The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-04-10


play with me! Nobody will
play with mel
Such a forlorn small figure it was
with tear-grimed cheeks and a discon-
ISOLATE droop to the toboggan-tassel
meant to stick out saucily from the
round little head.
The bent-shouldered old woman
coming YEARLY up the street smiled
grimly at first. All, well, if ones
only grief were simply having no one
to play with! But, as she dragged
slowly on she saw the child run
bravely after the passing groups OF
children, begging them to stop and
play.
Poor little fellow! Why can't he
be happy now, at least? Come" she
said, in burst of self-forgetful
kympathy. az will race you to the
forner and back"
The glad ooh, will your" and the
quick hope Frightening the tear
soiled face repaid her and gave her
% start.
Alasl Little legs take short strides,
but they take many. Neddy bound
ed along with double vigor for the
time lost in lonely repining. Her
breath came thick and fast. Her
bent shoulders, her stiff limbs, her
sicw breath seemed to seize and hold
her back. 1t was torture! Not even
little kindly act like that could she
10. Oh, she was old and worn and
sick of it all! And down her soft.
~rinkled cheeks slow tears began to-
srickle as she painted after the child
who was beginning to look back
aonbtfully.
Not even to the corner! She could
go no further. Poor little Neddyi
She cared more for his disappoint-
ment than for the revelation of her
nwn weakness. On the stretch OF
blank wall, where the slanting sun
gays made clear shadows, she could
ace his blithe running figure, so diff
ferent now from the forlorn lun1,
with the fat, discouraged tassel.
with 4 sudden inspiration she
yasped:
See him, Neddy, see him! Your
3is ymate has come, your very own!''
I he child veered sidewise as she
pointed at the shadow on the wall;
30 did the shadow. The tassels
waved recognition and friendly de
sance.
"Oh!" screamed the child, in
scstasy. "He's racing mel"
"Yes," she painted. Run quickly.
He'll keep up with you. I'll watch
lou."
On sped Neddy and on sped the
ihndow-boy. Neddy chuckled and
shouted in the joy of matehood, till
!rom the old wall and the billy
grounds back of it there echoed a
ihrill, thin. answering cheer; from
he shadow-boy, of course.
Neck and neck they kept along the
great wall, turning back at the cor
ser, around which little Neddy might
sot go. and racing home again. The
Eall broke off at the place where the
Two cottages of Neddy's parents and
1ae old lady's neighbored each other
Hnidly on the long, lonely square.
xeddy stubbed his toe and fell. Too
sildly excited to be hurt, he scram-
Ned up again, and, bless you, if the
aiadow-boy had not fallen, too, over
he lilac-bush, and there they were,
klst even, Neddy getting his breath
,erched on the low gate-post, and the
Shadow-boy on the old fady's porch,
against the cottage side.
The old lady came slowly along,
ane misery Of her hurried breathing
su;eted down, and smiling to see the
Eager, happy face, full of interroga-
) don-points, raised to hers.
"Yes, you will find him pretty near
every day that it is nice and
fright enough for little boys to be
mt. He will always be willing TO
Aay with you and will never run
uvay from yon. He won't quarrel
md hart You"