The Yale expositor., 1895-05-24

Mr.. Gust the city surveyor, lives. But
the boy can show you; he knows the
town as we'll as do"
"Thank you," said the stranger. "I'n
take the boy in with me and drive up
TO the place." at the same time becl1on-
ing to the lad to come TO him.
''Never go with strangers, doe" said
the boy, with scared look; and then
he bounded off like deer.
"Drive after him." shouted the
waterman. Hell go straight home"
The team of shining blacks was soon
following Joe's steps in his flight; but
the handsome driver took care TO APP
proach only near enough to keep the
boy in sight until he entered the door
of pleasant residence on Sycamore
street, and disappeared within. Then,
being satisfied that he knew the boys
home, the stranger drove westward on
Lower Market street, and up Main
street to Dennison's hotel, where he
found quarters for himself and team.
But Joe had not gone into the resi-
dence of his foster parents. In his
flight-for he had been really alarmed
by the strange gentleman's desire to
get him into the carriage-he had run
into the first house in which he knew
he should find friends. And that was
the residence of Mrs. Gusts aunt-an
elderly lady who belonged to that
class of housekeepers sometimes spoken
of as painfully neat" This Mrs.
| Lawrence was known to Joe and to her
| friends generally as "Aunt Ruthy,"
and the nominal head of the family
Mr.. John Lawrence-as "Aunt Ruthy's
husband" No child had been born to
them, and none was ever willingly per-
mitted to set foot in Aunt Ruthy' pain
| fully clean rooms-eXcept little Joe,
Joe was neat, orderly, never made a
litter, never removed anything from
| its place, and never asked questions.
| He was accustomed to call often to see
Aunt Ruthy, when he would clean his
| shoes carefully on the mat and gently
| knock for admission. In one corner of
| her sitting-room stood tall, old-fash-
| Toned clock, whose unceasing tick-tack
| had fascination for Joe which never
| lost its force. He would sit silent by
the hour watching the tall clock, and
repeating in a whisper to him
| self its ominous tick-tack, and
counting the strokes when the
| faithful time-keeper announced
[ the hour And while Joe thus watched
the clock, Mrs. Lawrence, as silently
as Joe and even with more interest,
| piled her knitting needles and watched
| the boy. 1t was not very difficult to
divine her thoughts. Through the
| long years of her married life she had
sorrowed for the absence of at least
one child to break the monotony of her
silent hours and give her matronly
heart something TO expend itself upon.
She had gradually grown almost
morose; her excessive neatness had be-
come an absorbing passion, and for
some years past no child-especially no
| boy-had crossed her threshold with
out giving her nervous fit" But
Joe was an exception. HE may be an
idiot" said she, but he has sense
enough to let things alone, make no
dirt, and speak only when he is spoken
| to-"
| When Joe entered her house pursued
/ by the mysterious stranger, and with
an expression of fright upon his hand
some face, Mrs. Lawrence was so
thrown off her guard against the ex-
preston of feeling that she caught the
boy in her arms, gave him a motherly
kiss, and attempted in kindly way to
| learn the cause of his alarm.
''Never go with strangers, Joe,"
said the boy, repeating his
| foster mothers frequent caution,
and peering out of the window. "Man
out there Aunt Ruthy." But as no
man out there was to be seen, Joe soon
regained his usual composure, and say
ing: Tell Aunt Ruthy goodbye" he
started with merry laugh for home.
In the street, with sudden start he
said: Quarter to twelve-be home
when the clock strikes twelve, Joe"
And he reached his own door as the
clock within was striking the hour.
| After dinner at Dennison's hotel, the
! gentleman who in his carriage had fol-
lowed little Joe, walked down Mai n
street to lower Market, thence east
| Waru 10 sycamore, ana on tnaU street
up to the door of the house where Joe
had disappeared. Mrs. Lawrence re-
ceived him at the door and invited him
in; but seeing that he was about to
enter with dusty boots, said very POI
litely, There's mat in the hall,
please" After entering, the gentle
man said as he took proffered chair:
"My name is BLACKWELL. 1 live in
northern Kentucky; and l am inter
ested in learning something of the boy
Joe who is staying with you"
| Mrs Lawrence became suspicious at
once. She resolved to know as little
rs possible about Joe until she found
out the strange gentleman's motive for
inquiring. Therefore she only said in
reply:
''Does this room look as if there was
a boy about the house?"
"Well, madam" said the self-styled
Mr.. Blackwell with smile, "I hardly
think it does; but have learned from
L 81 L.