The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-21
Our Daily Short Story

ble effect the announcement had made on them. but they were only interest ed and joyous over the diversion. Har- dy caught the look and hastened to cover his mistake.
 | But I got father. Miss Orvis. all right. I'm Reddy Lanes kid. and Red dy's a watchman 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 like to have breakfast with him."
 | Miss orvis hesitated. but the blue leyes pleaded we'll their cause, and she smiled as she laid one hand on Red dy Lanes" kids head.
 | But somehow all the morning she caught herself musing on the child whol had no mother. It was tragedy. | of course. some stormy. tear-swept page of life from the great city's un- derworld, and only this bit of wreck l age 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 he 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
 Your papa's watchman, you say. dear, over on the bridge? she began, but Hardy interposed hastily. "Oh, no. not my father--that's Red dy. never had any father. I'm a founding kid. Reddy says. and his ! l. "a -L AaA and Reddy adopted me his own self so I now I'm his kid"
 | "Oh, I see" Miss Orvis leaned back in her chair and gazed at the cheerful little face. And you and Reddy live 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 one left for their own selves. and there's six of 'em." 1 You don't say so" Miss Orvis caught the lonesome little figure close in her arms Isis Reddy good to your You bet he is," came the smothered gasp from her shoulder. He never | hits me. and he takes me out on the big bridge with him nights and lets me see the lights on the river .and the boats. and the trains. and everything He's fine to me. When I said you scold- ed me cause was)late, he said 1t was a shame"
 There was a suddens. noise at the | door behind them. a queer hasty noise. half a choked explosion of laughter. and Miss Orvis stood up quickly.
 "Hullo. Red. This is teacher
 It was the only introduction they ever had, those two, and neither ever forgot the moment. Flushing to the curls of her soft dark hair. Pauline Orvis saw before her Reddy Lane. of | Cherry hill. He was tall, and broad shouldered. this watchman on the big bridge, blue eyed. with keen, unswerv- ing gaze, strong jawed. with a mouth close lipped and short fair hair that curled crisply back from his young. resolute face. In his navy blue sweat CT he looked like a college boy. but the hands that held his cap were the hands of the toiler.
 T just run around after the kid there," he explained. lowering his voice as if he was in sanstuary. Hes always home as soon as the rest. and I'm worried when he don't show up. They don't leave enough of little chap like that to shovel up after a street car fender rolls him under, and I get fussy when he don't hustle in. I didn't know why you'd kept him. What's the row?'
 Why nothing: nothing at all." Miss | Orvis said hurriedly. Just why she l should be excited or confused over a callar from Cherry streetshe could not told herself. but the steady, anxious admiring gaze of Reddy's blue eyes 1 was disturbing her customary tram l guilty and dignity. T was only hav- ing 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 don't get l a ha Ei likes to eat with me. The Battersons never give him anything. and it's up to me to see that he gets his feed, And I don't want him to go to school hungry"
 NO. indeed" said Miss orvis, em- phatically. Then she hesitated. Hardy had rambled over to the colored charts and was busy. She lowered her voice as she asked. Hasn't he any one at all--I mean any one of his own peo- ple%
 "No ma'am." Reddy answered earn estly. My mother got him out of the foundlings' when he was about two months old. They lets the kids out up there. you know, two-fifty week, and the old lady thinks maybe it would be company for her with me away nights. His father took a tumble off a ferry boat, and just as she was leaving Har- dy up at the foundlings' his mother Topped all to once and died too So took him when my mother died last winter and the two of us has bache- lors' hall over on Cherry street
 Tt was very kind of you" Miss Or wis tried to say more. but tho words would not come. It was all so brief. so simple, and awful. this little trag- 1 edy of the very poor man. T haven't been sorry I did it. There's always enough for him, and I'd like to give him a chance. He's thoroughbred, all right"
 Perhaps I can help. too" said Miss Orvis. hesitatingly. half shyly. I'd l like to ever so much"
 Reddys 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 lit- tie thoroughbred to attain. T could take him with me over to the settlement" she went on. "any evening. or afternoon. perhaps" with swift uplift of her lashes at him; perhaps you might like 1t. too. Mir. Lane:"
 Like 1t? 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 Orvis went up the steps of the Endeavor set clement, she found the two already | there. waitnig patiently. And as she | loid ouf hand in the xuarpa