The Opelousas courier., 1902-03-29

THE ADOPTION OF ROSY.
BY Rose Willis Johnson,

purred efcttionately. Halleck watched
the three-his mother, the dangling
cat, the brown baby-disappear be-
hind the dogwood thicket; and the
cid ache of bereavement ate f~iercely
at his heart. IF Min had lived" he
thought. and hid his face In his hands.
Mrs. Halleek and Aftwell'H Rosy
went lihgerlhgls Through tAe soft twi-
light h was 50 pleasant Ia the out;
door worId!r Mrs. Halleck liked to
hear the frog chorus, watch the fire.
flies, feel the cool air upon her face.
Let ne carry pussy" she sug-
gested. "Fe won't scratch, will he?
He looks so gentle-such a nice kitty:
What do you call him?"
mo, he won't scratch. He's my
cat-father gave him to me. SO he
dix He's Puff. You can hold him q
while. Don't you wish he wa your
cat?"
Certainly. He h q nice Aet--a
pretty cat" II
As he was transferred Piff showed
no concern further than to a Mia
purFiRa: H..
II giiieessss NHou are are lonely ,vvithdl it
your father, and miss him very, muG:r
So you love Puff, end pet him q god'
deal. He is a fine cat--.,Are they
going to keep you at Br. Willett's?"
Rosy shook her head. Il love you,"
she said, succinctly. Il love him.
I'm goin' to stay"
But l can't take yoA dear! MY
boy want ]et yUi stay. You mustn't
come back any more. He won't like
it if you do"
She was certain the child under
stood, and apprehensive of no further
trouble, kissed her kindly at the par
sonage gate. But the next morning,
rising late-it was Sunday-she saw,
on opening the door, Rosy and her cat
sitting on the wall. The s~elf-invited
guest trudged into the kitchen.
"Well. TT be blessed Halleck
withdrew his head from the towel
and stared. "You little imp, what
did you come back for7 Get out;
now. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES! One
-tW8=="
But the. little chair ia the corner
was occupied, the cat under the stove;
and the mans brawny arm dropped
h%elplessly. "Pll be-blessed!" he re-
iterated, and resumed his toilet.
The child ate her breakfast as she
had done her supper, in HaIleck's
high chair from the painted plate.
And Puff had his saucer of milk under
the stove.
Then Rosy elaborated her playhouse
in the corner, while Mrs. Halleck went
about her work in %perplexed silence.
When she had finished, she put on
her bonnet and clean apron.
Comet" che called, holding out her
hand. "Come, you must go back over
there. 1 can't possibly let you stay,
dear. Get your kitty and come. You
mustn't run away any more. I dare
say Mrs. Willett is very uneasy about
you"
Mrs. Willett was not uneasy; she
had not missed the child. She had
seven children of her own, and mani
fold duties to perform. Taking the
truant in charge, she child her.
"You mustn't run off, Rosy" she
said. "You might get lost; something
dreadful might happen to you" Then
turning to Mrs. Halleck, she added.
"Mr. Willett will have to turn her
over to the town. I don't think any
one here wants her. He should have
done SO in the first place-but there!
You know MFR Wtlletti I should
think and the minister's wife
looked wistful-''you might find her
compahs!"
Mrs: Haileck flushed painfully.
"Davy doesn't like children she fall
tered. ''tt's-it's qiite out OF the
question! And 1 MUST beg you not to
let her bother him any more"
Mrs. Willet sighed. "Ill try not to.
I'll watch her: And something shall
be done for her at once. I suppose
she can be put III the poorheuse-but
it is too bad!"
Eyes, it is too bad" Mrs. Halleck ad.
In her heart she knew it was
very bad. She was desperately lonely
The gruf, harsh, selfish
man, who seldom spoke save to give
was not the son of whom
she had dreamed.
"I shall be. late at meeting,
and I'm OBTAINING you. Good-by. I
hope you1l-do something for the lit
tie one. Good-by, Rosy. You mustn't
come back to my house any more
mind" a
After the service Mrs. Halleck
home by way of the gap.
There she came upon her SON and
Rosy and the cat.
WELL" said Halleck, angrily, she's
come back! haven't spoke to her.
You can. You can tell her to light
Rosy got down obedient1y at a me.
ton from her friend. Her little face
shouldn't she sit on the wall with the
man and watch the crows? Why
he DE angry and stamp his foot
at her? She laid hold of Mrs. Hal
leck's dress, and kept close to her on
the way to the house.
Il told you not to come back" Mrs.
Halleck said, when they were alone.
Didn't /, Rosy?"
"You are a troublesome baby. And
if you don't mind what is said, they
will send you off to the poorhouse."
Without warning, down went Rosy
the grass. and the walls of broken
hearted childhood rent the air.