The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-01-18

mo God. not anywhere!
She started.
"Not anywhere"
He ground II out between his teeth,
and she felt his hot breath on her
cheek.
"Waldo. you are mad" she said.
drawing herself from him instinctively.
He loosened his grasp and turned
away from her also.
In truth. Is 1t not life's way? We
fight our little battles alone, you yours,
! mine. We must not help or find help.
When your life Is most real. to me
you are mad. When your agony Is
blacklist, I look at you and wonder.
Friendship Is good. strong stick, but
when the hour comes to lean hard it
gives. In the day Of their bitterest
need all souls are clone.
Lyndall stood by him in the dark,
pityingly, wonderingly. AS he walked
to the door she came after him.
EAT your supper. 1t will do yos
good" she said.
She rubbed her cheek against his
shoulder and then ran away.
In the front room the little woolly
Kaffir girl was washing Tant' Sannie's
feet in a small tub, and Bonaparte,
who sat on the wooden sofa, was pull
ing off his shoes and stockings that his
own feet might be washed also. There
were three candles burning in the
room, and he and Tant' Sannie sat
close together, with the lean Hottentot
not far off, for when ghosts are about
much light is needed. There is great
strength in numbers. Bonaparte had
completely recovered from the effects
Of his fright in the afternoon, and the
numerous doses of brandy that it had
been necessary to administer to him to
effect his restoration had put him in
a singularly pleasant and amiable
mood.
''That boy Waldo said Bonaparte,
rubbing his toes, took himself off cool
ly this morning as soon as the wagon
came and has not done a silver of
work all day. I'll not have that kind
Of thing now I'm master Of this farm"
The Hottentot maid translated.
"Ah, expect he's sorry that his IA
theirs dead" said Tant' Sannie. "It's
morning when my father died. One
can always get another husband, but
one can't get another father" said
Tant' Sannie casting a sidelong glance
at Bonaparte.
Bonaparte expressed a wish to give
Waldo his orders for the next days
work, and accordingly the little woolly
headed Kaffir was sent to call him.
After considerable time the boy ap-
peared and stood in the doorway.
If they had dressed him in one Of the
swallowtailed coats and oiled his hair
till the drops fell from it and it lay as
smooth as an elders on sacrament Sun
day, there would still have been some
thing unanointed in, the aspect Of the
fellow. AS it was, standing there in
his strange old costume, his head pre-
senting much the appearance Of hav-
ing been deeply rolled in sand, his eye
lids swollen, the hair hanging over his
forehead and a logged sullenness on
his features, he presented most the ap-
buffalo.
Beloved Lord" cried Tant' Sannie,
chow he looks! Come in, boy. Couldn't
you come and say good day to me?
Don't you want some supper"
He said he wanted nothing and
turned his heavy eyes away from her.
There's a ghost been seen in your
fathers room," said Tant' Sannie. IF
you're afraid. you can sleep in the
kitchen"
81 will sleep in our ROOM" said the
boy slowly.
"Well, you can go now" she said,
"but be up early to take the sheep. The
herd'-
eyes, be up early. my boy" inter-
rupted Bonaparte, smiling. II am to
be master of this farm now, and we
shall be good friends, trust. very
good friends. if you try to do your
duty, my dear boy"
Waldo turned to go, and Bonaparte,
looking benignly at the candle. stretch
ed out one unstockinged foot, over
which Waldo, looking at nothing in
particular, fell with heavy thud upon
the floor.
"Dear me! l hope you are not hurt,
my boy" said Bonaparte. you'll have
many a harder thing than that, though,
before you've gone through life," he
added consolingly as Waldo picked
himself up.
The lean Hottentot laughed till the
room rang sgain, and Tant' Sannie tit
tered till her sides ached.
When he had gone, the little maid be-
gan to wash Bonaparte's feet.
20 Lord, beloved Lord, how he did
fall! l can't think Of it." cried Tant'
Sannie, and she laughed again. II al
ways did know he was not right, but
this evening any one could see it," she
added. wiping the tears Of mirth from
her face. His eyes are as wild as II
the devil was in them. He never was
like other children. The dear Lord
knows, II he doesn't walk alone for
hours talking to himself. II you sit In
the room with him. you can see his lips
moving the whole lime, and II you talk
to him 20 times be doesn't hear you.
DAFT eyes-he's 90 mad as mad can
he."