The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-01-03
The Tale of an Unloved Lad.

Had the boy been of more impor-
tance more would have been known
about him. AS it was, he just hap
pened into the neighborhood of the
waterfront, and, not molesting any
body. was left unmolested.
| Where bread is none too plentiful,
and where meat only graces the table
on payday, time is spent in working
and worrying, and fads do not thrive
was known about geneology and her.
editary influence So "Bub," as they
called him, getting his legacy from
Heaven knows where, was different
from the rest of the tribe, and there
fore lived much alone.
But he did not mind. His days were
not worth while recording. Food had
to be procured by earning or steal
ing, and, that done, the bustling life
of the shore afforded the best hiding
for such little, unimportant lad.
With night came the difference. Then
the timber cave under the pier, where
"Bub" had spent the winters and sum-
mers of what should have been his
childhood, became the abode of
mighty sovereign, whose realm was
in the sky above.
He was a tyrant, and some nights
he frowned sinisterly when some
bright star had altered its position
and smiled at him from farther down
the filmy, vapory dome. His astrono-
my was not glutted with Saturns, mil.
ky paths and planets. All there above
him was his land of longing, and every
| glistening orb was his dear comrade,
subjected to the whims of exacting
friendship He spoke to them with
severe chiding for having hidden
themselves on the night before behind
a wall Of impenetrable mists, and just
as freely praised their supernal lustre
when they above glowed in empyreaD
sheen. Such was his strain, this long
ing, and, left undisturbed, it flourished
nightly.
| Another waif. much older and much
closer to earth's sorrows, of which he
Bulbs domain one night while the
lad was was talking to his stars. The
others faith in stars had vanished be-
cause his star had fallen long ago.
He wanted hiding, sleep, forgetful-
ness, and, throwing himself upon the
dirty floor he grunted his command
to "Bub':
"Ah, shut up. There's nothing up
above there. Wait till you get as old
as me, and then you'll know it's all
sham"
OF Course "Bub' kept quiet then,
and huddled himself into a corner.
The pier was old and had to be re-
paired. So the men came in the morn
ing and found "Bub" and the tramp.
The tramp was lazy and Indifferent,
but the lad was sick.
Swamp fever" said some.
Exhaustion" said the others; but
neither side insisted much on the
right of its opinion.
| They sent for the ambulance-the
coach which gives to lazy tramps and
little unimportant lads their only free
ride-and stood about as people then
| do.
"Bub" never spoke He looked
straight ahead and his eyes just swept
the visible fringe of the sky. So he
laid till a tremor shook his slight
frame and a thin arm reached for
something afar.
whats the matter with him now?"
asked one of the men.
The tramp looked down on the poor
little lad and sneered as he gave his
answer:
"Ah, that kid is just grabbing for
one O. them stars"
Tramps hate the truth, but this
tramp did not lie.
"Bub" had reached for his star and
had found it,. His smile stayed on.
The ambulance came, and the sur.
geon said Dead
Then the tramp and his sneer
| sneaked away.
In a small shop In New York city,