Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-07-27


"Why, nothing nothing at all" Miss
Orvis said hurriedly Just why she
should be excited or confused over a
caller from Cherry street she could
not have told herself, but the steady.
anxious. admiring gaze of Reddy's blue
eyes was disturbing her customary
tranquility and dignity. Il was only
having a quiet little chat with Hardy.
I wondered why he was late so often"
Its my fault" protested Reddy has
tily. "You see, ma'am. I'm up all
night on the bridge, and l don't get
home till about 8, and the kid here
likes to eat with me. The Battersons
never give him anything, and its up
TO me to see that he gets his feed
And l don't want him to go to school
hungry
mo indeed" said Miss Orvis EN-
phatically. Then she hesitated. Har-
DIV had rambled over to the colored
charts and was busy. She lowered her
voice as she asked, Hasn't he any
one at ALL mean any one of his own
people?'
mo, ma'am," Reddy answered ear
nestIy. ''My mother got him out of the
foundlngs when he was about two
months old They let's the kids out up
there YOU know, two-fifty a week, and
the old lady thinks maybe it would be
company for her with me away nights.
His father took a tumble off ferry
boat, and just as she was leaving
Hardy up at the foundlings his moth
er Hoped all to once and died too. So
| 1 took him when my mother died last
winter, and the two of us has bach
elors' hall over on Cherry street"
ct was very kind of you" Miss
Orvis tried to say more, but the words
would not come. 1t was all so brief,
so simple and awful this little tragedy
of the very poor man.
81 haven't been sorry l did it.
There's always enough for him, and
I'd like to give him a chance. He's
| thoroughbred all right"
perhaps can help, too" said Miss
Orvis hesitatingly, half shyly. I'D
| like to ever so much"
Reddy's clear, anxious eyes looked
at her longingly. In her trim, girlish
way, with the glamour Of another world
| about her, a world apart from the
'bridge" and Cherry street, she seemed
| to typify all he wanted his little thor
| oughbred to attain.
Il could take him with me over to
the settlement she went on, ANY
evening or afternoon perhaps" with a
swift uplift Of her long lashes at him.
perhaps you might like it, too, Mr..
LaneY
Like it? Reddy walked on tiptoe all
the way downstairs, his eyes still full
of a wonder like those of a dream
haunted child, and Hardy had to dodge
| the trolleys himself at the Bowery
crossing.
The next night as Pauline Oryis went
up the steps of the Endeavor settle
ment she found the two already there,
| waiting patiently. And as she laid her
hand in the warm, strong grip of
Reddy Lane she felt as though fate
had laid a trap for love, with sym
patty as snare.
And after that night queer thing
| happened to the teacher iR-roOm IA
| Every morning as she stood at the
head of the stairs, with the two lines
of small boys passing her, all at once
the color would rise in her cheeks as
Hardy drew near, for not single
morning passed that he did not bear
love Offering Of fresh violets. He
confded to her the very first morning
where they came from.
"Red gets them from an old man on
the bridge every morning fresh. He
| says they look like you"
One night toward the end of June
they stood out on the stone balcony of
| the settlement house, looking down on
the crowds passing below. along the
highway of push carts. Miss Orvis was
pleading the cause of Hardy.
Let me take him with me for the
| summer" she begged, 1T has done
him so much good, being with me-
''Some one else, too" murmuled Red
dy, but she went on:
Il am going to the mountains, and
he would be so much company for me.
Besides, it will give you time to study
if-that is, if'-she hesitated and
bent farther away from him over the
broad, low parapet-"if you really in
tend taking the civil engineering
course
"You know what intend doing" he
! ip+n,r,,y+oJ ttVo1, 1yYoVv it1ct oc IVall
as l do what you've done for the little
| chap and me. OF course She can go
| with you. l suppose l may run up
now and then just to see how he's get
ting on"
"Oh, of course" Her voice was low
and without invitation.
"And if 1 pass and get the Harrison
appointment this fall, why, it's you
| that's to blame"
"Blame| The word left her startled
and vaguely frightened.
THAT'S what l said. You've taken
and encouraged me the same as you
have the boy and made both of us love
you to death Oh, you know it's so
| all right And If l do win out and
make something of myself it's you
that made me try and feel it was
worth while. Before was only think
ing of the boy and working for him,
| but now
"Yes?" He could hardly catch her
| whisper, but his hand suddenly crush
ed over hers as it lay lightly beside
him.
Now it's for you and me. Can
come if l win the appointment?
| Down in the street below some one
was playing on harp, while a ring
of children danced and sang the chorus
of a popular song. The words doated
up to the shadowy balcony:
Life is so short that when we die
IT'S time enough to say goodby."
She turned her face to his.
"Come anyway" she said.