The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-16

4
until il bumped against Marlowes leg.
| 1t was Elihu, and he was suodued.
| The young man put his arm around
the child and lifted him on his knee.
| did it hurt?" he asked, sympatheti-
! cally.
The little fellow smiled dejectedly.
"You bet!" he replied meekly. Ma
was awful mad-and Lena bawled.
You won't tell, will yOu?"
mo, l won't tell-but you mustn't
say such things" said Gregory; they
hurt peoples feelings. Mr.. Dumont
is mad. too"
81 don't care" said Elihu; Il don't
care!'' he lifted a tear-statned coun-
tenance confidingly. I'm only a little
boy" he said.
Marlowe put his cheek down on the
small brown pate. Yes" he whis-
pered, that's so! I was little boy
too. once"
The child sighed contently. Was
you?" he said did you use to feel
cross and mean inside and hate peo-
pie and get picked on for nothin
"Yes, sonny, replied his friend, all
of those things, and lots more Ana
1 us-l 10 get licked, too" he addeo
consolingly.
cheered. He gazed at Gregory as A.
wondering how far he might trust MN.
Then he felt in a pocket and steadily
slipped a small object ino MarloWe's
hand. "Therei" he exclaimed.
The young man looked down at the
offering. 1t was a gum drop whlch
had evidently been used once Tor pur-
poses of refreshment. In fact, its orlgl-
nal size was materially diminished, and
bits of eXtraneOus matter adhereo 10
it's shiny surface.
He laughed gently. 81 never eat
them, Elihu. Here, you take it,"
mol" said the boy. Il gave it to
you. 1 was savin it to suck to -nlgnt'
but I'd rather give it to you"
Gregory slid the atrocious morsel
into his pocket with many thanks, ana
| Elihu's countenance assumed an eX-
preston of happy resignation. Pres
emily thought struck him, the spirit
of generosity being upon him.
"I'Il sing for YOU" he announced.
When Lena came into the parlor a
| little later, searching for her recreant
| brother, her ears were geeted by most
unmelodious strains. Standing by Mar
! loves knee stood the youngest kim
! ball, entirely oblivious to mundane sur
| roundings, as he shrilly poured forth
his soul with open mouth and closed
eyes.
| Gregory, with convulsed features,
| held up a warning finger. Elihu rem
| dered my Country 'Tis of Thee" to
| the end, and paused in a rapt con-
| sciousness of musical endeavor
There are some indescribable things
| in this world, and the singing of a
small boy with no ear for tune and a
| great sense of time and accent is one
| of them. The false starts, the hasty
| bridging of pauses, the quick intakes
of the breath, the gulps, the accidental
| jumps of whole octaves, the interpola
tion of exclamations and interjections,
combined with sidelong glances for ap-
! prevail and appreciation, make up a
rendition which no pen can truthfully
| portray.
And there is something pathetic
about it too. The sight of a child earn
! estly trying to do its best, and bliss
| fully unconscious of the righteousness
| of it's efforts, certainly appeals. 1t is.
| indeed, a mean nature that will hold
up to ridicule child's desire to please.
So Lena Kimball and Gregory Mar
lowe, struggling between mirth and
! innate politeness, loked at each others
eyes and recognized a bond.
It's your bedtime, dear" said the
girl Come along, you've sung
! enough"
| Elihu demurred as usual, but, his
| spirit being softened by song, he, soon
gave in.
Are you, coming back, Miss Kim
ball?" asked Marlowe.
Lena hesitated. rs Mr. Dumont
liable to come in?' she inquired, with
sinking sensation as she thought OF
the notifying incident.
mo he has gone to the theater,' -
replied Gregory. I'm all alone"
well, yes. IN come down for a
little while" said Lena
Marlowe, cheerful. sensible and
steady, was conscious of an undue ex-
altation as he sat in his room smok-
ing his pipe before retiring.
1T won't pay for me to become in
terested there he medtated. "I can't
afford to think of such things, yet. I'll
| keep Dumont out, though, if l can. Tn
solid with Elihu, anyway"
And Lena went to bed wondering
what it was about Mr.. Marlowe thai
was so attractive.
Wilson Dumont was very much put
out. He was a calculating young
man. and figured out his plans with
confident nicely. He had carefully
inquired into the position and means OF
the stolid Mr.. Kimball and was con-
siderably surprised at their impor-
tance.
1T will be good match" he had
thought. Lena comes quite near
being a beauty. A pretty wife with
money-what more does a man want?'
But now Elihu had discomforted him
sadly, and he was fool enough to hold
anger against child.
"Pll get around her father and
e mother" he ruminated, 'then I'll be.
gin 20 show her marked attention. and
If that little cub bothers me he'll gel
his ear tweaked / imagine they
would all thank me for it. He is 9
nuisance"
The well laid plans of Mr.. Dumont
prospered He ingratiated himself into
the good graces of Joel by reading ur
on stocks. He flattered Mrs. Kimbal
by escortihg her to church, and wait
ing upon her many whims with pa
tient devotion. Toward Lena he main
tanned a delicate attitude of Difference
and continually asked her opinion re-
garding subjects likely to interest her
and the girl was pleased.
Marlowe's ignorance about the mar
kets and general topics was neatly
shown up by Dumont whenever he
tried to take part in the conversation
He grew quiet and distracted.
Still, he saw much of Lena and
somehow. they were always accidental
ly meeting. She, too, was very quiet
at times Thinking of Dumont, pro-