The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-10-02

BY w. D. MORRIS.

morning, and Jack Ethan had gone
down, sketchbook in hand, to that
eorner Of the far-stretching sea links,
where the brown, bark-tanned fishing
nets lie spread out to the sun, and
the fishermen's children play by the
gaunt ribbed derelicts drawn up be-
gond the tide on the shingly beach.
fronting the low, white walled cot
Is tages. from whose doors grizzled old
sea dogs watch with wistful, longing
eyes those brown sailed boats, whose
brine washed decks they may no more
tread, slip out to sea.
When he first caught sight of her
Baby Barron was standing alone, as
was her wont, apart from the rest of
the children, a quantity pathetic little
ngure in tattered brown frock, bare
at the neck, and monstrous boots, in
whose cavernous crinkled depths her
tiny sockless feet were lost in space,
gazing with solemn meditativeness on
the brown expanse of interlaced cord
age.
Suddenly, as he watched, she
dropped down on to one of the nets
and proceeded calmly to roll herself
up in 1t. Then, thoroughly enmeshed,
boots and all, in its folds, Baby Bar
ron sat up, and, with an air of SUI
perb Indifference, surveyed the other
children, who had gathered round
with fearfully expectant faces.
you'll catch it, Baby Barron; you
Just wait and see!" they shouted,
with an unholy sort of glee and Sig
nificant gestures.
A loud call from the direction Of
the cottages the next instant heralded
the coming on the scene with all
speed his rheumatic joints permitted,
Of grizzled, jersey clad sea veteran.
Selling the entangled brown ball, he
carefully unrolled it and set the dar-
ing intruder on her feet with q gentle
shake.
you're gettin' fair plague. Baby
Barron!" he mumbled. "I'll Just haze
tae speak tae your mother. Rim AVA
DOT O. this, moo, quick" adding en-
phasis to the final word by a secoad
shake.
Jack Ethan, who had watched tie
little comedy with quiet amusem ant,
on sudden impulse fastened after
and caught up to the slowly retreat
ing little figure. She did not seem
ct all abashed by her ignominiu5
dismissal from the beach, but as he
looked more closely he fancied he
saw tiny depressed tear In the cor
uer OF each eye under the dark brown
curling lashes. Her cheeks, full and
round and soft-looking as satin, he
noted, were burnt to a pale brown,
and the tiny mouth was full and
strangely resolute. About her was
singular air of quaint self-possession,
at once gravely meditative and deep
~ observant. The sunlight as it
played upon the tangled close-curled
head made Of 1t golden halo, and
despite the frayed old brown frock
and cavernous boots she looked to
him as some baby angel might look
who had gone out Of Paradise to gaze
. while on the little world of man.
To his often and variedly repeated
question why she had entangled her
self in the net she uttered not sim
gle word. Once only she looked up
to him out of her solemn blue eyes
with long, earnest gaze. Her silence
was portentious.
would you like to have your pic
ture taken, Baby Barron?" he es-
sayed again gently, and 1t was won
derful how gentle big Jack Ethan
could become.
The gold brown curls stirred a lit
tie, and the grave blue eyes looked
mp to him for moment.
Il was goin' to be a fis'," came a
soft murmur at his side.
"A fish! Oh, yes; see."
Eyes, an I fink I s'ould like my
pot'ait took" Silence again few
moments, then-"There's pity lady
who's goin' to paint me-she did say
It."
"A pretty lady? Yes. and when
Is she going to paint you?"
But Baby Barron had already ex-
hausted her stock of information.
With penny clutched tight in her
grubby brown hand she had betaken
herself, boots and all, the next in
slant up the narrow street with as
fonishing rapidity.
Ten minutes later when he emerged
from the cherries dwelling that con-
stituted the forlorn and fatherless
Baby Barron's home, Jack Ethan
mad a glimpse far up the narrow
lane of her little brown figure, fol-
lowed by a small tail of children, nib
ping at a huge bun, sublimely un-
conscious the while of their existence.
Next day saw Baby Barron posed
before Jack Eltham's easel on the
same bench that had witnessed her
lgnominious dismissal-the cynosure
now q quite score of admiring
childish eyes. For full half hour
sne mad stood motionless as a craven
Image, gazing out seward, a look in
the angelic blue eyes as If she would
read its mysteries. Then, all at once.
the far off look gave place to new
light.
The pity LADY," she cried in her
pabyish treble, "she comed-I did tell
you"
Jack Ethan swung hastily round
70 ind himself face to face with a
slight girlish figure.