The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-12-04

@
childhood.
+As If his grandmother had saved his
fathers first suit for him" she thought.
Very tidy was the odd outfit; the pre-
else, rusty black bow at the meeting Of
the frayed-edged linen collar and the
faded, g~rotesquely large gloves, scrupu-
lousy woven, told their own sorry little
tale.
II must get those gloves of'-and
Janet began to move, as if the matter
were OF immediate importance, but fell
back again; perhaps be was attached to
some person not now in evidence. How
ever, Dollaire ceased to interest; she
could but watchth pathetic outlines Of
the face still touching the glass; unless
she were installing raindrops for tears
the little fellow was shedding the latter
in that quiet fashion which makes one
angry with some intangible cruelty
which forbids q child the natural priv
ilege Of noisy grief.
just now the entrance Of the train
boy and his wares might have diverted
this unhappy child. But he did not
even look around, turning his head ever
so slightly when the boy touched his
arm.
Have some oranges. kid? Two for
i've centsl Shell out your nickel and
be lively, now"
The f~air-haired head, surmounted by
a shabby velvet cap, returned TO its
former positions; the hopeless express
sion about the mouth deepened, and
Janet could bear it no longer. She was
hunting nickels in her purse when the
basket reached her; exchanging them
for fruit and a box of Lowney's, she
moved down the aisle.
81 am looking for some one to divide
my orange with" she began, beaming
at the child, as he turned suddenly at
the sound of her voice. = never dolike
to eat a whole one"
He took his feet down and pulled of
the old cap.
Excuse me-" he said; 81 didn't see
you"
He meant to now, evidently, but while
keeping his eyes on the lady's face he
was extracting with considerable diff.
Guilty a large handkerchief from a small
pocket; there was unmistakable tears
on his thin cheeks.
"But perhaps you like a whole orange
OF course, a boy would. Some folks
think and Janet leaned confdentially
toward him, "that a boy can eat any.
thing, and two of everything. l have
taken of my gloves, you see."
Somehow, she felt she hated those
gloves as a type of this ill-circum.
stanced life; a of relief possessed
her as they were drawn off.
81 never had a whole orange but once
on a Christmas tree. and then / gave i
I'd grandma. But she gave me back
piece Of it; she was like you-she coulC
not eat a whole one; / guess / could
thought"
Miss Angel noted the carefully-kep
finger nails, but mostly the eeager
thirsty way in which he began tt
deyour the segment of the orange. Wa
the child hungry, too?
"We seem to be the only people trav
cling alone to-day. May / sit witt
you a little while? It is pleasant I,
talk with some one, don't you think 2
Janet played with a bit Of orange peel
her throat was too full to allow he
to swallow anything but her "feeI
ings."
Eyes, ma'am." he answered. "Pv,
been SO lonesome ! couldn't keep from
crying. And I ate up all my luncheon
yesterday. I wanted an orang so, bu-
/ hadn't any nickel. only just a dollar
bin, and Mrs. Brown, she said not t,
break it. Is'pose she meant tear it. bu
she said break" as though offerin,
apology for a lack of lucid English.
It was not far to a station, where, nj
buffet a being attached to the trail
until later in the day, Janet snatche,
such eatables as were available, AM
was so fortunate as to enlist the sym
pathies Of a woman who had a bottle o
milk in her travelling bag.
Il was pretty hungry" he paused t
say, after a long draft Of milk. "I'n
awful glad to have something to eat
but 4 guess I'm gladder to have som,
one to speak to me-"
And then Miss Angel leaned over /
kiss him, no matter who might be look
ing.
The long hours went by; the rain still
fell; people came and went at every sta
ton; the Quebec romance was forgot
ten, but Miss Angel was not having
stupid day. A copy of Mrs. Ewing
"Jackanapes" was found Among til
trainboy's trash, to hich the langui
child listened with f~attering attention
while afterward the reader heard
story even more touching than that We
~low-haired ladies. This hero's nam
/. al plain Jamie, and when hot coco
and chicken had supplemented the ca,
lier meal a color came into the pal
cheeks and q sparkle to the tired eve
) which made him a very attractive her
AS the afternoon darkened his hea
was pillowed on Miss Angeles arm.
II guess you are a good deal like a
angel" having had her name exchange
for his OWE. Anyway, I guess YOU al
an answer to my grandma's praye
! She asked God to let me find a frien
wherever / had to go. l don't belle,
she would have thought / could con
! SO far alone; she didn't like to have n
t go to the village alone, but Mrs. Brow
she said / must go to my father"
And the father he could not rememb,