Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-10-21
Copyright, 1904. by Daily Story Pub. co.,

q Mrs. Bryan, tall of figure and hard oil |
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. 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 1t 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 in the
evenings.
Mr.. Lawler had for some years been
able to 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 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
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
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 a 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
sudden plump that attracted his frown-
ing glance. She was carrying a bowl
and spoon, and the white cat was fol-
lowing with expectation in every fea-
! ture.
Now, Sarah Jane" said the little girl.
in high, thin voice, that seemed to
no. oh hor hofo soto a
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
n " extending spoonful Of milk to the
II at, and the cat as gravely sat erect on
!sS IS launches, with both paws grasping
k1le sides of the spoon; and, with eyes
~ alf closed and ears bent back, drank the
~. ilk with much rafting Of red tongue
a. gainst the tip of the spoon. Mr.. Law
Ear looked on with portentous frown.
III Il should think you could find some
xAhing more important to do than spoil
u ng that cat" he said severely.
s The little girl turned her large eyes
e lpon him. .
4 "She amt spoiled" she said. in the
3 harp little voice. She's an orphan, an
I'D nd to be raised by hand, an that's the
q only way she knows how to eat"
q. That's all nonsense" said Mr. Law
q. er, with deep disgust. you should be
Il: aught to make some good use of your
=. ime and help your mother make a living
q, instead of wasting your life spelling ami
" nals-which are a nuisance, under any
IT, circumstances. And why should pool
& ! eople make their expenses heavier by
81 eeping worthless animals?"
y The little. girl dipped up another
y. poonful of milk and held It out to Sarah
g Iane, who accepted it hungrily.
n It was a week later before he saw the
y hid again; and then as he leaned back
Ny his easy chair. looking at something
& cry far away, beyond the red light Of
4 lie sunset, a sharp little voice arose, al.
III ost from beneath his feet
81 I've brung my bucket over to get
IS upper cents worth Of milk for Sarah
e. lne," said the voice; and there before
him was the solemn, elfish little fac,
with the big eyes. 1--WE couldn't ge
none this mornin'-mother was out O
money-but Sarah Jane IL 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 hanC
and the copper cent in the other, will
easy confidence-thinl little hands tina
looked like birds claws. The great law
yer and fluent speaker in the easy chat
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 sci
copper cents worth O. milk" she re
torted, plying his ignorance of affairs
AN you've got a COW that mother say
must give gallons an gallons. Do max
'aste-Sarah Jane Is mighty near tea rim