Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-01-26

After Fifteen
Years AZ
BY VIRGINIA LEILA wEnTz
Copyright, leOs, BY I. D. MarshAll

paper Of a certain little newsgirl be-
meath the steps Of his L station. Little
Timber Toes was the nickname tie
boys had given her. !, She was cripple
and carried q crutch. 9ef Ha
1--WE missed you, sir. Indeed, you
stayed away so long 4 began to think
you weren't coming back at all" "Lit-
tie Timber Toes" laughed at her own
falsehood. showing all her fine, infan-
tile teeth at once. Mr.. Fawcett had
spent Sunday with SOME Of fis New
Jersey relatives, and this was the greet
ing he received from under the L stairs
on Tuesday morning.
80 you missed me, did your" 1t was
good to be missed, and 1t warmed the
cookies OF this old bachelors dry heart.
'Well, had q nice time in the country,
little one" said he. y ''4. :"
"Ah," said the child, leaning slightly
forward on her crutch, 1T must be like
fairyland in the country. Mother used
to live In the country, and she's told
me all about 1t. And did you 60 in the
woods-the deep woods? They must
smell so fresh and cool and delicious.
And then the shadeg' She had a long
vista Of thoughts in her eyes an entire
forest. She was to all appearances a
pretty child of twelve. with delicate
features and mass Of brown hair.
Just now some rays Of sunlight slant
ing upon her head from the platform
above made 1t sparkle like gold. "a"
"Do you know" abe went ON, seeing
that her customer was In no especial
hurry to catch his train, II often pic
ture the woods to myself-trees grow
ing up by themselves without being
planted, squirrels running over tho
boughs, birds singing in the branches.
Oh, 1t must be wonderful t'e7 ''7' 's'o
How would you like to 60 with me
some Sunday to see the woods :" asked
the man. "They are all around the city
here, to be seen for the mere riding to
them In the cars" .a
"Oh, should love itr The big dark
eyes looked disproportionately large
In the pale, tiny face. "And / think
mother will be sure to let me-" added
she grsyely. You see, I've told her
about you % many times"
SOMEBODY the whole Of July slipped
by and Little Timber Toes'' did not
get to see her desf woods nor the
sqnirJ Ia nor the birds. 20 bs sure,
there was no immediate hurry about
Il There was always tho faoile ex-
cuse, Next week, perhsps week
after next"
However, there came a morning
when as Mr. F'awcett stopped to hand
over his coin and take back a paper
he found Little Timber Toes " place
was vacant, Evidently she was late
today. On his way home he would stop
again. The place was still unoccupied
in the evening; also the following
morning, A policeman on the corner,
being consulted, thought the child
might be I'll and gave Mr.. Fawcett the
address where she was supposed to
live. re- 1t wa
'Of course she's ILL.," unused the man
as he set out to find her late that aft
ernoon. "Her little face has been I'M
commonly white of late and her eyes
uncommonly big" kfa1
vi why uP thO huHhV" De1hp AA-
the miserable tenement In which the
child lived buxom woman passed
him. II turned out to be the janitress.
eyes, she's up there all alone, poor
little kid I've just been a-takin' her
some cruel. Holy saInts, but it's hot
up In that after She mopped her
brow in confirmation Of the statement.
The door of the little attic room was
open, but to the man standing there
quietly In the hallway 1t all seemed
quite dark. The shutters were bowed
tight, but the August sun threw tiny
shafts Of light through the stats. As
his eyes became used to the half light
he saw Little Timber Toes" sitting
close against the wall, where she had
been driven by the advancing heat
from the window. For GOODNESS she
had piled her hair on top Of her head.
1t gave certain air Of distinction.
Her exquisite, small face, her shapely
little head resting against the dingy
wall here In this poverty reduced room,
had the antique perfection and grace
Of an old cameo In a defaced and
setting.
He waited for her to move, to look
up. He Imagined she would hear him
breathe, the room was 80 still, but he
had to knock twice before she seemed
able to disconnect herself from her list
less reverie. Then
"Oh, oh! II was wishing you might
.omep She reached out her hand for
his and held 1t tight. do you know"
the hand she clasped with her
rec one as II to make sure her words
would not hurt him, II kind Of thought
you'd come, even II you did forget
your promise about the dear woods"
She smiled, one Of her gay, vDlatile,
,apricious smiles. And by that he saw
hat 5he was better.
His conscience smote him somewhat.
he changed the subject abruptly.
Flows motherr' he asked.
"Pretty well, thanks, She's in the
ailor trade now"
1.-THE tailor trade, is she2 Then
hirts didn't payT
mot so well as trousers. It's the
you see" The child was
profound In her practical wisdom.
Fifteen minutes later, az Mr.. Faw-
EFT was opening the shutters to let In
he evening air, a slightly built woman
anne slowly up the attic stairs. She
vas very tired, but for the sake Of the
hid she bravely summoned gay
mile, putting her face on dress pa
ade, as 1t were. For a second, seeding
that there was a stranger In the room,
she stood uncertainty in the doorway;
then she went toward him.
II think. SIR" she said, with certain
quiet dIgnity-"I think you must be
he gentleman who's been so kind to-
'Kittyg' cried the man, taking an I'M
step toward her. Then they
stood and stared into each others won