Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-15

took out my purse. l noticed the Wo-
mans quick hands were idle again. and
her head bent down. She is very ill.,
| thought. She can't so to Traver's.
but
LII be glad to pay somebody half
crown who will get me n.y. l said
aloud. Do you know Of
''She had lifted her head and looked
at me.
WAS it you who gave him the shil-
linz
Gave who?
BILLY, my boy. You said you saw
him swingn' on the gate. Was it you
gave him n new shillin':'
".Oh, believe did | said
The sunburnt face worked and
dropped on her folded arms.
What happened l said, after
pause
She sat up and stared vacantly
through the window.
II usen't to let him go outside the
gate to talk to people passin, she said.
Il called him in when | heard voices
that day. He showed me the shil-
lin She broke off and wiped her
eyes on the back of her hand.
.''Yes:' | said.
81 didn't like him takin' money from
strangers; l scoldcd him, an he-he
cried Her own eyes were full of tears.
Il tried to make him say what the shll-
lin was for she went on. He said.
"Nothin." Then you begged it, l
says. AN you're disgrace" and he
cried more an said he hadn't
But that was quite true | inter
ruptcd.
oh | didn't know that. | didn't
know that" the woman moaned.
said Id give him beatin' if he didn't
tell me why the strange gentleman
gave him the shillin' | might Il done
it. too. but he stopped cryin' all OF
sudden. an said: "Why. OF course,
nanny, / know why he did tit was
because NY cuckoo sang for him, an
KEEP quiet so he could hear" l knew
that was just Billy's nonsense, but |
didn't beat him-oh, I'm glad | didn't
beat him.
Il waited till she found her voice
again." Thompson said. after pause.
as an excuse for the sudden failure of
his own.
The woman explained" he went on,
that Billy had climbed up the labur-
mum tree that same afternoon. He
lost his hold she said. an the doctor
says he must a fell on his head-he died
that night
Il mutt cred something stupid about
sympathy. She went on Smelling the
peas Looking vaguely around caught
sight of chlds photograph in frame
OH the opposite wall.
"Is that a picture of your boy:
asked.
No. no. said the woman; that's my
sisters child. and he amt dead. neither!
We never had picture of Billy. That
seems to make it worse somehow.
tell my husband believe ! could bear
1t better if | had picture of him.
why, l took picture of him. In
my excitement 1 started up. and
wrenched my unhappy ankle. sank
back faint from pain.
You took picture of my Billy.
She was standing beside me when
opened my eyes.
'Ycs-er-Or the house. He was at
the gate, you know"
Thank God the woman said. shak-
ing her clinchcd hands pitifully
Thank God. Thank God.'
".But it may not come out right
said. cursing myself for having raised
hopes that my kodak might not justify.
You see, it isn't developed. | can't tell
| how
"'Oh, you must make it come out
| right, sir. Where is it? The hard, sun
burnt face was quivering.
ats here, in this | motiOned to-
ward the kodak ut my side. She
kncelcd down before it with clasped
hands, like n penitent before a shrine
You'll show it to me, sir-just for
a minute"
"'I can't Just now-it isn't developed
"'But just let me see If it's my Billy.
oh, please, sir! IL you knew, IL you
knew
"I'll let you have 1t as soon as it's
| ready said. 1T would be spoiled If
l took it out now
I'D be very CAREFUL said the wo-
man. She got up eagerly, and instinc-
lively wiped her rough hands on her
apron.
"'No, it's the light. you see, that
would spoil it. 1t must be kept in the
dark / tried to explain, but she evil
IDENTIFY wasn't listening. She kept look
ing down at the kodak with supersti-
tiOus awe.
Someone passed the window. She
looked up. They've got backv she
cried, brcathlcssly, and ran to the door
| in the scullery. She was talking OK
citedly about Billy's picture when she
came back with two men. 1t was her
husband and her younger brother, homo
from market. We soon arranged that
after dinner, when the horse was rest
ed. | should be driven to Trenton by