Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-03-25


down his life to save the man she
loved; and it wants forgetting. Pretty,
was she? Well, you must think of O
girl that stepped as proud as queen
with a laugh like some peal o. bells
just starting; with real black hair, all
in them little clinging nigger-curls that
never want brushing; hands and face
brown as berries; and them velvety
eyes that look at you without seeing
soft as pansies one moment and fash
ing fire the next. That was Kitty.
D'you wonder why every one was
calling poor Joe Arkel a mad mug
from the very beginning?
was standing at this very spot
with crowd o. pals. AS if it was this
moment, I can see her come floating
round that corner there, with her head
high, and her Sunday dress done up
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 Elippety -klop. painted this
Joe Arkell. And she seemed to guess
and flashed round, and pointed.
Thought so!' she says 1T won't
do. You can cut back, and keen
|. therev'
And he looked at her, his mouth
twitching up queer and his shaking
hand out, till we all burst out laugh
Ing Aud that girl, she swung round
with clenched fists, and gave us a look.
Just one look; but it stopped the laugh
and set the place talking.
Inside twentyfour hours the other
girls were that mad jealous and mys.
tilted they could have torn her curls
out; but there was just that funny lit.
tie Stand backr' about her that
seemed to say she was somehow cut
out for 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 Ouch
ess. And she'd come to live at Clerk
enwell because the houses down her
way We're doomed at last. So far,
well and good! But when we saw Joe
Arkelrs face we knew there was some
tragedy coming along with Kitty.
Ever been down them back turnings
Kings Cross way? Then very likely
you've passed Joe-wedged between a
wheelbarrow and 'tater-stall. and his
stock was about dozen linnets in
cages. Some said he was consump-
tive. some said he was only in love,
and some said it 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 chap,
with one 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 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
cabbage-his body hadn't grown prop
erly. Now listen!
She'd heard him cough, it seems,
and told him to see doctor man at
once
s "Oh, yes! Leave London the doc
tor says. leave it and go and live
at Bournemouth. sharp"
ANY one but Joe would have. asked
for their money back at once but he
took it right to heart and went and
told her. And she says-perhaps
thinking, and perhaps not; you know
what women are
II knew it. You'd bea sight health
Ter and sight happier Only you'd
need some one to look after your
Don't say that if you're not mean
ing it," Joe whispers, all of sudden.
Just like him! s So Anz a
II never meant anything more" she
told him. and walked away quick.
Only that: but up went the curtain,
and that chap was talking away to
himself and basking in .fairyland. A
little country cottage, with the sea in
front and the vegetables at the back;
something twining round the porch
and kitty. Nothing else! -
They say he wrote those very words
in letter, and told her how mucL
he'd saved, and put the letter through
the post. And one day he found the
letter in bits on his barrow; but he
couldnt seem to believe. And when he