The herald., 1896-12-20
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!: SERVERS LITTLE GIRL (:
BY ERON OPHA dREGORy-In Louisville
Cousier journal
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SERVER was digging potatoes, and SO
engrossed was he in the occupation thdt
he failed to observe that Nina had wan
Jered from his side and was then roam
ing through the countless avenues OF
stately forest that covered genie
elevation behind him. His patch lay at
the foot, of the hill, upon the outskirts
of the pines, and Joined a wide stretch
of cultivated bottom land then turning
with golden fields of corn and f1eecy cot
ton. interspersed with small uncultl-
waited patches where the golden rod and
other autumn field flowers waved waist
deep. The same loaded the fence
rows and bordered the paths that IN
tersected the opening, and everywhere,
as if pots of scarlet coloring had been
broken promiscuously upon golden
surface. flaming torches of sumach
sieamed and quivered beneath the touch
Of the ripening sun. Beyond the open
ing defining water course rose
dense forest of every variety of growth
which burned and glowed against the
shining blue skies like one vast cres.
cent of sparkling jewels. And upon sll
hung a Veil OF haze, now golden, now
purple, but always cleaning and SHIN :
mering beneath the stately rays OF Oc-
tober's red gorgeous sunlight. Altogeth- :
er it was piece of coloring before
which one would stand dumb and in
breathless wonder feeling and knowing
that all art was poor in comparison.
SERVER had an eye for it all; and in all
proba blity. for his nature was not
coarsely strung, felt the exquisite touch
upon the chords of his being that coul1 i
we'll be termed as pang of joy as he
looked upon the superb, full grown and
melancholy year about him. Had his
nature never been darkened and soured
by untoward circumstances. he would
have rejoiced in the beauty and full
ness and ripeness around him; but as 1t
was his admiration was shadowed by
Z vague suspicion that all things
brought him evil.
During these glorious days Nina was
growing to be something more than a
child, and the thought filled him with
instructive dread. She was his now,
had been from the day he limped up the
pineclad hillside to the door of the cabin
where she and her father sat on the
doorsteps alone in the purple shadows,
the child weeping, the father thinking.
Nina's mother had died that day, and
while the child, frightened at the thought
of being alone in the dark without her,
hid her face on her sleeve and sobbed,
the father was wondering what he would
do with her from that time on. The
mother had always cared for her. while
he worked at odd jobs in the town near
by, expending nearly all he made in per-
bility tonight, something he had never
felt before. and he felt, too. that hence
forth he would be trammeled unless, and
1t seemed doubtful, some of the villag-
ers would take Nina. But most of them
were poor and had children of their own,
and, as no offer had as yet come from any
source, Tom Flowers was beginning to
think seriously of the situation. Had
the child been a boy, he would have
known what to do; but wandering from
the village to the town. he believed, was
hardly tho correct thing for girl child
to do.
Tom Flowers--aIfd he deserved some
credit for what was a nice instinct al
least-belOnged to that class, some o;
which claim to be social reformers, who
act as IL they thought that it mattered
but little how you reared boy child sc
long as you reared girl child right He
and his wife were fine results of that
method, and the praise lavished upon
the latter and the condemnation show.