The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-04-10

was the great ausaheaS ~,
.,;,t,e-foot'' woman, anyway. oiu
Ran,.s iron grating. Notwithstanding
all his precaution, was not mgr
enough or strong enough to keep on,
the microbes of discomfort that MI
the air. Sorrowfully she saw the
shadows growing longer and watched
the minute hand on the clock tower
catching up with the hour hama. All
her life she had lived in two pare
little rooms and one high-walieu
porch. and had been out one DAY eacn
wear. as on this occasion. BY ana
by some one would buy her. then
there would be a change of homes,
and she hoped, devoutly. the new bal
cony might not be so high. but there
would still be only that one day IN
all the wear worth living. II she
should live to be an old woman, say
co wears, that would make just
GO worthwhile" days. Two months
of an American girls year would rep
resent a whole lifetime to her. Tor
inst to be out in the sunlight, to feel
10 come and GO as she chose, to know
what was around the corners OF the
streets below, was all her hungry III
tie soul craved.
Thus she unused as her carriage
slowly moved along. Then she raised
her ewes in response to a steady look
fixed upon her from the opposite
side of the street and through mist
of rebellious tears saw Kee. In an
instant the clouds af discomfort were
cleared away, and in defiance OF the
stupid custom that had hedged her so
| closely about all her life, she frankly
| returned his look. A moment la,er
she deliberately went him one pet
ter. and smiled with n sudden burs'
| of mischief that seemed to well up
from the depth or merry NIUE
heart. sparkle in her eyes till 1t buo-
bled over and dimpled down her
checks and lost itself around the cor.
ncrs of her mouth. At this sign OF
announcement Mr.. Kee walked
straight up to the carriage, raised
his hat. and extending his hand, tooR
hers in the American way he mao
often seen people do. but the loon
that went with the act was Original
and had neither to be learned mol
copied.
| This was bold emancipation. Toy
felt the ewes of the world must bt
upon her, but was not dismayed II
the least; she quite enjoyed it. Sh'
even tried to wriggle her poor little
tortured toes to see if they, too, were
not becoming emancipated from thei
stupid Imprisonment. The other oc
cupants of the carriage looked a
her in horror. but she was nov
. across the Rubicon, and flung def1
ance at everything on the thlthe
Il side. She didn't even care what tn
consequences might be, for her on
day was almost over. and she wa
bound to make the most of IT.
she laughed and chatted with HUI
Zee in a pretty little Cantonese sins
song. as she had seen the America
Girls do. while the "eagle-bird
screeched loudly over her head.
Then. when his dragonship wa
lost to view, the crowds began I
move toward the scene of the bom'
!. casting. In an incredibly short tim
the streets were cleared and the ope
between the joss house and the levt
filed with a swarm of excited CO.
testants.
KEGS soul was fired with determ
nation to catch one of the bomb
for that would insure the success
his every undertaking during ii
year. And poor Kee had dire net
of all the help it could give hiI
for while he had stood chatting Wi
the emancipated Toy, her fathe
Chew Bang, as is often the way
. fathers, had watched them from I
opposite doorway. Such conduct I
the part of his carefully brought-'
daughter was almost beyond belle
and as he watched her talking bold
. to a man on the street, knowing Z
: eyes of the world were upon her,
: Mortified surprise his little bias-c
eyes grew wicked looking. Eve
minute of this scandalous behavi
;, was bringing down Toys sellil
price, and Kee, the miserable, 10
!. born pauper, knew it. Perhaps
> was doing it to make her an unsa
able chattel, Bang told himself,
= order that he might get her at b;
= gain. Yes, that was undoubtedly t
!: reason, he decided, and Toy, POI
:. misguided little fool, had not '
enough to see it. But he was p
pared to nip such an unheard
Irritation in the bud in an effect'
- way. And his teeth met with
- cious click as he started off down. I
= alley on a noiseless little trot.
When the bomb-casting began i
- took reluctant leave of Toy. a
90 was soon lost in the crowd. but Ba
l,s followed him Closely The bomb
a. projected high in the air, while
a. men struggle to catch it as it con
a. down. The squabblng and yell
"a and actual fighting over it show h
a firmly their faith is pinned to t
y, superstition. and the victor is BOZ
In away with shouts and cheers, WI
= the less fortunate ones slip av
o. with black eyes, bleeding noses {
. | sometimes serious breakapes.