The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-13

all manner of marvellous detail
Horace had turned toward home
several times, but. as matter of fact,
this scene held him in a spell. 1t was
grown man understands He had all
ways in the back of his head a sense
of guilt, even a sense of impending
punishment for disobedience, but they
could not weigh with the delirium of
this snow battle.
One of the raiding soldiers, espying
Horace, called out in passing, ARRAY
ed of the mit-tens." Horace finched
at this renewal, and the other lad
paused to taunt him again. Horace
scooped some snow, nodded it into a
ball, and flung 1t at the other. "Ho,'
cried the boy, you're an Indian, are
you? Hey, fellers, here's an Indian
that amt been killed yet" He and
Horace engaged in a duel, in which
both We're in such haste to mold snow
balls that they had little time for aim
ing.
Horace once struck his opponent
sQuarely in the chest. Hey" he shout
ed, you're dead. You can't fight any
more, Pete. 1 killed you. You're dead"
The other boy flushed red, but he
continued frantically to make ammu-
milton. You never touched : me-" he
retorted glowering You never touched
me. Where, now?" he added defiantly.
'Where'd you hit me?"
"On the coat! Right on your breast.
You can't fight any more. You're
dead"
You never!"
Il did, too. Hey, fellers, amt he
dead? 1 hit 'em square"
He neVerI"
Nobody had seen the affair, but some
of the boys took sides in absolute ac-
cordance with their friendship for one
OF the concerned parties. Horaces OPP
ponent went about contending, He
never touched me. He never came near
me. He never came near me-
The formidable leader now came for
ward and accosted Horace. What was
you? An Indian? Well, then, you're
dead-thats- all. He hit you. 1 saw
him.
"Me?" shrieked Horace. He never
came within a mile of me-
At that moment he heard his name
called in a certain familiar tune of two
notes, and the last note shrill and
prolonged. He looked toward the side
walk, and saw his mother standing
there in her widows weeds, with two
brown paper parcels under her arm
- s.
Horace moved slowly toward his moth
er. She did not seem to note his ap-
proach; she was gazing austerely off
through the naked branches of the ma
pies where two crimson sunset bars
lay on the deep blue sky.
At distance of ten PAGES. Horace
made desperate venture. "Oh, ma
he whined, can / stay out for a
while?"
NO." she answered solemnly, you
come with me-" Horace knew that pro-
file; it was the memorable profile But
he continued to plead, because it was
not beyond his mind that a great show
OF suffering now might diminish her
suffering later
He did not dare to look back at his
playmates. 1t was already a public
scandal that he could not stay out as
late as other boys. and he could i'm
agine his standing now that he had
been again dragged off by his mother
In sight of the whole world. He was
profoundly miserable human being
Aunt Martha opened the door for
them. Light streamed about her
straight skirt. oh" she said. so
you found him on the road. Ell? Well,
| declare. 1t was about timei"
Horace skunk into the kitchen. The
stove. spraddling out on its four iron
legs, was gently humming. Aunt Mar
tina had evidently just lighted the lamp,
for she went to il and began to twist
the wick experimentally.
Now" said the mother. "lets's see
them mittens."
Horace's chin sank. The aspiration
Of the criminal, the passionate desire
for an asylum from retribution, from
justice, was af1ame in his heart\ Il
I-don't-don't know where they are
he gasped finally as he passed his hand
over his pockets.
Horace" intoned his mother you
are telling me story"
'Tain't story" he answered, Just
above his breath. He looked like a
sheep stealer.
His mother held him by the arm,
and began to search his pockets. AL
most at once she was able to bring
forth pair of very wet mittens
We'll, 1 declared" cried Aunt Martha
The two women went close to the lamp
and infinitely examined the mittens
turning them over and over After
wards, when Horace looked up, his
mothers sad-lined, homeIy face was
turned toward his. He burst into
tears. His mother drew a chair near
the stove. Just you sit there now,
until l tell you to git Off" He sided
HlSchly INTO the cndlf. his mother ana
his aunt went briskly about the BUSH
ness OF preparing supper. They did
not display a knowledge of his exist
ence; they carried an effect of oblivion
so far that they even did not speak
to each other. Presently, they went
into the dining and living room; Hor-
ace could hear the dishes rafting.
His Aunt Martha brought a plate of
food, placed in on a chair near him.
and went away without a word.
Horace instantly decided that he
would not touch a morsel of the food.
He had often used this ruse in dealing
with his mother. He did not know
why II brought her to terms, but GER
tainly it sometimes did.
The mother looked up when the aunt
returned to the other room. us he
eatin' his supper" she asked
The maiden aunt, fortified IN ignor-
ance. gazed with pity and contempt
upon this interest We'll, now, Emily
how do 1 know" she queried. WAS l
goin' to stand over him? OF all the
worryin' you do about that child! It's
a shame the way you're bringing up
that child
well. he ought to eat something. II
won't do fer him to go without eatin',"
the mother retorted weakly.