The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-04

came and the primroseS showed first; when
the hawthorn in the hedges blossomed;
when the nightingale first sang; but these
matters did not interest his women, and
so he very rarely indeed spoke of them
put without saying anything to anyone,
ne noticed the earliest swallow the passing
OF the sea birds down the green green
water the fiavoring of the bryony the
dogrose, and the fox-glove in the hedges
which fringed his roads; and he would in
All probability have gone on doing this for
many years of the twentieth century had
not the municipal office, which dealt with
roads and their members, come to a new
ana, Tor him, disastrous decision. 1t de-
cloed that 1t had too many "cantonniers''
IN its employment, and decided to dismiss
one-nfth of the men in its pay.
lt was one day in mid-winter that this
resolve of his superiors was made known
to Paolinae He had gone into the city, as
usual on a Saturday, for his weekly wage,
ana, when he had received it, was told in
the curtest manner possible that his SER
vices would be required no longer.
he could not understand. He could not
believe. Indeed he was so stupid and tire
some in his manner and his incredulity
that the official who made the commu-
nication grew impatient and shouted to
nm that there were gendarmes both in
side and out OF the Communal Palace for
refractory persons.
But what have done? Tell me where
my fault is?'' asked the poor lad, holding
MS weeks wage in his outstretched palm.
You have done nothing" said the Off
clal, contemptuously. You have no fault
that know of, but you are struck off the
rolls; you are not wanted any longer"
The cruel fact was some minutes longer
before Ii could insert itself into the boys
brain, In which thousand hammers SEEM
ed beating and q thousand bells ringing.
But we shall starve!" he cried, as soon
as he did comprehend. Mother and Mes
ia have nobody to look to only mep'
Think we have nothing to do" said the
official, and added: There is always
work to be found by those who are really
willing to do it,"
But give me a reason! Give me a rea-
son!' screamed Paolina, his blood getting
hot, and sparks dancing before his eyes.
The reason is clear" said the official,
loftily. THE municipality does not want
you. You are dismissed"
Then as Paolina, in his youthful igno-
rance and desperation, most unwisely lift
ed up his voice and poured forth objurga-
tons on the municipality, as a lost dog
throws up its head and bowls to the empty
air, the clerks, whom power made poten-
tates, lost all patience with him, summon
ed the guards, and babe them take the
fellow out into the square. He was ere
ating a disturbance. He was led roughly
60 home, you fool said one of the
guards, land thank your lucky stars you
are not locked up. If there's anything
against you another time it will go hard
with you"
But they will starved They will
starve: screamed the boy, getting a crowd
around him, who were ready to take sides
with him, though they had no idea what
his wrongs might be.
What is the matter?" cried the crowd.
THE matter!" shouted Paolina. "They
send me away when I've no fault, and my
father on these roads before me- and
His words We're cut short by the guards
lifting him off his feet and pitching him
head foremost through a van door which
another guard held open at that moment
as the sinister-looking vehicle numbered
out of the Communal courtyard. The
door was banged upon him; he was in a
prison van, in company with seven other
young men who were being moved from
the tribunal to the Meerute.
"A lesson does no harm to these young
stefs in these revolutionary times"
thought the commissary, to whom he was
brought after some hours detention; he
considered the guards had been too zeal
Gus, but he did not say so. He merely
cautioned the prisoner to be careful to
abstain in future from causing any dis
turbance in the public streets, and then
set him free.
Paolina's head was hung down, his face
was red and sullen, the tears coursed
down his cheeks.
eve shall starve. We shall starye." he
repeated. why am L sent away? L am
not In fault"
"Oh, into that I cannot enter" said the
commissary. 1.-The municipality paid you
weekly?"
yes, and father before me-"
"Then It is fully within its rights to
dismiss you without notice. If you COM
plain you will be more stringently pun
ished."
They pushed him out of the commissa-
RVS presence, hustled and jostled till he
was as bewildered as a sheep being driven
to the shambles. He found himself again
in the open air and at liberty to go home.
ooh, Lord, how shall / tell them?" he
said with a groan. and then for the first
time he perceived that he had lost the
weeks wages. As they had cuffed and
banged him about, to get him, despite his
struggles, into the van, the fiimsy paper
money had slipped out of his hand and
gone-who knows where?
Paolina dropped on stone under an old
church, hid his face in his hands, and
sobbed bitterly. When he had come down
into the city It had been 10 o'clock; It
was now 4 in the afternoon; he had eaten
nothing, but he felt no hunger. He was
bruised and aching in many parts of his
BODY from the TouBn usage ne udu to
ceved.
He got up with pain. and took his away
across the town towards his home.
II CHANGED to be a Corso day in Carnival,
and he met the gay holiday-making
stream of human beings, and the grand
carriage horses with their flowers and
streamers to their ears. A bouquet struck
him on the check as he went
He bore the pleasure-seeking crowds no
ill-will, for he had no ill-will In him, but
the contrast OF their festival and his sor-
row hurt him. He walked as quickly as
his bruised limbs would take him to get out
of the gates and into the green country
roads where he was never 10 work any
more.
II must have done something and they
won't tell me what" he thought, racking
his brain to think what his offense could
possibly have been.
II was quite dark when he reached the
little house in the billy lane where his
home was His mother was standing at
the door with a lighted oil wick In an old
brass lamp in her hand.
"Ohl the dear Mother OF US all be prais-
col" she cried. In joyous agitation. Dear
lad / did think as how you had been run