The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-11
Akin to Love
BY LOUISE MERRFTELD.
S,onvrtahtad. ion nv p. q Faatrnsn,
Copyrighted. 1907. by P. c. Eastnsn


partment opened very slowly, very
contritely, and a small, anxious,
freckled face peeked in. Miss Orvis
turned from the blackboard at a smoth-
cred giggle from the children and saw
the freckled face.
Come in, Hardy" The curving line
of her pretty, sympathetic mouth
straightened with sudden determine
ton 1t was the fourth time that week
that Hardy Andrews had come in
late and even the children were be.
ginning TO look upon it as a joke.
Discipline must be enforced, even
when the delinquent is only seven and
a half. Miss Orvis left the blackboard
with 81 see a bird half finished and
stepped forward to meet Hardy.
He was smiling comfortably In his
half shy, half roguish way and flirting
openly with Marguerite Mcguire in the
front seat. !.
Hardy, you are late again"
''Yessum," said Hardy happily.
Its the fourth time this. week, Har-
dy Have you any excuseT'
Nom" Hardy rubbed one shoe
over the toe Of the other and tried
to jam his stOckinet cap into his side
trousers pocket.
why didn't Jour mother write one
for Your
1t was 30 still in the large, sunny
schOolroom you could hear the clock
tick high up on the wall and the buzz
ing Of the nies oyer near the open win
dow where the rows Of geraniums
stood, but slowly the color mounted
in Hardy's little, thin, freckled face,
and after minute he looked up at
Miss Orvis, his big blue eyes filed
with half apologize bewllderment-
IT never had any mother" The ST.
Ience was worse than ever Miss Orvis
caught her breath and looked at the
rest Of the children to see what hor
rible effect the announcement had
made on them, but they were only In
terested and joyous over the diversion.
Hardy caught the look and FASTENED
to cover his mistake
But / got a father, Miss Orvis, all
right. I'm Reddy Lanes kid, and Red
dy's a Waterman over on the bridge at
night, and he don't get home till most
10 o'clock in the morning, and that's
why I'm late, cause l like to have
breakfast with him"
Miss Orvis hesitated, but the blue
eyes pleaded well their cause, and she
smiled as she laid one hand on Reddy
Lanes kids head.
But somehow all the morning she
caught herself musing bn the child
who had no mother 1t was a tragedy,
OF cOurse-some stormy, tear swept
page Of life from the great city's un-
derworld and only this bit Of wreckage
left to tell the story. Tears welled to
her own lashes once or twice as she
watched Hardy's small, eager face, so
trusting and foolishly happy when he
had nothing In the whole world to be
happy for except the mere fact that be
was alive.
AS the lines were forming at noon
she touched Hardy on the shoulder and
told him to wait minute at her desk,
and the little fellow Obeyed, watching
the rest Of the boys proudly from his
post on teachers chair. And when all
was still in the great building Miss
Orvis came back and took him on her
lap.
''Yr papa's a Waterman, you say.
dear, er on the bridgeT' she began.
but h v interposed hastily.
"Oh, NJ, not my father-thats Red
dy. never had any father. I'm a
foundling kid. Reddy says, and his
mother rented me, and then she died.
and Reddy adopted me his own self. 30
now I'm his kid"
"Oh, see" Miss Orvis leaned back
in her chair and gazed at the cheerful
little face. And you and Reddy I've
on Cherry street?"
"Yessum. We got a room with the
Battersons, a whole room Of our own.
Just for Reddy and me. And the Bat
tersons have only got one room left for
their own selves, and there's six of
EN-
You don't say so.' Miss Orvis
caught the lonesome little figure close
In her arms isis Reddy good to
your
'Yon bet he is came the sInothered
gasp from her shoulder. He never
hts me. and he takes me out on the
big bridge with him nights and lets
ne see the lights on the river and the
ooats and the trains and everything.
Hes fine to me. When l said you
eolded me cause 1 was late. he said
was - shame"
There was a sudden noise at the door
ehind them. a queer hasty noise. half
cough. half a choked explosion Of
aughter. and Miss Orvis stood up
quickly.
Hello. Redi This Is teacher"
1t was the only introduction they
yer had, those two. and neither ever
orgot the moment Flushing TO the
urls Of her soft dark hair. Pauline