
fully accomplishcd-two rings-when she
slipped and fell in front of Beppo's horse
just rs his master was preparing to jump.
A shrill cry rang through the circus.
The multitude turned their eaccs shudder-
ingly aside, and women tainted. But, in
stead of little child vending her way to
the kingdom of God, Jesus saw fit to call
to him an old, old man!
For Adam, seeing the terrible danger of
his darling, had, with marvellous agility,
bounded forward and rescued the child
from beneath the trampling hoofs, receiv-
ing the death wound that might have been
the fate of his little pickaninny.
And then for the first time, and, alas
too late, they who had ever used rough
words to the old man spoke to him gently.
Gently, too. they lifted him and laid him
on heap of old sacking outside the stable
of Floss They did not heed the bunch OF
lilac.
He Law tbcre moaning faintlv rs the cool
water was dashed across his face and then
he bv and by oncned his dim eyes.
"Pic5aninnv. " he SIGHED.
"Here. Admir-, cried the voice he loved
so we'll "Here " And Mimi in her white
vines and white robe came and knelt h,
his side
= "Not burt nowhere honey dear?"
> s.Nowbrrc. Adam
"Ain,t cot nn buncb of lilac. dcarie "
The child hung tendcrly above him
,, con. Adnml Are Won very i'll? Does il
hurt very much.'
"Dnn't CRY. dcar honey uicloninnv. Oh,
. Adam. he lscd TO main. Ebbrr since II,
= was n black hoy baby he NOT had mucl
. luck. But nchber mind, misscv; all ODE
now"
, :" Are Won going to die. Adam. dear9"
>. "TinI so ricSnninny. ole Adam. he II,
', moro pood-alr 'orses. ole dogs. ole MIG
,rnrs who wants emp Very weary. tno
missev. lub."
"Poor old Adaml Shall picllaninnv sin,
,.-...,,