Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-11
LITTLE CAB.

From my windows l could look across
tho court into the apartment occupied by
the family Of little Gabriel, who was called
Little Cab. ,"
His father was u cutter in clothing
house. His mother was sicllly and white
haired at ~ and expended all her health
in household duties.
Ho was an incurablo invalid. His
crooked spinal column made his shoulders
rise to the level of his eyes. His legs were
slender and soft and bent under body
warped and thrown out of equilibrium.
He would not have been able to walk
without an orthopedic corset.
From this distorted trunk with hump
on the chest and one on the back rose
head 700 large but the face had exquisite
dclicacy and an expression of singular
poignancy.
Although h6 was years old, one would
have thought lin 90 from his thoughtful
face, his prominent forehead and his brown
black eyes so precociOusly pensive.
His father, mother and sister adOrcd
him for his atfcctionate ways and his OK
traordinHry intelligence
The physician had forbidden his work.
ing, but to amuso him and to change his
surroundings they sent him to school,
where he forced himself to listen grilvely
and to retain all that he heard.
One evening after school | saw him
seated under the porch of the house against
the rooms of the concierge. His mother
had gone ont to make some purchases.
and. his sister not vet having returned
from the shop he found the door of the
apartment locked He was watching the
street with hungry ewes. while his express
sion indicated dccp Thought and mournful
resignation. While questioned him tho
runils of his ewes threw obsrrvout and
frightened chances Mt me, During the in.
trryiew his sister returned nil ont Of breath
"Oh, nv mar Gnbr, cried she 81 hovo
kent Won waiting. and Won arc i,npnticnt
ain't you?"
ono. " rcplird Cab. with a calm. sflycry
voice. .'I snid to lIysrlf only thot ,crbans
Won did not want mo unv moro and world
not come bocl; Inm so sicl, and sn tram
blrsomc 3"
"Ab. Won naughty hoyl" murmurcd th,
voung Girl. covering him with kisses and
then turning her ewes filled with fears to-
ward me:
"Hn is gu lit,In and so irtcIIirort Un
ro,enns lilo , ornv,n ,rrson What . nitv
thnt ho is NOT strorpi Tbo dnrtor saws II
hc con M IN RrrrE tBis snmmrr thr s,It
rir and The sand h,th, viii nrnb,I,Iv cnrc
him Rut II 10 fnr ,u.,y. Rnr,I, and If
yorId mo rxnrnsive INIT am ,,nin,, to trv
to mako cnnu.,h r,onc,, to +,,l.o hin, tbnr,, :,
The co,,ro,,rnus vouny Girl ,vorl,rd from,
r,ornin,, mill niobt I'm mako rho ,n,ount
nrc,ssorv Shr woke bc,.srIf down Mt how
,nacbinc She folded Gathered scanned
bastcd and sc,vcd without rest hoard
tho dry ouicl, click of thn machine l,tn
into thc night IT, sounded like , si,orn
cborus of transformers in the fields
Behind thc curtains If tbe lamnligbt 7
SAW tho outline of the Young senmstrcss
In tbc houen ovarvbod,, LnnTy thn bistor,
If littlc Cab and the womrn yiIIinyly
qavc their work to the sister, They ston-
ned the child ON the landing, in the halls
and court corcssino and fondIing him and
srndiny him dcl,cacics Hc was always
sbvJond he shrnnk from rhrir coresscs
which povc him moro inouietuGn than
Measure. he thouobt II long rime of these
marks of friendship
"Tbc lady on tbr ton floor has c,tvnr mn
these tovs Why has sbo donc So whom
She does not know MOI, he asked of his
sister with n l;rcnncss which gnvc a bcort
breaking understanding of the yvorliu,, NJ
bis broin ar is ,vith0ut doub+ hocn1,so
7 am n buncbhocly -
Work was nIentv and the hank grow
hnovv inn dark corucr of tho b,fro,u
drawer Julv was nnnrooching and mon.