Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-08-10
THE ERROR OF A MAN

! hNiueh, thSslen, feath-
cry tehder-ieaved and amply HOS
soned; arehlng over and gently sbsd.
ing 'he long, grassy pathway from the
nome TO the outer world. The trunks
are old and warped and twisted but
ever JuYenescent as the spring returns:
cialhilng youth by reason OF the tender
green OF their branches and the droon-
ing blossoms which hang as golden
s'aiactites from the roof of this shaded
alley.
Midway between home and the world
stands a wooden seat, where sits a
grare-faeed nurse plying her needle as
she guards the babies which tumble
on the grass beside her. Two ~ Thorn
are plump and happy, and they sit IA
the nlckerlng shadows and nick tho
daisies which look up al them CRASH.
lug the fiower-heads with full Ave slow
myers, then cooling when the treas.
ufes lie limp within their palms A
hian-baby and a girl-baby; and the
ihan-baby wears black sash and rib
hons 10 his white frOck, for he Is An
orphan The girl-baby Is the daughter
OF the house, aud she Is also mother
less but she wears no trappings of
woe
By and by breeze comes and bends
me supple branches Of the labuFnums
aud shakes the golden petals on 10 tie
green path; and the la bles look grave
~ al them as they fall, and tie girl.
baby grasps them in her dimpled
hands Then, crawling close 10 The
mhn-haby, she opens her fingers and
showers her golden treasures. all
crushed, into his tumbled pinafore: for
some minutes the man baby sits star
ing At them, still then nj length he
smiles lovely smile, and, leaning his
curly head close 70 the head az the
sirl-hahy. be rubs her plump cheek
with his own.
Laburnums blossom every spring.
despite caprice 81 climate; and len
years later the grassy pathway looks
unchanged, except that the grave
faced nurse Is grayer. and the man
baby aud girl-bnby have grown. The
White fn"eks. too. have given place
70 iumhled holland. and the chubby
faces have become more shapely. The
giri.child Is dark haired. dnrk-eyed and
hhpulslves The man-child's head il COW
cred with shori brown curls and his
eyes are soft and dreamy They both
lie hat, their chins propped on their
palms, aud they kick their heels as
they turn the laEes of . book
IN, cries the nau-child. suddenly
aud with disgust. some one has scrib.
BLEED 10 my book' What a shame"
aud his handsome face Pushes with
the strength ~ his objection.
Then does the girichild spring from
the nuhh also: but the mHn-child does
not look Al her: be Is looking al the
writing.
Its verse. he SAYS slowly. Then.
after a pause. Il think don't mind Il
50 much after all
Then does the girl-chlld spring from
the ground. aud, crossing 20 the old
lahurnum TREE by the wooden scat. be-
gin tn tear itE bark with a rusty Iron
nail The mHu-rhIid rises also and
slowly follows her. booking ahseutly
~ her handlwork as be thinks 81 other
things. Then. turning 20 him with a
smile lurking In her eyes. the girl.child .
points 60 the tree. aud the man-child. 4
himself. reads In rugged. mis- /
shapcn letters the words. Angela
iid a."
You did ~ You wrote a verse;
sTclaims the man,child
Yes replies the Rirl-child. with
pout 81 depreciation
~ am not angry" he replies earn
sktly: TIN glad now. But sou must
be very clever"
The man.child grows thoughtful.
md. taking q knife from bis pocket.
,ufg fhp lightly scratched ipffnpg E,..t,