Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-02-14
PART II.
BLOSSOM.
CHAPTER VII.
Adolescence.

-'' Adolescence.
With the majority of human beings
the period of adolescence is the most
uninteresting portion Of life.
The pretty ways of childhood have
run their tender and fascinating
course, and there is long wait, as at
the fall in the act-drop in the drama.
To this rule, however, Little Make
Believe was an exception.
Her life was full of color, and every
day that dawned brought with 1t the
necessity of action.
This struggle for the bare necessar-
ies of life, this fight for food, was re-
plote with interest, albeit Of a painful
kind.
Vet from her inner being, in which
la, well Of purest sweetness, she
dr,w wondrous compensation for
anxiety and suffering; her gratitude
fol trifles was so great that it might,
with some semblance of truth. be said
that the pleasure Of her days was born
OF. the pain thereof, and would have
bNn of lower quality had her need
brln less.
Ihe had found friend, however, but
for whom she might have succumbed,,
tho world was, so powerful and she SO
weak.
these last words have nothing OF ex'
lgi,eration in them, for the world was
het enemy.
Huled by social laws which of, very
net Iessity might have compelled Little
Make Believe to drift into wron. do
ing, in the eyes of the world she was
a sore blemish, for which none but the
nairow-minded could have condemned
hei.
Happily for her, of this exceedingly
numerous order of beings Thomas Dex'
ter was not 4 member.
IRON that night upon which he wah
a spectator of his own funeral in Para
dis, Buildings he became her friend.
III small way certainly. To the ex'
tent, probably, of three or four pen
MICS in the course of week, bestowed
rptn her penny at time when he
me-: her in the streets.
II: was little enough, but it was
help. The wonderful godsend of three
bright shilings from his hand to hers
was not repeated, but that was hardly
to 'be expected.
The occasional pennies were a wind
fall which often sent Little Make-Be
lieve home rejoicing.
Saranne grew stronger and more
bea utiful, and, accepting as her right
the cheerful willingness to provide for
het which was Little Make-Believe's
chief rule of life, did no work herself
evdn when she wSs old enough for it.
Hut it is hard to say what she could
hate done had sad fortune deprived
her Of her supporter.
She knew nothing, had learned moth
ing, and was easily discouraged,
vii ereas Little MakeBelieve fought
doEgedly against the heavy odds, and
sometimes exclaimed sometimes in the
midst of bitter tears), "Never say die"
L'uring the years that intervened be.
tween childhood and womanhood the
sisters became acquainted with three
persons who were destined to play i'm.
portant parts in their histories.
Two We're gentlemen, one boy OF
the people.
Where this latter came from no one
III Clare Market knew.
Some said he had dropped from the
clouds-an euphemism, for he more
likely sprang from the cutters.
He was utterly wild, ungovernable
ald untamable and seemed to have
gypsy blood in him.
Questioned about his parents, his re-
ply was that he didn't know nothink
about .'em."
He had lived anyhow, from hand to
mouth, as the saying is.
Where he slept, how he managed to
Ave, where he came from, and if there
existed human being in the world
with whom he could claim the smallest
lie of kinship-these were questions
which none could answer.
In some odd way he became ac-
Guainted with Little Make-Believe and
Saranne, and would sometimes sit in
the cellar with the one and strCll
through the streets with the other.
A bad companion in every way, but
they We're not in a position to choose
their associates.
Whatever fell to their share, they
were compelled to accept, whether for
good or i'll.
From the policeman, Thomas Dexter
..-who had seen the lad with Little
Make Believe, and was curious about
him-receiyed his character.
"a bad lot, sir Been locked up q
dozen times, at least. When he's
charged no one comes for'ard to speak
MP for him. When he's asked in court
whether he doesn't belong to some
fody or whether somebody don't be-
long to him he sarces the magistrate
and tells him to mind his own. A
regular bad lot, sir. is Foxey."
This was the name by which he was
known.
A personal experience Of Thomas
Dexter's was confrmatory of the char
arter given to Foxey by the police.
man.
He had bought some odds and ends
at auction, which he engaged man to
wheel home in q barrow.
Toxey, coming on the scene while