The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-08-26
Mrs. Hearne'S (hauvieS.
By PAUL KBsTER.


ketched dad. !"
ST thought you might be the man
what lelled off with tho pot cause he,
always had sweets in his pockets, ~
Willie remarked, staring at my swollen
pockets with longing.
Ath you got any sweets in 'er pot
-ets?" questioned the isper, new light
coming into his eyes.
Willie, hold 'er baby. Ith think 'er
rye ath some sweets i'll 18th potet. :"
He gave the baby to Willie, and be-
ing thus unincumbered and free crept
close to my side with smiles enough to
cozen bushel of sweetmeats from the
sternest of grocers.
Soon his tiny hands had rummaged
the swollen recesses, bringing forth
little heap, above which the baby crowed
and gurgled gleefully, while deep
peace spread over the countenance of
the isper, and Willie's eyes opened
wide.
= And you amt the man what lelled
off with the pot either" Willie repeat
ed in wonder.
"But you it'll a pleasant gentleman
anyway, beamed the lisper. cain t he,
Willie?"
"Don't you cheat, Jimmie, and keep
all the big pieces " his brother protested
as the lisper made separate pile of the
longest sticks and mosttdesirable choco-
lates.
"These it'll for nanny said the
lisper;> clearing himself of the charge
and overwhelming me with the sense
of his goodness. eve mustn't forget
NANNY
"No," assented Willie ruefully.
"But she won't eat 'em, and you'll
have 'em all yourself tomorrow. -
eth donth know" sighed the lisper,
shadow crossing his brow, =" 'er baby
may get 'em."
"Why can't nanny come back to-
night?" the elder boy asked, his voice
trembling a little. The fire had burned
low now, while the hush Of the night
time increased with the hours, bringing
feeling of loneliness, too, as the new
moon sank to the ridge of the gray west
ern hills
Then I told them how it was with
their mother, cheering them with the
thought that they should see her soon in
the morning.
"You must jail to woddrus now,
pals, ] told them, for their little heads
bent YEARLY on their tired shoulders.
Indeed you must go to bed now.
II 18th sleepy" the lisper said. yawn-
ing. "But it 'er ain'th nobody to be
company for you you'll get lonesome
and jaw back to the CAV. Put 'er baby
tosbed, Willie. And you go to sleep too.
Ith'l be company for 'er rye. You
wonth be lonesome with me?" he asked
bravely, blinking his eyes to keep back
the tears, ''you i'll thay if sith up 18th
your"
81 will sit up, too, % Willie said
"No," said the lisper, still blinking,
sith up with er rye all alone by my
self.''
$50 to bed, both of you, pals Mandy
will stay till the morning. Sleep in the
tent or the wagon. I'll have my blan-
kets here by the fire. y
When l had put them to bed in the
tent, spread some blankets found in
the wagon over a pile of fresh straw
near the fire and lay down to watch the
embers until they We're ashes, then to
watch the stars till they faded into the
gray of morning.
had just drawn my blankets around
me, thinking the chauvies asleep, when,
hearing sound, turned to the tent
door, to behold the lisper advancing to
me in the dim light, something out
stretched in his hand.
"What is it, pal?''
18th your sweth. -
My what?" questioned.
"Your sweth, he repeated, extend
ing some sticks of the candy.
18th going to give you half of mann
my's. Mine and Willie's all gone, and
you ain til had any"
"Keep it all for your dye, little
brother. Mandy dom want any sweets. -
Even in the dim light was sure ]
could see the look OF self sacrifice fade
from the face of the lisper, to be re-
placed by an expression of the deepest
contentment.
"You 18th nicer rye than the one
what lelled off with the luvver that our
dad talks about, he murmured in
sleepy approval, as he retired into the
gloom of the tent to his bed and his
slumbers