The Opelousas courier., 1904-05-14

2 sui comes III my thrOa
u when I'm asked about GU
NOV Kitty. We knew her, an,
we knew thhf chap III III & q
down his life to save the man sh
loved; and it wants forgetting. Pretty
was she? Well, you must think of
girl that stepped as proud as a queen
with a laugh like some peal O. bell
just starting; with real black hair. al
In them little clinging nigger-curls tina
never want brushNg; hands and fac
brown as berries, and them velvety
eyes that look at you without seeing
sofe as pansies n moment and fash
ing fire the next. That was Kitty
D'you wonder why every one WI.
calling poor Joe Arkel a mad mn.
from the very beginning? r.
l was standing at this ~veryi1ssot
with q crowd O. pals. AS if it W. this
moment, can see her c~omey4sAoatine
round that corner there, with4,1er head
high, and her Sunday dress done IN
carefully in a newspaper. Not a min.
ute later, while we were staring at one
apparition, we saw another. Round
the same corner, stealthy like. his
crutch going klippety-klop, painted this
Joe Arkell. And she seemed to guess,
and flashed round, and pointed.
Thought sol! she says. at won't
do. You can cut back, and keep
there!"
And he looked at her. his mouth
twitching up queer and his shaking
hand out, till we all burst out laugh
ing. And that girl, she swung round.
with clenched fists, and gave us a look.
Just n look; but it stopped the laugh
and set the place talking.
Inside twenty-four hours the ether
girls were that mad jealous and mys.
tilted they could have torn her curls
out; but there was just that funny lit.
tie stand backw about her thai
seemed to say she was somehow cut
u for a different destiny. She had a
thrilling way Of turning round slow
and just looking at you-you know
without telling If you've seen a ducb-
ess. And she'd come to live at Clerk
enWell because the houses down hey
way were doomed at last. So far.
well and good! But when we saw Toe
ArkePs face we knew there was some
tragedy coming along with Kitty.
v been down them back %turnincs
hing's Cross way? Then very likely
you've passed Joe-wedged between \
Wneelbarrow and a 'tater-stall. and his
stock was about a dozen Iinnets in
cages. Some said he was consumn-
tive, some said he was only in love,
and some said 1t was the iinnets sing
ing In his room all night that disturbed
his sleep and kept him SO unnatural
white. ANY way, that was the chan.
with n ankle twisted and a face all
askeW, that went dreaming he was 60
ing to win Kitty, in the face of all the
likely men in London. Roar? Yes. we
did then. We don't now.
He'd given up smoking and drink
Ing. and was saving every ha'penny
quietly. Just because she'd looked at
him a few times, or spoken softly out
OF pity for him, there he was down on
his knees, kissing the pavement she
walked. See? We knew it after
wards; the chap was all heart, like a
eabbage-his body hadn't grown prop
arly. Now listen!
Shed heard him cough, It seems,
IND told him to see a doctor man at
ohce.
"Oh. yes! Leave London!" the doc
Tor says. leave it and go and live
1t Bournemouth, sharp"
ANY n but Joe would have asked
or their money back at once but he
.ook it right to heart and went and
old her. And she says-perhans
linking, and perhaps not; YOU know
what women are
Il knew it. You'd be a sight health
er and a sight happier. Only you'll
some n to look after your
Don't say that, If you're not mean
ng It," Joe whispers, all of q sudden.
lust like him!
II never meant anything more she
OLD him. and walked away quick.
only that; but up went the curtain.
no that chap was talking away TO
llmself and basking in fairyland. A
title country cottage, with the sea in
ront and the vegetables at the back:
omething twining round the porch
nd Kitty. Nothing else!
They say he wrote those very words
q letter, and told her how much
ed saved. anu put the letter through
ne post. And one day he found the
in bits on his barrow; but he s
onldn't seem to believe. And when he
card she was coming to Clerkenwell {
, live he sat there for days without '
aying a word to any one, only just l
at something no one else could |
%. What d'you think? Spite of all t
Chatting he sold up for a mere {
ing. followed her here, and started /
wing on stray coppers he could earn i
J MODELLING errands. And nothing in Q
world would shake his hopes. t
NOW, its always been a mystery to
what was down deep in that girls S
Wa she palying cat-and-mouse U
tn the chap like women do, or Il
q she like him somehow and feel i
with herself for allowing it?
Y, because now and again you'd see
r peering round corners at him with +
sort Of mist in her eyes; and if once !
e got some nipper to give him two o
nee for q dummy errand. she did it a
zen times-and she only sold moss Il
SeS for q living herself. IF y0l1 ash II
E. that girl was boru for d real lady. /