St. Tammany farmer., 1903-05-02
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by MARY S. HADEN
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AL A. 1orlorn small figure it was,
tear-grimed cheeks and discon-
d rss droop to the toboggan-tassel
nt 70 stick out saucily from the
round little head.
bent-shouldered old woman
ing wearily up the street smiled
iy at first. All, well, if ones
oniy grief were simply having no one
~ play with! But, as she dragged
IVY IVY on she saw the child run
49, LEY after the passing groups of
.luren, begging them to stop and
foor little fellow! Why can't he
= happy now, at least? Come" she
ssio' IN burst of self-forgetful
mpathy. Il will race you to the
eofner and back"
he glad '+Oh, will you?" and the
d TX hope Frightening the tear
ss.I aeo face repaid her and gave her
- start.
Alas! Little legs take short strides,
Dss .hey take many. Neddy bound
- along with double vigor for the
y ume lost in lonely repining. Her
breath came thick and fast. Her
oent shoulders, her stiff limbs, her
slow breath seemed to seize and hold
ner back. It was torture! Not even
little kindly act like that could she
20. Oh, she was old and worn and
SICK OF it all! And down her soft.
wl1nkled cheeks slow tears began to
1rackle as she painted after the child
VINO was beginning to look back
deubtfully
Not even to the corner! She could
eo no further. Poor little Neddy!
one cared more for his disappoint.
ment than for the revelation of he1
{ own weakness. On the stretch OF
olank wall, where the slanting sun.
rays made clear shadows, she could
see his blithe running figure, SO diff.
1erent now from the forlorn< lumI
with the fat, discouraged tassel.
With a sudden inspiration she
gasped:
See him, Neddy, see him! Your
Playmate has come, your very own!'
The child veered sidewise as she
pointed at the shadow on the wall:
90 did the shadow. The tassels
waved recognition and friendly de-
fiance. ,M
OH" screamed the child, il
ecstasy. Hes racing mel"
"Yes," she painted. run quickly
He'll keep up with you. I'll watct
you"
On sped Neddy and on sped the
shadow-boy. Neddy chuckled ane
shouted in the joy of matehood, til
from the old wall and the hilly
grounds back of it there echoed {
shrill, thin, answering cheer; from
the shadow-boy, of course.
Neck and neck they kept along tn.
great wall, turning back at the cor
s ner, around which little Neddy might
not 60, and racing home again. The
wall broke off at the place where the
two cottages of Neddy's parents ane
the old lady's neighbored each othe1
timidly on the long, lonely square
Neddy stubbed his toe and fell. Too
wildly excited to be hurt, he scram
bled up again, and, bless you, if tn.
shadow-boy had not fallen, too, ove1
the li,ac-bush, and there they were
just even, Neddy getting his breath
perched on the low gate-post, and thu
shadow-boy on the old lady's porch
against the cottage side.
The old lady came slowly along
the misery of her hurried breathing
auieted down, and smiling to see tn,
eager, happy face. full of interroga
tion-points, raised to hers.
eyes, you will find him pretty near
" every day that it is nice ant
bright enough for little boys to b,
out. He will always be willing t.
play with you and will never ru1
away from you. He won't quarre
and hurt you."
"What's his name?"
"His name, Neddy? Well, thinl
it's Teddy"
.Oh, want to play with him SOM
more! Wait for me, will you?" ant
he raced off eagerly, running, leap
ing, dancing like little Comanche
strutting like small fat gladiato
and making the quiet street RIM
with shouts and laughter that Ger
tainly sounded like those OF tw'
small boys.
The little old lady drew her shaw
about her as she sat on her porch
though she was sure she did not fee
the cool of the growing evening a
much as usual. She heard the invall'
father ask the busy little mother:
ssWhat makes the boy so happy