Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-22

CcOpy-ight. lsOA. by Daily Story Pub. 'cOS
 IT HE man stood watching the motley
 procession pass in ana out of the place where the sacred relic" were de. posited. Curiosity and amusement were depicted on his face, and just 8 shade Of contempt He was thorough-goana 9nnan of the world, this Harold Bent ley and long since had ceased to believe in anything in particular, including himself. Years of travel and pleasure seeking, made easy by his ample for tune, had satiated his palate and numbed his senses. ! He had come to the shrine this bright summer day M more to escape from himself and his fastidio ious sur roundings than from any particular irlfs terestsls The papers had been full s.oi the miraculous cures wrought by the bone of the good saint and he had felt a langliid curlosft to 3see the shki iridh ot. people who. would seek such a cure. It as agood deal as he expected. The faces were mostly those of the more scredulous and inefficient, but all were so terribly in eaEnestand displayed such perfect faith that Bentley soon ceased to smile at them. He marveaeds that. men could be so thoroughly impreg-, hated with absolute faith and belief dual6ttes almost unknown in his world. He noted that most of the seekers: were of the more ignorant classes, but now and then face of unusual refine ment and spirituality would attract and puzzle him.
 Nearly all emerged full of excite ment, in many cases throwing away crutches and canes, their eyes blazing with exaltation. x Bentley smiled, < !. .tGreat, indeed, Is the power of mind over matter" he murmuFed to him; self. Great is Christian science. Bet- ter keep their crutches awhile, though. They'll need lem when the excitement wears of. z s .. t#t.at;s. ...
 At this moment Bent1ey's attention was arrested by. the approachsof girl and a young boy. The girl was 8 frail, and delicate little thing of IS, and walked with crutch. Although att tired In the poorest of raiment she pos- sessed that ine6ahIe something which surely indicates good ancestry. Her head was magnificent in outline and denoted high intellectually and her lace would have been beautiful were it not for the pallor and thinneas and a certain pinehed appearance. She wora also that expression of acuteness which is the portion of those suffering from physical defor7nity. The boy also showed evidences Of good blood and was alert and manly, but pale and thin and attired in rags. ..5 ., V K
 Both faces were aHame with deyout eagerness
 z ''Are you tired. sfs?9 asked the boy, solicttiously. "I'rn so excited T guess | walked you too fast"
 ''No, indeed Archie, x replied the girl in eager tones It seems as though cannot get there quick enough.' tf !
 wait while count the money, . said the boy, and pausiag directly in front of Bentley he dove into bis pocket and dragged forth 2 pitiful little pile of small silver coins. Here, you take it; mebbe it'll work better if you give at yourself" They passed in and Bentley gave himself up to idle speculation regard ing them. They appeared to come from too intelligent stock to believe in relics and all that although evidently very poor, and yet their faith seemed per- feet. He watched for them to come out Both faces shone with confidence.
 ''Do you feel diffsrent? ?" asked the boy, with the juvenile thirst for con crete results.
 "I seem to feel stronger, but I can't tell yet replied the girl "I am, too excited to think very clearly. I'm aR- 1ul sorry you have to walk home, Can't we, spare another ten cents?'
 Not if we eat anything tonight g replied the, boy, grimly. "It's all right. I'd walk a thousand miles to see. you like you used to be-" ......,re. ..@ ..s
 Walk, thought Bentley, "and the city good ten miles away The in cident interested him. He accosted the 1 boy in the easy manner of a perfect 1 gentleman. ~ K
 How long has the young lady suf- { fered?" he inquired.
 Five years,"l replied the boy, and then the story came out under Bent. .Iey's suaEe questioning,
 l 1t was the old story of misfortune in good family eliminating in the death of theef her when the boy. was baby and the girl not yet in her teens. Then the discovery of financial ! affairs hopelessly involved, aswidow' ! struggle with the world she was not equipped to combat, her loss of the ! little remnant of property left, her death and then the tragic fight of the two children for bare subsistence. The gih, a helpless cripple, could only ad
 vise and encourage; the boy. not yet ten but brave and determined, had
 been the only provider. It had beer
 a life of priyation. and want, life 1 in high garrets or loathsome cellars
 the boy always on the alert for {
 nickel or dime, by selling papers
 blacking boots, running errands, or do ing the other things within the scope
 of his years; the girl saving, planning
 pinchtng to make the paltry nlcKe~
 pay for the coarse food, poor lodginl
 aud the rags they wore. Sometime
 she had gotten some little sewing t
 do, and then they were opulent for 2 few. days, but these times were fev \ and far between, for opportunities |, f8 esnp1Irn uI4ph xyovsIr xwnrn cr1rro ans