The Opelousas courier., 1902-03-29


he sdRhed himself on the wall it was
not prudent for a rabbit to rise on its
launches and look at him. He never
fired at birds. They seemed to know
this, and hoped fearlessly above
him among the branehes>
Today they were holding carnival
there; the Sunshine lay warm on the
wall tAe Scent of clover made, the air
sweet. There was the road, a wind
ing dusty ribbon; beside it sGe pink
capped sea Of clover, and beyond, a
flash of hlu@ Where the Ohio turned
from the town.
Why did he love the gap, the dusty
country road, the crumbling wall
with it's patches of ivy? Perhaps be-
cause these things limited his desires,
Through the gap, years ago, a pretty
young bride had walked with him.
Soon she had died and he had been
"Glum" Halleck ever since. He was
a hardworking man, as the village adj
mitted; but he had his daFs OF ihdtf-
ference, when he sat at the gap,
made whistles, shot at marks, and sui
lenly reused to recognize chance
passers-by.
Today his solitude was broken. The
rafting of a detached bit If masonry
|caused him to tur1 ahd behold a small
girl laAcSIously clambering to a seat
beside him. dragging after her a large.
meek cat. She was bareheaded, bare
footed, clad in sober hrewn. Settling
herself %demurely, she drew up the
dangliag pussy, and slouched over in
comlcal imitation Of Halleck's
stopped posture.
"Hello!" he said, who are your"
Not a word answered the intruder.
She Rugged her cat and stared into
space. Looking more closely, he saw
undried tears on the brown cheeks,
IN occasional tremor of the set mouth.
He spoke more gently: What do you
want, sissy"
Still she did not reply. Halleck
shrugged his shoulders, "oh, well!"
he growled. "Cat got your tongue?
You bother me-better rih home!"
But she did net run home. She sat
there; they Sat there together, and
ignored each other. By and by Hal
leck got down Grossly, and went tow
ard the house. Then the child got
down and followed him, nalf dragging,
half carrying the Cat.
Lock heFe!" he demanded, fierce
ly. What do you want?"
Terror loosed her tongue. Moth
lng!" she gasped, stirring at him help
lessly. sDon't whip me! Im-Rosy."
He began to understand. It was Art
wells Rosy, the village problem. They
had buried Artwell. and were now dis.
cussing the disposal Of his orphan ba-
by. The minister had held cut a
finger to her after the funeral. "I'm
afraid 1 can't keep her for good" ne
said. "YeN know what uphill work
|: IL for me. But she is SO little and
helpless, surely some of you a save
her from the poorhouse-some of you
childless ones! Think it over and see
what you can do. In the meantime I'll
give her her bowl of porridge."
LUZ AkO0y O4A AOL kGhC h1uNl4 " tAC !
porridge or to the parsonage. There
were children there who stared at
her and leased her cat. From the
gate she could see Halleck on the
wall, and in her childish way she had
gone to sit beside him.
80 you are Rosy" he said. What
are you aiming to do with yourself, |
any way2 What business had you to
be born, without a dollar ahead to
grow up on7 The parson don't want
you, and the big ones don't want you,
and / donT want yeu! What are you
to do with yetirself7"
Rosy looked down. The sparkle In
eyes suggested intelligence, de-
spite the slow-moving tongue.
1.-The old lady has supper about
he added. did you want to
visit met"
without q moments hesitation, the
brown fingers clasped his. So
In solemn silence they entered the
kitchen.
There the religion Of cleanliness
made itself felt. Rosy sat down con
tentedly in the chair that Halleck had
used as a small boy, the pride of hts
mothers heart. It had never been
removed from its favored corner.
Now as his mother turned from the
stove, her tired face paled. WHY"
she faltered. why, who Ia this,
He tried to frown. "It's that bit
Of a youngster-the Artwell kid. She
nas-sort of adopted me-"
A moment Mrs. Halleck hesitated;
hen she stopped to the taciturn 5a-
by. Poor thing!" she said, impulsive-
y. "Poor little thing!!"
Supper was eaten in the usual sil-
snce-cheerful conversation had per-
with that young life that failed.
.rtwell's Rosy ate her bread and but
ter in the old high chair by his moth
er's side, a blue mug and painted
plate before her. It was on his lips
to ask for what a these relics
were resurrected, but he held his
peace. Still he looked at them curl
ously, something Juggling at his heart;
and at times it was a chubby, faxen-
haired boy he saw in place of the
baby.
After supper the quiet little guest
on the floor, while Mrs. Hal
leck "tidied up" The child gathered
about her sundry little odds and ends
and constructed a playhouse. Then
she began to whisper to herself, and
once she laughed natural, sponta-
neous, quickly suppressed outburst.