The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-12

one had added, 'He's very happy now!
And simon wished to drown himself
because he had no father, as that pool
man had had NO money JIG
reached the river and watched 1t flow
Some fishes were sporting in the cleal
water, and now and then made little
leaps, snapplng at the flies on the sur
face. He stopped crying to look al
them, for their manner Of feeding inter
ested him immensely.
But. as in the calm of the tempest
ever and anon a furious wind sweep'
along, crashing through the trees ant
finally losing itself on the horizon, Sc
that thought kept recurring to his mind
"I am going to drown myself because
have no papa"
1t was beautiful, mild day. The
gentle sun was warming the grass. The
water was like a polished mirror. Ant
simon enjoyed some Of the bllssful mo-
ments Of that languor that follows
tears, and he longed to lie down on the
grass and sleep in the sunshine. A tinS
green frog leaped from under his feet
He tried to catch 1t. 1t escaped him
He chased 1t and made three futile eff
forts to seize 1t. At last he grasped II
by the end Of Its hind legs, and laugh
ed to see the struggles It made to get
free. 1t gathered up its long legs; then
with a rapid movement suddenly threw
them out, stiff as pokers; while with Its
eyes wide open. enclrcled with q ring
of gold, 1t beat the air with Its front
legs which 1t moved like hands.
That made him think Of a plaything
made Of narrow pieces OF wood fasten-
ed zig-zag one over the other which by
a similar movement regulated the exer-
else Of the little soldiers that were
glued on It. Then he thought Of his
home, OF his mother-and then, over
come by great sadness, he began to
cry again. The shlvers ran through his
limbs-he fell on his knees, and reclted
his prayer as II he were going to sleep.
But he could not finish 1t, for the sobs
came so tumultuouSiy that they COM
pletely took possession OF him, He
could not think any more-he no longer
saw anything near him; he cried, cried.
Suddenly heavy hand was laid on
his shoulder, and deep voice said;
What makes you cry like that, my
mann" Simon turned. A big workman
with black beard and curly black hair
was watching him In a friendly fashion.
He replied with eyes and throat full of
tears: "They beat me. beeause-I-T-
haven't-any papa-any papaI"
"How's thatH" said the man laugh
ing. Everyone has one." The child
answered painfully, 'T-I-haven't
any"
The workman became serious; he rec
ognized Blanchotte's boy. and. although
stranger In the province, he knew her
story vaguely.
well. now" he said. console your
self, my little one. and come home with
me to your mother. Some one will give
you-a father.
They started of, the big man holding
the boys hand, and he smiled again, for
he was not dlspleased at the idea Of
seeing this BIanchotte, who was, they
said, one Of the prettIest girls in the
country.
They arrived at the small, very clean
white house. That's It," said the child.
and called, Mammal"
Blanchotte appeared, and the work.
man no longer smiled, for he under
stood at glance that no one could jest
with the tall, pale young woman. who
stood sternly at her door, as II to for
bid another man to cross the threshold
Of the house where she had already
been betrayed.
inundated, ana cap in hand. he
stammered: Madame, I am returning
your little boy, who had lost his way
on the river bank"
But Simon sprang to his mothers
arms and said. bursting into tears: mo,
mamma, was going to drown myself
because the others beat me, beat me
because haven't any papa"
A vivid red colored the young woman's
cheeks, and wounded to the depths Of
her soul, she clasped her child quickly
in her arms, the tears streaming down
her face.
The man. moved. stood there, not
knowing how to leave. But Simon sud
denly ran to him and said: win you
be my papa7"
There was a pause; Blanchotte, dumb
and tortured with shame, leaned against
the door. her two hands pressed over
her heart. The child, seeing that no
answer was given him, said: 'If you
won't, shall go back and drown my
self" The workman regarded 1t as a
Joke. and replied laughIngly: "of
course; OF course I'll be-"
What's your name, then" demand
ed the child. $50 1 can tell It to the
others when they ask?" Phillip" re-
sponded the man. Simon remained ST.
lent moment in order to fix the name
/ IN MS heau-tHeH ne Heiu out NIB hTInS'
comforted entirely, saying, 80 then!
Philip. you are my papa" The work
man raising him from the ground. kiss
ed him hastily on both checks, and
strobe away.
When the child went to school next
Gay. he was greeted by a malicious
laugh, and at the close 0f the session,
AN.R -