River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-10-20
Copyright. 1904. by Daily Story Pub. Co.,

EER. LAWLERcas a casual glance at
wi the little cottage down at the corner
the cottage which he owned, and which
his agent had rented two days before to
a Mrs. Bryan, tall of figure and hard of
hand. Surely there was child sitting
on the step. He arose and looked closer.
Yes-a little girl-an exceedingly small
girl; though he saw now that her dimin-
utive figure appeared smaller because
she was hunchback. A white
cat was winding and rubbing
around her. For the first time
since he had owned the row of cottages
a child held possession in one of them
and Mr. Lawler was angry. This was too
careless of Morton-he would see him
about it at once. He would tear that
row of houses down next year and make
a vineyard Thereon something-per-
haps a quiet grove, with high walls
around it, where he could rest liz the
evenings
Mr. Lawler had for some years been
able 20 afford himself any little fancy he
pleased, and it was one of his fancies to
dislike children; to steer clear of them
whenever he could; to ignore them when
he went to the houses of his friends; to
see that they never fntruded on his
grounds, where he held state in the big,
lonely house; and to make careful pro-
vision that no family with children
should get into one of his cottages. He
had managed so carefully that this had
been practically a childless neighbor-
hood. No boys rolled their hoops along
the sidewalk by those cottages; no little
girls dressed dolls on the steps; no baby
patted its tiny hands on the window
panes. Perhaps one reason for this was
that there had once been a child in the
big house, and after the mothers death
further apart-had not understood one
another, and had finally come to divis-
ion, so that Mr. Lawler had told the boy
that the door was open and he could go
He had not dreamed that David would
take him at his word-but there was nc
mother to stand between them now, as
she had done all the boys life, so David
went; and now Mr.. Lawler, the learned
lawyer, the eloquent speaker, sat in the
pillared portico of the big house and
scowled fiercely at little girl on the steI
of the cottage at the end of the row.
The next morning he saw her at closer
range. He went past the cottage on his
way to town, and just then she flashed Out
of the door and sat down on the step with
sudden plump that attracted his frown-
| ing glance She was carrying a bow
and spoon, and the white cat was fol-
! lowing with expectation in every fea-
ture.
Nov, Sarah Jane" said the little girl
in a high, thin voice, that seemed tc
make her more eIfish than before, "stand
up an eat, an don't you spill drop!"
He could not help pausing to look
this tall, thin man who disliked children
there was something SO weird about
the little girl on the step. She was grave
Iy extending a spoonful Vt milk to thu
cat, and the cat as gravely sat erect on
it's launches, with both paws graspine
the sides of the spoon; and, with eyes
half closed and ears bent back, drank the
milk with much rafting of a red tongue
against the tip of the spoon. Mr.. Law
81 should think you could find some
thing more important to do than spoil
| ing that cat" he said severely.
| The little girl turned her large eyes
upon him.
"She amt spoiled" she said, in tbs
sharp little voice. She's an orphan, an
had to be raised by hand, an that's the
only way she knows how to eat"
That's all nonsense" said Mr.. Law
Ter, with deep disgust. you should be
taught to make some good use of your
time and help your mother make living
instead of wasting your life spelling ami
mals-which are a nuisance, under any
circumstances. And why should poor
people make their expenses heavier by
keeping worthless animals?"
The little girl dipped up another
spoonful of milk and held it out to Sarah
Jane, who accepted it hungrily.
1t was a week later before he saw the
child again; and then as he leaned bach
in his easy chair, looking at something
very far away, beyond the red light OF
the sunset, sharp little voice arose, al
most from beneath his feet.
give brorn5 my bucket over to get g
copper cents worth of milk for Sarah
| Jane" said the voice; and there before
him was the solemn, elfish little face
with the big eyes. I'VE couldn't get
none this mornin'-mother was out o
money-but Sarah Jane II jist go wild
if she don't get her milk ever day, SO
broke into my tin bank"
She held out the bucket in one hand
and the copper cent in the other, with
easy conference.-the little hands that
looked like birds claws. The great law
yer and fluent speaker in the easy chair
was very much initiated
81 don't sell milk" he said, waving
away bucket and coin. stop one of the
milk wagons when you want to buy
milk"
"Now you know very we'll they don't sell
copper cents worth O. milk" she re-
torted, plying his ignorance of affairs
An you've got cow that mother says
must give gallons an gallons. Do make
'aste-Sarah Jane is mighty n1ar tearin
the house down, she wants her milk sc
bad"
Really this was too much!
81 don't see why your mother doesn't
have that cat killed." said Mr. Lawler
MI 40 ry-ox,,