The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-25

WIEN
LARKINS LAUGHED.


4.s.0-so~-c.s-3'.1''-, 4o'Es-1s-4''H'ce' .
when Lartins laughed. an Digger
city mu-led with him. Never was q
laugh moro merry, more contagious.
The mon OF Digger City were u sober
lot ana 20 t1om ho bright side of HE
VAS generally reflected in and mcasur-
cd by thc gold they dug. But De luck
good or bad not one of the rough men
that made up Tie mining camp ever
had the tcmcrity to dispute Larkins
right Go laugh and mako others laugh
with him.
And set there wa5 n suspicion that
rarlsin laughed because he was sad.
Larhns arrived in Digger city one
stormy winter night. no One knew from
where with him was a child. q chub-
by golden haired boy Of 8 years Some
os.c asked bow long hc journey had
been. md Digger city then heard the
laugh it was to know 500 wen.
"Thc kd and L." said tarkins with
wayc of hi. hand toward tho cast
come from thcio. We didn't leave
much behind. and mobbe wc haven't
got much in store ahead But well
sick together. won't $50, Old boyf
Dad and bis kid will stick together
ehT
The Larkius smoothed the babys
hair and laughed until the crowd had
caught the infection.
Months passed. and still Digger City
learned llitle of Larkins or his boy.
In mining camps man Us Judged for
whnt he is. The man with n past can
bury lt. Digger city learned To- know
and to love Larlins for himself and
for his boy. The man lived for the
child. and when other miners were nc
tine scrccch Eagle bar trading their
dust for drinks. Larkins might be
found mt DIS cabin humming some
lullaby 10 The baby.
often Iarkins and hs boy would
visit the Scrccch EaGic. "lts just 90
give the boy q time" Larkirs would
explain. ellis dads too old TO care on
his own account" Yet the man could
not have been over 30 ut the most
Then Larkins and the boy would
proceed to have the Cline" aud while
IL lasted the onlookcrs would declare
that the frowzy headed baby was
quite as OLD as The big bearded miner
VINO would toss him IN the air and
GALLON about the room rs n horse for
the little driver. TO the baby this play
was n serious matter. as &c clutchcd
its fathers suspondors and lispcd COM
mands. But TO Iarkins &c was the d.
version for which be labored an day,
aud the room would ring with his
merrlmcnt
one day while Larl,ins was at work
the child wandered from the cabin and
was drowned In Otter creek. That
day every pick ln the camp was laid
down. so man could work when Lar
kln's "kd' was dead
The miners went al once 10 Larkins'
shanty and found him there sitting
on a barrel nus head buried in his
hands. Hc did not look mp when they
approached. and Bin Wheeler. gam
bier who was with the party touched
him on the shoulder and said.
"Larkus. we've come 10 do what we
can. II amt much. but we can search
the creek for the boy Cheer up
Larkins raised bis head, glanced
about him and smiled. No one but
Wheeler perhaps who was accustom-
ed TO reading the faces of men. noticed
the CLEAN in bis eve.
"Thank you, boys" said Larklns sim
ply. you're good. but you dont-you
northumberland. The kid is gone.
and IT'S n fathers place to find him.
I'll start out after time when feel
a bit better. TN find the kid, boys
never worry. You don't think his dad
would desert him now? Goodby."
Larklns spoke earnestly, and the
miners left hlm by himself, still sitting
there on the barrel They knew that
nothing they could do could soften his
grief
That night practically every man in
Digger City assembled at the Scrcech
Eagle. but there was little drinking
and no stories. They were there to
wait and could not tell for what. Some
one had suggested that Wheeler and
another go to Larkins' cabin to find
how he was coming on, when a laugh
It was Larkins'-was heard just out
side the door. Then the man, with a
dripping burden held tenderly In his
arms, stalked into the room.
Late. amt I, boysY said Larkins
cheerlly. Couldn't help it, though, for
the kid and I have been having n romp
that pretty near played his old dad out.
Pretty soon now he'll be too old to
play, and his dad won't be much use
then. But we bad n great time, didn't
we, my boy? Now, baby, let's play
horse. Come on! Ha ha, ha, ha"
But Larkins laughed alone, for they
knew that he was mad.-Chicago Trib-
une.
Pct Thinning Birds,