Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-17
VIVA, were you up to. stopping like

'wnat were you up to. stopping like
that?
Murphy wiped his forehead with his
great hand, as if he were wiping the
homogeneous incident away, aud mo-
roseIy resumed work.
Don't know what business Parr has
lettin' his bit o. child get among
prisoners" the injured official growled.
Then curious spark fiickered in the
eye of 40. and he concluded his
agreeable exercise quite mechanically.
with an odd look of conflict on his ma
lign countenance and still odder war
of feelings In his heart, which said stu
pidly over and over again. with varied
mental intonations.
PARIS child! PARIS chilly"
Gracious reader, 1t seems unlikely to
you that go trivial an occurrence should
awaken such storm in such breast,
but probably you have never been shut
up, with no other society, excepting
always your own dull bad heart, than
that of superior persons whose sole aim
as regards yourself is to reform punt
lively, or. failing that, to COW and
break you.
Murphy returned to his cell with
something quite new to think of. True,
he returned to the neighborhood Of
Parr. the sound OF his solid and we'll
measured tread on the stones of the
corridor. his neat military cough, his
we'll balanced pause exactly opposite
the door within which dwelt the objec-
tionable G 49,. II was. however. Parr
under totally different aspect. The
whole perspective Of things between
them had to be readjusted.
When Parr came Murphy was ,ex-
ceeiingly silent, but looked at him
great deal, though sidelong. Parr was
not quick. but eventually he noticed
the scrutiny and became watchful in
turn, for Murphy's eye, never doyelike,
had q new animation In its sullen
depths.
But there was something 50 unmis-
takably shamefaced about G IS that
Parr stopped in the rebuke he was
about to utter and substituted, in an
uncertain, even mild, voice, the stock
remark:
'None o. your games, 45!"
A light human and unofficial, hoy
cred around his lips. Moreover, Muir.
ply, furdvely studying him. had
caught deeting likeness. He cleared
his throat and said, with gruff humil
iU:
"Ain't no game. said Pause.
| Pause also on PARIS part, presently
followed by not altogether ungra
cious "well?'
Then Murphy raised his eyes. whici
Parr thought indistinctly for the fir
time. were not so bad as some people
and remarked:
That's small, small child o. you
officer"
Parr suspected insult in this OF
deep laid plot to come round" ii
Aware, however, that G ass ingcni,
was limited to the coarsest common
places, instead Of making disciplinary
descent he merely took suspicious
stare at him. Murphy wriggled. but
the wriggle was so palpably innocent
| and inoffensive that Parr said gruftiy.
rather as If the reply was extracted
from him:
YES; weakly, you see. Gets sores on
the side o. her little neck; pulls her
poor little head o one side. You might
"a noticed. Some people do"
| He was watchful Of depreciatory
comments, but Murphy's almost re-
sentful reply-"1 didn't. then. Who
says so?"-came with curious balm.
Parr made a feint to leave the cell.
but paused at the door and, leaning
against 1t, added:
"Oh. folks that's got suety. beefy
ones o. their own"
Murphy nodded comprehension, with
his gaze on the ground.
II should say" he observed, as II
hurting defiance at criticising uni
verse. though I'm no Judge O. Riddles.
more like bit o white wax flower
or a-a-chirrup." He uttered the last
word uncertainty. Parr. too. felt there
was something wrong there, but. los
ing sight Of verbal inaccuracy in the
aptness of the smile. assented with an
approving "Just So" He added, fear
ing he had compromised his dignity.
"Get on with your work; l amt here
to play with you," and retired abrupt
~. slamming the door on principle.
Afterward, however, he made an ex-
cuse to reappear and. with an aspect
of stolid surprise and of being driven
into friendliness against his will, 70.
marked, "Faysie's been askin' after
you."
whats thatY'
"My child" said Parr roughly" she's
been askin' after you"
"She ain't!' There was an unbeliev-
ing whimpef in the hoarse denial which
caused PAR to asseverate:
allowed II she ain't!'
Murphy said no word. He opened his
mouth like gaping fish and lifted his
eyes to his officers face with such 81.
lent earnsstness that PARIS hide was
pierced: He recognized, with sort Of
pang, humanity in Murphy. even a
community Of feeling. His frail child
was despised by fellow warders with
large, healthy families.
"She began tellin' me about pity
man playin' BALL Prisoner undergo
in punishment I said. Had to tell
her, in course" with remote sugges-
ton OF apology; but, bless her ig-
o,r,uno ,ho no,,1Nu,t co.n iti She oofa |