Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-09-21

muffin cap, with round, fresh nJtIe lace
and cheeks pink as the petals of tn,
apple blossom nearest the'calyX, danced
with excitement on the bank as b.
watched his father gathering some vel
low flags" which grew at the water
edge. The attendant father-parentt
and such were always secondary con
sideration with Dorcas-was not very
successful, as the ground was soft ant
slippery.
1T is wet down there, -dadH Can
come? Oh, get that big one just over
there! Won't muth be pleased2 What
dirty boots you'll have Shall l hold
your stick for you to cling on to?"
Then he noticed Dorcas. GOOD
morningl" said he, with gay courtesy
isn't it a fine May morning."
ut be that surely, little masterl" an
swered Dorcas, in high delight. Then
"the little gentleman's dada"-he never
achieved separate identity in the mind
of Dorcas-scrambled up from the
swamp in which he had been standing,
He too, proved most approachable, and
she learned that the youthful potentate
in the REFER jacket had never walked
so far before, that the "scroped out old
quarry" just beyond the Blue House
was his destination, and that he would
probably come again next Sunday.
He came every Sunday morning all
through that summer, and always with
his dad. Sometimes they went tapping
for fossils in the disused quarry, some
times they came with butterfly nets and
caught "tortoiseshells" and wall
browns" and upon one great occasion
"fritillary." But whatever they
sought or whatever they caught, Dor
cas- was always, as who should say,
"in at the death" and shared the excite
ment and the triumph with them
The little gentleman was very friend
ly-a child is quick to recognize an
adnirer as any pretty woman-and it
is possible that the attendant father
understood and INDUCED the childless
woman's craving for child's affection.
Sometimes Dorcas felt qualm of con-
science, and wondered whether her
adored young gentleman ought not
rather to be in church these sunny
Sunday mornings; though had he been
in church he certainly could have been
nowhere in the neighborhood Of the
Blue House. But she was comforted
when she heard that he went with his
mother to q children's service In the
afternoon. Henceforth she gave her
self up to the study of natural history
and the worship of her dear little gen.
tleman" with light heart,
Even in winter he sometimes came
''of fine Sunday" and Dorcas would
spend many hours of the following
week vainly trying to determine wheth-
er she admired him most in a sailoE suit
or in the breaches and CATERS of which
he was so proud. One never to be
forgotten day the rain came down in
torrents just ss her sultan and his
grand Yizier reached the Blue house.
They took shelter with Dorcas, and the
sultan was graciously pleased to be
lifted up that he might reach a GER
tain mug from the top shelf of the
dresser-a mug which had belonged to
'''tm as were gone" Dorcas made
gingerbread cats and ducks, and her
artistic efforts went so far as to at
tempt king with q crown upon is
cad" After RECALLING himself with
these delicacies her sultan would hold
up rosy face, ornamented by sundry
sticky streaks, to be kissed in fare
we'll; and when she had watched him
round the bend of the canal her eyes
would grow dim, and she would go back
to the Book of Revelation" murmur-
ing to herself: "The Lard gave and the
Lard ave took away. Blessed be the
name of the Lard"
Of course, the many charms of the
little gentleman" were duly reported
10 Elijah, and the residence of Ethni
Hartman took a reflected glory from
the fact that it was but stones throw
from that Of her sultan.
1t was wet summer, and there came
four wet Sundays, one after the other.
Vainly did Dorcas try to fix her mind
on the streets of jasper, while all the
time she was straining her ears for the
sound of the little voice that never
/ chimed into the stiffness. She grew
TO hate the patter of the rain on the
path outside; even the fact that the
canal, for once, was full, and three
barges passed in one week, did not con-
sole her. The gingerbread animals
grew stale and crumbly between two
plates, and the gorgeous mug: "a Pres
ent from Hartford" was put back on the
top shelf of the dresser again.
The weather changed, and there came
lovely Sunday. Elijah set off to the
Scat and Compasses" as usual; Dorcas
hustled about with pleasant sense Of
expectation and went and stood on the
towing path, her eyes fixed on the
distant bridge. Some boys went by to
battle beyond the second bend, with
laughter and shouting. Then the only
sound was the hum of bees settled on
the purple scablous growing atop the
crum bling cotteswold wall.
On Monday Dorcas could bear 1t nc
longer. 81 be that tewey and narvous
l don't know what be about" she re-
marked, as she locked the door of the
Blue house and hid the key under the
mat. Should barge come-well, ii
must manage somehow Barges were
never in hurry. She had come to
momentous decision. She was going
to inquire after "her little gentleman
Whether he was i'll or gone for hol
day, or was merely forgetful, she would
find out and end this dreadful suspense
She was a very supplemented woman
but in her heart of hearts she felt
little sore with the grand vizier, fol
she had a notion that he was by nc