Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1902-02-06


sluggish, sneaking." the rector affirm
3D. punctnating the indictment with
pauses in his effort to be exact. A
shadow Of protest fitted over his wife's
face. First, Billy was motherless
Secondly, under cover of a garden
hedge one day she had watched Billy
take aim at a crow, and his eyes, eager,
sweet and blue as larkspur, had APP
pealcd to her unforgettably. Decided
ly, Billys 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 his
sweet cordiality of manner, knew and
loved him. The rector owed his popu-
larity more to single grace than to
the whole big sum of his virtues-a
grace of sympathy so rare, SO discrim-
mating, so replete with charity as to
make him quite unof1icially, of course,
but in very real sense, the confessor
Of his people
But with Billy the rector could
make no Roadway. Billy was his
thorn In the flesh, an ever-present APP
peal to his sympathy, but lodging ev-
cry expression of it with the elusive
ness OF a phantom. His hndliest
overtures glanced the armor of the
child's reserve. One day the rector
took him perforce for a drive, hoping
to thaw this stolid unresponsiveness.
He told his most thrilling stories; Billy
remained utterly aloof. The rector
was approaching state of actual dis
comfiture when Billy himself snapped
the tension by dropping adroitly from
the phaeton. He disappeared in the
brush like scared rabbit. The rector
decided to bide his time.
1t was in harvest time that Billy's
mother breathed her last, swiftly
TRANQUILITY, meekly grateful for her re-
lease. Billy's father had bullied her
into a stingless grave. Billy's father
burly, 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.
Billy's conception of death was very
preparations with sort of wonder
though the unwonted stiffness and
darkness made his heart fiutter. II
was not until the rector led him to
the bier and tenderly told him to kiss
his mother goodbye, and the tall man
with black gloves screwed on the lid
that Billy began to apprehend. The
chill OF desolation came upon him anG
he sobbed softly. unobtrusively lest hi:
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 as
near the rector as he dared and in
creased the distance from his father
Presently Billy heard a thud. "Ashes
had thrown a clump of dirt at his
mother! He moaned aloud in his an
guish To Billy, who knew nothing o.
symbolism, the act savored only of un
friendliness. He interpreted it in tn,
light of his own experience, and IL
roadside warfare with his kind, Billy
had learned the value of pebbly sant
as ammunition.
Hence the rector's difficulty with hi.
young parishioner.
The farmer lost no time in bringing
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 hated
the sight of his understood offsprin.
sinking around like whipped dog.
was not sorry. No wonder Billy pass
ed as 'sullen, sluggish. sneaking."
Billy exulted in woodcraft He knew
the DOGGY hollows where the violet
and blood-root grew; the songs OF tn
birds were the familiar voices of hi
friends, and he studied the habits o
the birds and chipmunks with tn
fervor of naturalist. Billy did nc
miss his mothers kisses so poignantl
in the forest
In the course of time a new interes
came into Billy's life. One day |
passing the rectory he saw a it'll,
yellow pig frisking about the lawn /
the most unaccountable fashion. Bill
stopped short in amazement. 1t WASH
pig after all, but could 1t be--ye
it was dog, tawny, little rolybol
with a black stripe down his bacl
and tail that curled like a pigs. an
face that reminded Billy of old Uncl
likes bulldog. only it was black an
| looked less dangerous. Billy side
up to the fence and whistled softl,
The pug frisked over with his nose IL
| quisitively tilted. He shifted at Bill
and then backed off. Evidently he Wa
not prepossessed. Billy dived into h
pocket for his lunch and held 1t coal
u