The Globe-republican., 1902-01-30
90 2 Z LLY''
copyrtghs. lsca. Dany story Furnishing Company

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"a most unnatural child-su11en.
sluggish, sneaking.'' the. rector affirm
ed punctuatinE the Indictment with
pauses in his effort to be exact A
shadow of protect fitted over his wifes
face. First, Billy was motherless
Secondly, under cover of a garden
hedge one day she had watched Bl1iy
take aim at crow, and his eyes, eager
sweet and blue as 1arkspur, had ap-
pealed to her unforgettably. Decided
~, BiIy's eyes when they could be
seen. counted
1t was said OF the rector that he
knew every man, woman and child IN
the county; and they, by reason OF MS
sweet cordially of manner, knew ana
loved him. The rector owed his popu-
larity more to a single grace than to
the whole big sum of his virtues-a
grace of sympathy SO rare. so dIscrln-
mating, SO repIete with charity as to
make him quite unofdciaIIy, of course,
but in very real sense, the confesSof
of his people.
But with Billy the rector could
make no headway- Billy was his
thorn In the flesh, an ever-present ap-
peal to his sympathy, but lodging ev-
cry expression of it with the elusive
ness of a phantom. His k1ndilest
overtures glanced the armor of the
chiId's reserve. One day the rector
to thaw this stoIid unresponsiveness.
He told his most thrilling stories; Billy
remained utterly a1oof- The rector
was approaching state of actual dis
comhture when Billy himself snapped
the tension by dropping adroitly from
the phaeton. He disappeared in the
brush like a scared rabbit The rector
decided to bide his time.
1t was in harvest time that Billy 5
mother breathed her last, swiftly,
TRANQUILITY, meekly grateful for her re-
lease. Bi1ly's father had bulIied her
into a stingless grave BiIly's father,
a burIy, irascible farmer, had long
since tired of his sickly wife; he was
doubtless glad Of his release. But he
felt a fresh displeasure against her.
she had died in his busiest season
without consulting his convenience
Bnly's conception of death was very
nebulous. He observed the funeral
preparations with a sort of wonder,
though the unwonted stiffness and
darkness made his heart futter- 1t
was not until the rector led him to
the bier and tenderIy told him to kiss
his mother goodbye, and the tall man
with black gloves screwed on the lid
that Billy bean to apprehend. The
chill of desolation came upon him and
t he sobbed softly. unobtrusively lest his
father should hear. He had smartet
too often for the offense to take risks
AT last the caSket Was lowered ant
the rector's voice became more solemn
Billy sobbed audibly. He drew a:
near the rector as he dared and in
creased the distance from his father
Presently Billy heard a thud. -'Ashe:
to ashes, dust to dust and the recto
had thrown clurnp of dirt at hi
mothert He moaned aloud in his an
guish To Billy. who knew nothing o
symbolism, the act savored only of I'm
friendliness. He interpreted it in tn
light OF his own experience, and il
roadside warfare with his kind. Bill.
had learned the value of pebb1y SAM
ammunition
Hence the reetor's difficulty with hi
young parishioner-
The farmer lost no time in bring ins
home a buxOm widow whose quarrel
some progeny soon crowded Billy out
A nostalgia for the woods seized him
he became nomadic in his effort at self
effacement. and his father, who hate
the sight of his understood offsprin
sinking around like a whipped dog.
was not sorry No wonder Billy pass
ed as +tsullen. sluggish, sneaking-'
Billy exu1ted in woOdcraft- He kne7
the Doggy hollows where the violet
and blood-root grew; the songs OF tn
birds were the familiar voices of hi
friends, and he stud led the habits {
the birds and chipmunks with tn
fervor of a naturalist Billy did nc
miss his mothers kisses so poignant
in the forest.
In the course of time a new intere:
came into Bi1Iy's life One day