The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-10-18
tcopyrisht. 1904. by Daily Story Pub. Co.,

IvI 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 there-or somethNg-per-
haps a quiet grove, with high walls
around it, where he could rest in the
evenings.
Mr.. Lawler had for some years been
able to afford himself any little fancy he
pleased. and 1t 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 intruded 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 childless neighbor-
hood. No boys rolled their hoops along
&ba zf1arraII- hv fb1ca oofta 0ao. M uftla
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
he and the boy had grown further and
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 no
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 step
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
a sudden plump that attracted his frown-
ing glance She was carrying a bowl
and a spoon, and the white cat was fol-
lowing with expectation In every fea-
ture
Now, Sarah Jane" said the little girl,
in a high, thin voice, that seemed to
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
ly extending a spoonful OF milk to the
cat. and the cat as gravely sat erect on
its launches, with both paws grasping
the sides of the spoon; and. with eyes
half closed and ears bent back, drank the
milk with much rattling of a red tongue
against the tip Of the spoon Mr.. Law
Ter looked on with portentous frown.
Il should think you could find some
thing more important to do than spoil
ing that cat" he said severely.
The little girl surned her large eye.
upon him.
-She amt spoiled" she said. in ths
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 bs
taught to make some good use Of YOU
time and help your mother make living
instead Of wasting your life spelling ami
mals-which are a nuisance, under an,
circumstances. And why should poo
people make their expenses heavier b,
keeping worthless animals?"
The little girl dipped up anothe
spoonful of milk and held 1t out to Saral
Jane, who accepted 1t hungrily.
1t was a week later before he saw tn
child again; and then as he leaned bacl
in his easy chair. looking at something
very far away, beyond the red light o
the sunset, sharp little voice arose, al
most from beneath his feet
1--WE brung my bucket over to get
copper cents worth of milk for Sara
Jane" said the voice; and there befor
him was the solemn. elfish little fac
with the big eyes. I'VE couldn't ge
| none this mornin'-mother was out {
money-but Sarah Jane II jist go viii
IL she don't get her milk ever day, so
broke into my tin bank"
She held out the bucket in one han
and the copper cent in the other, wit
easy confiaence-thin little hands tina
looked like birds claws. The great Law
yer and fluent speaker in the easy chai
was very much irritated.
81 don't sell milk" he said, wavin
away bucket and coin. Stop one of tn
milk wagons when you want to bu
milk"
"Nowyou know very well they don't Sc
a copper cents worth O. milk" she r,
torted, plying his ignorance Of affair
AN you've got a cow that mother say
must give gallons an gallons: Do mai
'aste-Sarah Jane Is mighty near tearil
the house down, she wants her milk I
bad"
Really this was too muchi
II don't see why your mother doesn
have that cat killed." said Mr.. Lawle
sharply. The little face grew more elfs
still as the big eyes regarded him fl
tently.
Sarah Jane wouldn't thank nobody
kill her" she said. She likes to live.
you'd ever had anything like Sarah jar
about the house you wouldn't talk thi
, way. I'll get you cat. II you want. a