The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-09-25

DcuI oluDDlC ny LIS u
could be identifed-an unheard of, un-
known voice, not Murphy's at all
which said huSkily:
''Now, honey, go to your nanny"
Even as he spoke, with a CLINT in his
small eye sideways, woman swooped
down on the fairy and snatched her up
with cry of dismay.
"Why, you little hussy, what are you
doin' there? Them prisoners might
have killed your
Murphy heard. He certainly looked
murderous as he Strengthened himself.
He seemed somehow bewildered as the
experimenting officer addressed him,
what were you up to, stopping like
that?"
Murphy wiped his forehead with his
great hand as if he were wiping the
incongruous incident away, and mo-
rosely resumed work.
Don't know what business Parr has
lettin' his bit O. a child get among
prisoners" the injured official growled.
Then curious spark flickered in the
eye of G 45, and he concluded his
agreeable exercise quite mechanically,
with an odd look of conflict on his ma.
lign countenance and still odder war
of feelings in his heart, which said stu
pidly over and over again, with varied
mental intonations:
PARIS child! PARIS childp'
Gracious reader, it seems unlikely to
you that so trivial an occurrence should
awaken such a storm in such a breast,
but probably you have never been shut
up, with no other society, excepting
always your own dull bad heart, than
that of superior persons whose sole aim
as regards yourself is to reform punt
lively, or, failing that, to COW and
break you.
Murphy returned to his cell with
something quite new to think Of True,
he returned to the neighborhood of
Parr the sound of his solid and we'll
measured tread on the stones of the
corridor, his neat military cough. his
well balanced pause exactly opposite
the door within which dwelt the objec-
tionable G 45. 1t was, however, Parr
under a totally different aspect. The
whole perspective of things between
them had to be readjusted.
When Parr came Murphy was ex-
ceedingly silent, but looked at him a
great deal, though sidelong. Parr was
not quick, but eventually he noticed
the scrutiny and became watchful in
turn, for Mnrphy's eye, never dovelike,
had new animation in its sullen
depths.
But there was something so unmls-
takably shamefaced about @ As that
Parr stopped in the rebuke he was
about to utter and substituted, in an
remark:
"None O. your games, 45!'
A light, human and unofficial, hoy
cred around his lips. Moreover, Mur-
ply, furtively studying him, had
caught feeting likeness. He cleared
his throat and said, with gruff humil-
ity:
"Ain't no game. said'- Pause
Pause also on PARIS part, presently
followed by a not altogether ungra-
cious ''Well?"
Then Murphy raised his eyes, which,
Parr thought indistinctly for the first
time, were not SO bad as some peoples,
and remarked:
"That's small, small child O. yours,
officer"
Parr suspected insult in this or a
deep laid plot to .seome round" him.
Aware, however, that G 45's ingenuity
was limited to the coarsest common
places, instead of making disciplinary
descent he merely took a suspicious
stare at him. Murphy wriggled, but
the wriggle was so palpably innocent
and inoffensive that Parr said grufiy,
rather as if the reply was extracted
from him:
eyes; weakly, you see. Gets sores on
the side O. her little neck; pulls her
poor little head O. one side. You might
a noticed. Some people do"
He was watchful of deprectatery
comments, but Murphy's almost re-
sentful reply-"I didn't, then. Who
says soT'-eame with curious balm,
Parr made feint to leave the CELL
but paused at the door and, leaning
against it, added:
'Oh, folks that's got suety, beefy
ones O. their own.''
Murphy nodded comprehension, with
his gaze on the ground.
Il should say" he observed, as if
hurting defiance at criticising uni
verse, though I'm no judge O. kiddies,
more like a bit O. white wax flower
or a-a-chirrup." He uttered the last
word uncertainty. Parr, too felt there
was something wrong there, but, los
ing sight of verbal inaccuracy in the
aptness of the simile, assented with an
approving "Just So" He added, fear
ing he had compromised his dignity,
"Get on with your work; ! amt here
to play with you" and retired abrupt
ly, slamming the door on principle,
Afterward, however, he made an ex-
cuse to reappear and, with an aspect
of stolid surprise and of being driven
into friendliness against his will, re-
marked, "Faysie's been askin' after
you"
"Whats that?"
"My child" said Parr roughly shes
been askin' after you"
"She ain'tw There was an unbeliey-
ing whimper in the hoarse denial which
caused Parr to asseyerate:
FBlowed if she ain't!"
Murphy said no word, He opened his
mouth like gaping fish and lifted his
eyes to his officers face with Such si-