The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-11
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

1 "A most unnatural child-sullen. slug gish. sneaking,," the rector affirmed,
 punctuating 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 garden hedge one day she had watched Billy take aim at a crow, and
 his eyes, eager, sweet and blue as lark | spur. had appealed to her unforgettably.
 Decidedly, Biliy's eyes when they could De seen, counted.
 every man, woman and child in the coun- | ty; and they, by reason of his sweet cor diality of manner. knew and loved him.
 Ine Ssn rector rec owed his popularity more to Of his Vrtues-a grace of sympathy so
 rare. so discriminating, so replete with
 charity as to make him quite unofficially.
 of course, but m a very real sense, the confessor of his people.
 But with Billy the rector could make no headway. Billy was this thorn in the nesh. an ever-present appeal to his sym 1t with the elusiveness of a phantom.
 His kindliest overtures glanced the armor of the child's reserve. One day the rec tor took him perforce for drive, hoping to thaw this stolid unresponsiveness. He told his most thrilling stories; Billy re- mained utterly aloof. The rector was approaching state of actual discomfi- ture when Billy himself snapped the ten
 
 ton. He disappeared In the, brush like
 bide his time.
 It was In harvest time that Billys mother breathed her last, swiftly, tran quilly, meekly grateful for her release. Billy's father had bullied her into a stingless grave. Billy's father, burly, irascible Ira T farmer had long since tired of of her release. But he felt fresh dis pleasure against her; she had died in
 his busiest season without consulting his convenience,
 Blly's conception of death was very nebulous. He observed the funeral prep arauons with a sort of wonder, though the unwonted stiffness and darkness made
 his heart futter. It was not until the rector led him to the bier and tenderly
 told him to kiss his mother good bye, and the tall man in black screwed on the lid. that Billy began to apprehend.
 The chill of desolation came upon him and he sobbed softly, unobtrustvely lest his father should hear. He had smarted too often for the offense to take risks At last the casket was lowered and
 the rector's wife became more solemn. Billy sobbed audibly. He drew as near the rector as he dared and increased the distance from his father. Presently Billy
 heard, a thud. 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust and the rector had thrown a clump of dirt at his mother! He moaned aloud
 in his anguish. To Billy, who knew
 nothing of symbolism, the act savored or uHIflenOllne3S. Tie II III
 the light of his own experience. and in
 roadside warfare with his kind, Billy
 had learned the value of pebbly sand as ammunition.
 Hence the rector's difficulty with hts young parishioner.
 The farmer lost no time in bringing | home a buxOm widow whose quarrel some progeny soon crowded Billy out | nostalgia for the woods seized him; | he became nomadc in his effort at self | effacement, and his father, who hated | the sight of his under sized offspring 'slinking around like a whipped dog" | as "sullen, sluggish. sneaking." | Billy exulted in woodcraft He knew | the boggy holiows where the violets and i blood-root grew; the songs of the birds were the familiar voices of his friends,
 and he studied the habits of the birds | and chipmunks with the fervor of a nat l uralist. Billy did not miss his mother s | kisses so poignantlv in the forest | In the course of time new interest
 came to Billv's life. One day in passing
 the rectory he saw little, yellow pig accountable fashion. Billy stopped short I in amazement. It wasn't a pig after all. | but could 1t be-yes. 1t was dog a | tawny, little rolyboly with a black stripe
 down his back, and a tail that curled r like a pigis,- and face that reminded | Billy of old Uncle Ikes bulldog, only 1t | was black and looked less dangerous.
 Billy sidled up to the fence and whistled
 softly. The pug frisked over with his 1 Billy and then backed off. Evidently he | was not prepossesed. Billy dived into his
 Sundays story, THE TUG OF LOVE, "