The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-18

TIL
IL Is because he was wicked and cruel.
not because he has the things would
like to have and have not got II we
had O home like this. wouldn't we take
pride in it? Yet have heard that tho
only chSd tho Crosses have is nearly al
ways away"
'He amt stay yere- much" Nanny
admitted. isis May johnson she say
Cunnel Cross low he want do boy ter go
ter dat soldier school--Wes' Pint dee
calls hit-case he wanter sec i'm or
officer an er gentemun. / took al tolo
Sis May, did. He may go dar tell
do cows come home, hit not gwine ter
make him no quality-caso quality
ha ter be borned--dee not nebber made.
Tony made no answer. Her eyes were
fast upon the black mule which in tho
last few yards had begun to falter and
reel
"Get out. Nanny. quicSp' she said,
herself scrambling agilely over the wag-
on side. Nance has given out. Help
me get her in the shade there under
that big wild cherry. Thon you must
wait here until l can get something,
somewhere, TO put in her place.
"Yo' can't do dat" Nanny said
dolefully. "Eberybody SO busy in dc
crap now dee 'oon't hep yo' fer lub ner
money. Dat is. 'cep'in dis we're Harp
Cross. spec he mought, but shcly yo'
amt gwine dar ter ak imp"
"There is nothing else to be done.
Tony said, lifting her head proudly.
Besides i rather think shall like to
SEQ the man. OF course ! need not let
him know who am.
Don't you b'leeve dc half er dat, ;"
Nanny returned promptly. Harp
Cross nebber wus no fool. He members
de Morris favor too well not ter know
hit fur as he kin see hit. But g'w'an eff
you's gwine. De's rain, an plenty OBJ
hit, comm torrectly"
1t was sweltering hot, even upon the
lawn at Cross Trees 1t was the velvet
lest turf, fecked now with dancing
shadow, touched here or there with
flame of bedding plants just coming into
flower. A wide house, low and gray,
sat upon the green. 1t had deep piazza
and Hospitality open doors. Gay cush-
iony red armed chairs sat here and
there. \ wickerwork table Uttered
with gay silks was pushed back against
tho house wall. There was couch, too,
also wicker, heaped with down cush-
ions in fresh linen covers Another ia
BILE stood at the head of il and was piled
with the latest books and magazines.
Where the tree shadows were thickest a
gorgeous hammock swung. The occu-
pant of it was tall, well made, lightly
bronzed and thoroughly at ease One
arm lay higher than his head, tho other
dropped over the hammock edge. hold
ing bit OF scented green stuff betwixt
thumb and finger.
Two people upon the piazza ever and
anon turned fond eyes upon him. Colo
mel Harper Cross and his wife had not
yet got their fill OF looking at their sol
dier son, now but two days home on
leave, and for the first time since be was
gazettod lieutenant of cavalry. If the
pair were proud of him--and that ad-
mitted no doubt-he was equally proud
of them and with quito as good reason.
In days ride you would not find an
elderly couple better worth looking at
Though the colonel stood full feet, ho
was still 1.-THE and straight and elegant
ly slender. His wife was slender, too,
quad h.px.,,, knfr.1 .,.,fl, IN
face thinnish and mobile--the finest
New England type, modified by western
environment. There was bare hint of
her in her sons eye and forehead. 9th
erwhere he was ell his fathers child
tho same fine olive skin, dashed with
red in the cheek, tho same thin lips, red
and firm. the same velvet dark eyes. and
ink black hair as fire as floss silk. In the
father time had silverod it almost 70
whiteness Except for that, with tho
Jack turned it would have been easy to
mistake the one for the other.
Though tho Harp Cross Of Mammy's
memory might have been graceless
enough cub, no had developed wonder
fully under his wifc's refining influence.
She had boon TO him indeed more
than liberal education in tho finer
things, the subtler sensibilitios of life.
IL had been a precious triumph TO him
to bring her there among those who had
frowned upon his youthful aspirations.
He bad had no thought of living among
his own people, but she at once declar-
eel herself i'm love with all sho saw and
begged him TO let their home be in his
native state. OF course they would not
stay thero all the time. Her health made
travel imperative some part of each
year. He had instantly fallen in with
her way of thinking She was certainly
better, stronger, since they came For
her sake ho would have agreed TO live
In desert.
So they had pitched their tent and
dwelt in distant comfy with those
round about them. Mrs. Cross paid no
visits--it was understood she had not