The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-10-13
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Z Toni TedOnd
By S. Rhett Roman. Z
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TOM had been altar boy now for
nearly six months. and, in conse-
quence. his position had been greatly
improved. not only with the community
at large but among the ragged urchins
swarming around Decatur and Old
Levse streets.
Even Mere Felix, the old bottle wom-
am on ST. Anthony's alley, was less
rancorous in her attacks, more eau
tious how She struck at him when he
passed by, and not quite so vicious in
her abuse of his dead mother.
Toni sat ON the front steps Of the
cathedral and looked out at the beau
tiful Towering square i'm front; at the
paling tints of the evening sky; the ia
pering masts and rigging and red fun
nels of the ships lined up along the
wharves beyond where the traffic Of the
ievee front rolled in a distant, ccaseless
hum and rumble; and at the curling
smoke of a locomotive as it switched
some heavy freight trains back and
forth, with gvumbling persistency.
For all seemed to Toni a revelation
something he had never noted before.
And yet the - years Of his young
but troublesome life had been spent
right here. on the levee, in the narrow
streets and crowded alleyways adjoin-
ing and around the old cathedral and
Jackson square, in. which be used 10
STEAL to throw stones at the sparrows,
when no one was looking.
Toni sat idly, his chin resting in
the palms of his hands, his elbows on
his knees. and ne pondered If he were
really Toni Tedona, the yagrant and
imp of yole.
The Ishu aelite, whose code Of morals
had been sclmed up in the words:
DO rot be found OUT" whose agile
fingers were won't TO steal anything
available, and whose sharp wits were
for sale TO the highest bidder for any
nefarious Job. to be executed in mys-
terious courtyards and under the shad-
ows Of night, i'm those days not long
AGO. before Pere Laurent had taken
him in.
For TOni's bold intrepidity, his cool
daring and matchless enrontery had
made him a tool of rare value for the
reckless. turbulent. criminal popula-
tion around the wharves, and his small,
sharp features, brilliant dark eyes and
short. curling black hair had become
well known TO the local police as was
his mocking insolence and his clever
ness fn getting out Of scrapes where one
less Quick-witted would have been cor
ncrcd and trapped.
Toni seemed hardly to recognize him.
self.
How was il he had refused, tercely
and at last with blows. to accompany
that lawless band Of which he had erst-
while been chief. gathered that evening
for a raid long meditated on old Be-
lou. the butchers, premises, out by
the barracks2 Bclou, who was cor
daily hated by an the rabble Of the
market?
II was not through fear Of the stout
old Gascon and his stick. Toni would
mock and ieer with glee at both; nor
fear of his big-mouthed dog. Bah!
Toni knew a sure specific TO quell the
noisy bluster of a. Watchdog whether
bloodhound or bull pup.
Tt was not because Toni hesitated to
anpropriate Bclous fruit and vegeta-
bics. Waf had v.ged too long and
ferc.v betr.,u the two factions
Tonrs band nd Belou, the close-fst-
cd. brutal hr'.heD for him TO look
npon the destroying of his enemy as
ANYTHING but a fair reprisal Of war.
And when. with hootings and re-
oroaches. the boys scurricd of down
-hartrss street and left him alone on
he church steps. Toni's desire to take
part in the expedition was so great that
he had an but shouted 10 them 10 stop
and wait for him.
But the cathedral bell had chimed the
hour, and Toni paused, remembering
Pere Laurent's words: