The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-30
Child and the Devil

the seat, 81 saved a place for you in case
you came-spread my clothes out on purpose,
so did, Devil sat down.
He wasn't a real devil, of course People
only called him that because he was rich and
miserly, and had a club foot.
Said the Child, turning on him two grave
eyes looking proportiorately large in her
SMALL pale face: You are kind to come
again! I told mother my Devil wasn't as
black he was painted
Her Devil frowned
Where did you hear that phrase?" he
growled suspciously
"P'raps Mrs. Ryley-in our buildings" She
Struggled close. Her husbands a devil
(only it's 'divil, you know, in Irish). They're
friends of mine; they live on the floor above.
But she shouts at him through the ceiling
when he's tired on Saturday nights
The Devils tone acrid.
"And is he a trif1e paler than neighborly
report would paint him?'
A glimmer of his meaning shone in her
troubled eyes.
! Don't you like being called that? didn't
know your name. Mother and me is strang-
ers herea bouts
She showed such fear of wounding him. He
stroked her hair.
Are strangers" he corrected nodding and
smiling down.
"Of course! He isl am-you are Mothers
always telling me!'
| Peace fell between them, and, with it, ST
| lence.
Said the Child, speaking dreamily, with
eyes half closed: ''Nicknames are horrid!
know it of myself
| ''Hows that?" said the Devil, who seemed
|preoccupied.
1.-The boys-Sometimes+at our buildings
| The thin cheeks flushed.
| Call you Names do they?' He tapped his
stick on the ground. "Wnat names?"
| She did not answer.
What names?' he said again.
| "Just ricketts, sometimes, and Timber
Toes and-and CRIPPLE
| The last escaped with sob. He drew her
closer muttering. ''4@
| Presently, "Ill call you by your real name
| if you like she whispered. 81 was reading
about you in print this morning.
He seemed surprised.
| Dry enough reading for little maid'
he said
He was thinking of stocks and shares, so
that the look her face puzzled him. She
drew down his hand she held it in her own
How it must have hurt you when you fell
from Heaven!" she cried. He capped at the
Child in wonder. when God was angry and
He cast you out When you got hurt" she
added, stammering with nervous haste. 81
think, p'raps, I felt wicked and got cast out
too. That's why my legs crooked, and have
to walk crutcheS.''
With the point of one she began tracing
uncouth figures in the gravel.
'You-wicked?' gruffly. Come, I wouldn't
believe that
"P'raps I swelled inside, like when the
boys Snout out cripple prdpS GOD Scolded,
and l gave back answers Or-no!" The
grave voice quivered, growing soft and ten
der: Maybe God-krowing we was friends
cast me out with you, to keep you company"
The Devil, with head averted, passed an
arm round one thin shoulder
Said the Child, with solemn gaze fixed on
the leaden sky
do you remember Heaven? What was
it like, mean?'
mot clearly" grimly. Il didn't stay long.
you see.
Neither did 1, and I was little than you
But I've seen pictures of it, Frightening;
land it's awfully wonderful!" She leaned
back against him, her eyes upturned
cts like the sands at Margate, with the
sea turned upside down. You can't walk
about, eos only flies would know the way:
legs no good to you, SO you're cut off up
to here"
She implied decapitation with small fore
finger. He read the tender meaning her
downward glance conveyed.
And there's no light in Heaven; it's al |
ways light as day. It's bright and shin
ing she continued in a sort of gentle costa |
sy. that the baby angels eyes water and the
old ones put spectaces. You're never
hungry there isn't any food; you've no
clcthes-you couldn't wear them if you had:
but there's bands-and swings-and sack-rac-
ing in the parks, and no fathers go there
only mothers and boys and girls. Nobody
ever beats you. nor makes your mother cry |
and when you take physic God and the angels |
hold your head. Had I the wings of a dove
I would fly she broke off grooming. her
inspired gaze lifted to follow London spar
row in it's flight.
And there's crowns and harps" she cried
her young voice shrill and tremmulous: land
wings sprout where your ears are, and you
fly about all day, and when you're tired of
flying you sit down your necks."
And then she lay back and smiled at celes-