The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-01-31
DAVY.


me. Mind well after Esther and look that she does
not get at the fire while l am away"
Davy looked up.
''I'll mind after Esther" he said in rather an in
jured way.
YES know the sort of manipulating her
spread the whiting all the chairs like YOU did
last week."
He looked at the sleeping baby
"Oh, well, I'll mind after this time he said: "vou
see II don't" Mrs. Roe put on her cape and went
to the door The sky looked cold and rainy Sea
gtlls and wild ducks nockng inland damn
wind blew the flats, and a thick fog was hidinr
the track to the township She looked round at her
two children as she pinned on her hat.
Don't be letting Esther outside at all this after
noon," she said. 81 will be back by six o'clock
there isn't much ironing to do at the doctors place
Davy threw away his feather and followed her
down the kitchen steps.
Don't get into Plummers boghole" he said
There would not be much fun in one of them holes
to-day"
He climbed the fence and sat there till She had dis
appeared among the tea-trees.
His mother was a washerwoman and her work l.,
III the township, three miles away. She was
widow, for her husband had been killed at Mount
lyel before Esther born Davy was at once
the pride and worry of his mother. He was quick
and willing, but dreamy and forgetful in many things
lie cut great pile of morning wood and heaped il
IN corner of the porch 1t began to rain and one
by one the dragged fowls sought the shelter of the
wall.
The blue Dial Range had turned misty; the far
oil river was nothing but winding cloud of fog He
went back to the kitchen and washed up the dinner
things Somehow he kept thinking of his mother
out In the mist and rain. He swept up the hearth
then went and looked out of the low little win
dow
The baby turned and cried for drink He sat
her on the floor while he filled the bottle then sat
beside her, holding it while she drank lie got I'M
presently and q thp door AGAIN Tboro go.
queer light shining dimly through the fog The
VITA BIRDS were winging toward the township with
strange cries. sudden wish for his mother rushed
over him. He looked up at the clock but it had
stopped He lay down the couch beside the baby
ana shut his eyes but could not follow its example
and go to sleep. He got his school book and learn
ed his lesson for Monday, but the words kept sliding
into one another. For long time he Law staring
INTO the fire sudden cessation in the ram sent
INN to the window Outside it was quite duskv
ana the roar OF the tide came TO him, mingled W.,
the wind
THAT water is pretty close" he said to himself.
and the fog is that close too, | can't sec how near
it is"
He was not afraid of the tide. The shanty was
punt on piles some feet beyond high-waer mark and
they had often had it their fence But the
thought of his mother made him anxious He
thought of her out in the fog, with the deep holes
all about her in the flats. He piled drift wood on
the fire, and peeled some potatoes for her supper
inc baby had fallen asleep again. Davy went close
to it, and laid his cold hand against her cheek
Wake up, Esther" he said, NANNY has come
home"
The child stirred and opened her sleepy eyes
NANNY come home" she repeated and dropped
asleep once more.
1t had grown quite dark Davy went TO the
mantepiece and reached down lantern He filled
the can with oil then tied string to the handle and
went to the window. Rain and wind drove in but
he made it fast to the latch and it swung out against
the wall As he peered into the darkness, gurglinc
sound made him look down The LIGHT Of fbo Ian.
tern glimmered something below lie slammed
the window and turned back
"Ohl" he said, cit is the sea-"
ITp turned siol- will, 4..-.