The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-13

AS lot the man hlmSelf, he looked
with an eager regard that seemed to
pierce the door beyond which she had
disappeared. The child set up a dis
contented roar, which recalled him to
his task. for Mrs. Fry had set little
Johnny in his lap, asking him to mind
him while she fried her doughnuts. The
man resumed the jingling of his KEYS
and the child was quiet. Finally the
hot lard kettle was put away, and with
capable swoop. of her arm the boy
transferred from the mans arm to her
own, and a moment later Mrs. Fry an
peared in the sitting-room where her
visitor was.
"A poor creetur as ever was" she
SAID to Mrs. Hamilton, with a back
ward sweep to her head. Indicating the
man in the room she had left. What's
he ben an gone an done but git cold
a-stayin' out nights, an me that's got
everything to do has got to take care
on i'm"
rs he sick?"
He amt able to work. He was took
with faint spell this mornin', looked
white as sheet, an Dan told him he'd
best lay off spell. He seems sorter
feverish this afternoon"
Who is he?"
"Oh, he's one of the mill men that
boards here; ben here most three
weeks"
What sort of a man is hep
well, he amt quite SO bright as some
men, mebbe, but he seems dreadful
good-hearted. He'll do anything I
ask him, hold Johnny by the
hour, but if 1 didn't nut him
in his arms straight he's just as quick
hold him upside down. He did once.
didn't he, johnny"
Johnny gave a howl at the recollec-
| ton.
Constance could not help a feeling
ing of pity for man sick, and with
out nome, compelled to care for a
troublesome child, and she asked.
| Does he like to hold him?"
never asked him." said Mrs. FRY
with an air of superlative contempt.
mo more'n he asked me whether /
like to have him settin' round I'm
| good to him. 1 always be to every one
that boards here"
| DO you think he colors his hair or
wears a wig?" asked Constance, with
sudden recollection of her first agita-
| tion at seeing him at church.
| No, indeed; he don't care enough
for his looks to color his hair, an
most certain he hain't no wig on, for
see him comb it every day by the
little glass in the kitchen there"
| Constance looked through the door
| anu Sd" d seven Oy nine mirror just
| opposite. The man was not in her
range Of vision, but they had talked
in low tones and, no doubt, he had
| not overheard them. One thing she
need not fear, that he would venture
out for day or two, or peep in at her
| sitting room.
| A good-natured, harmless person
| could do no hurt, anyway. She would
| try to think nothing about it. Doubt
4 lAaer H. 4 IL.
! thing else very soon. Mrs. Fry SEEM
ed to thing his intellect might be i'm
paired, but she could not think this ex-
| actly, remembering the eager gaze he
| had fixed on her face at church. Slight
| ly nonplussed by this recollection, Mrs.
Hamilton did not Immediately take
| her leave as she at first intended, but,
| instead, asked Mrs. Fry if she knew
| the mans name.
mo, don't" said Mrs. Fry, with
| a puzzled air
| why, show is that? Did ne give you
no name when he came?"
"He said his name was Primus Edes,
and 1 don't believe any man ever had
a name like that"
"Oh, that is not so very odd a name.
Primus Edes. I knew a family once
| named Edes."
Did you, now? But what's his
clothes marked H. A. for if that's his
| name? Not as he's a man to be sus-
| picious Of"
"Are his clothes marked H. Az"
Eyes, they be, what is marked.
There's a handkerchief an a shirt
Are thev nice?"
"Jest common"
"It may be some one gave them to
him."
"Yes, so they might. Dan thought
| he might "a swapped with some other
man. They do sometimes, sech folks"
THAT may be the secret of it," said
Mrs. Hamilton, rising to go. IF he
should be sick let me know, and
will send over anything you may lack
| for his comfort"
That's jest like you, for all the
world" said Mrs Fry. IF there was
more like you, Mis- Hamilton the
world would be a dreadful sight bet
| tern 'tis."
"You think too we'll of me, Mrs
Fry" said Constance, gently, and
blushing little. ITO tell the truth
this man interests me strangely, for
in some ways he reminds me of my
husband, does not he your"
BLESS your SOUL no, not one mite!"
said Mrs. Fry, turning a wondering
gaze upon her visitor.
i 1.-THE resemblance is not striking per-
haps, but it exists" said Constance de-
cidedly. "Well, good-by!"
Good by" said Mrs. Fry. at the
| front door, where she had accom-
panied her. "Well, now!" shutting it
after her, whoever heard the beat of
that? Looks like witchwork! A man
with Almost black hair, shorter and
sorter bent, an not over an 'bove
bright, look like Mr.. Hamilton Wall,
l never did in all my born days!"