The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-07-25

Dnf cdllfU anu a l4AAi' 81
named and called Pearl Porter.
To this little girl her grandfather
Major Porter showed an affection s.
devoted as 10 h. popularity supposed
almost rulnous. He just spoils tha
child" Mrs. Atkinson would say, al
she looked out Of her window an'
saw Pearl fastening up the Major
mustaches with hairpins; and sh'
would turn away with a sigh. IL was
perhaps, this devotion, but more prob
ably a native Impulse Of the heart
that made Pearl an unusually vair
child
She was a pretty little thing, with
floating mist of hair and large, brown
eyes. always beautifully dressed, n
little. stlff, white embroidered clothes
She was born with sense Of carriage
and she could not help knowing whef
ladies said in loud whispers, "Isn't
she sweet"
Her reputation as a Proudy-ca'
among the children of Lake View had
however, been founded less by her
personality than by an incident Of her
early youth.
When she was only -four years old
she had been given a little blue silk
parasol with an ivory handle. With
this at church, she had been left in
the pew by her aunt when that lady
went up 10 the communion rail When
Mrs Burden had reached IL and turned
that those returning might pass Ter,
what was the amusement Of the con
gregatiOn and her own astonshment
on seeing Pearl tripping lightly up the
aisle, with her new blue parasol opened
and held gracefully above her head.
The aunt herself was a very drcssy
lady. and she more thoroughly than
any other member Of the family sym
pathized with Pearl IN her taste for
making calls, for wearing kid gloves,
and for carrying a small cardcase with
rose folded in H.
This aunt, Major Portcr's daughter.
was large woman, with long red
cheeks, tilted blue eyes and an over
whelming, tightly husked figure. Al
the top Of her small forehead. long
face and towering bulk she always
wore glittering little bonnet. She
lived in Washington, and she was able
10 pet and indulge her niece only on
occasional visits.
On these visits Mrs. Atkinson used
TO watch with longing these two op-
posite ana fashionable types walking
out 10 the carriage together.
She loved Butter but she had al
ways dreamed Of having just such n
child as Pearl.
Buffers tastes were different from
Pearls He had no Imagination for the
world Of graceful convention. His
were other gruhhy, frcck-
led little boys most of them disrc-
carefully dressed in trousers hagGing
about two inches below the knee But
ter numbered among his acquaut-
ances a boy who had run away from
home, n boy who had a whip tatooed
on his arm and a man supposed hy
Buffers circle 10 be a murderer. But
ter cut the mans grass, and when the
man gave him fifteen Conts-the mar
ket price is ten-Buttcr handed him
back the unnecessary five, and said,
NO blood money for me" The man
had laughed in puzzled way OF
il he had done any thing else,
i would have given him away.
Butter also knew a boy who had n
press, and in partnership with
him he had conducted successfully an
enterprise of printing pink and green
highly glazed calling cards for the
aides Of the neighborhood. Besides
Ike cash capital they derived from
his source, they realized every sum
ner large income of pins and news
)apcrs from Circuses in the barn
Major Porter sometimes attended
hcse circuseS with Pearl and sat i'm a
box for ten newspapers. and though
he was so enchanted with Pearl. he
lscd TO watch with n pang of envy
Buffers 1.-THE wiry frame turning hand.
springs in the backyard For though
he had never had golden curls nor
'arricd parasol. he had once tumhled
)n the grass and chased fire engines
N dusty and happy oblivion Of the
'ustoms OF the world.
Once year n circus came 10 one Of
he empty lots of Lake View. west Of
The Porters. II stayed 'or one day
lnd then pursued its glorious march
n honor of more Western cities. This
lay was one long haze of delight for
Butter Atkinson Its ccstacy began
m the morning when he went with his
friends over 10 the lot TO see the tent
pitcheS and il lasted through the con.
cert and at the end of the circus
Mr Atkinson always took Butter
bad never thought of not taking him.
nntil one miserable day, when an un
ice.rresidcnt-elect and
bis thoughtloss wife spent twcntv.four
hours OF being entertained in the neigh.
borhcod when the circus was enter
tanning
a large afternoon reception was
given for Mrs. Hendricks az the Por.
ters' home. lie was an old friend OF
the Major. Mrs Atkinson assisted In
receiving. Butter was invited 10y Mrs
Burden TO open the door She believed
this TO have been n piece OF kindest
Mrs. Atkinson. too.
said that Butter would be glad TO re.
member il when be was an old man.
and she could not understand why ht
looked SO morosely az the clean clothes
she had with such pleasure put out ON
Lis bed
He walked out 20 the woodshed after