The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-12-24
THE WOLF.
What the Boy. the keAh's Ark and
the Boys Father Did fos Him ;

in lbs shadows. he had l.e-a a.iasp ami
aa unusual seaad awakened him,
lie was ngs-i and eaaFse aud an
ksmp,, III. face Mas pAle-saVe ~leTs
,. the s,ubhy beard covered ii-and il pal
loE SEEMED unwholrsome.
. lie was ius, cut u prison lie had
: l,e-n there nearly i've yeas. aud has
crime was burglary. They had gwen
him Llle money when be left the
PRISON. bat that Mas sooh gone. Il Nas
The drink that took most ii u, Aog he
Mas yagabond, a tramp, and he would
soon drii back into crime, IhrFc SEEMED
10 10 nothing else lcii for him. CARRIED
~ he VAS, the PRISON sal upon him, lac
had no night 10 eAPec, d"e.ni employ
ment,
he had brrh out Of prison two weeks
aud Ia that time had made no effort 10
-ooup work. lie ioilefci along the high.
way, getting food where be could aud
.lerpins meath the sly.
Il was the laughter Of a child that
awakened him, At hist, being confused
with slevp, he didn't know what II was
Ihrn be- hearl u again aud crypt 10 iise
saw a beautifully kept lawn with thick
hedge. bordering Il, and al Que side
summer home with wide porch, There
were vines and fuses about the porch
and the place had an AIR Of wealth and
refinement.
Close to the hedge. some twenty feet
away from the opening, a boy was play.
ing, lie Was a handsome little fellow u
barely hye YEAR,. pncitily DRESSED and
with an Intelligent face,
The skulker IN the hedge watched him
with lowering look The child represent.
ei the class with which be was al war
The laws were made by this pfatilcr's ia
Their and his kind 10 opprrss uniortn'
mates. II he, the vagabond, had a child,
would he he like this pretty youngsicr!
The man made a queer noise in his
throat. II was meant for a laugh. lie
hadn't laughed in 80 long a time that the
effort almost hurt him. III, child would
be IN rag, his playground an alley where
the school OF crime. Why should this be
so IL was unjust. Why should half the
world toll and suffer that the other half
might live in ease and comfort
The boy had a wooden Noahs ark on
wheels and he was marshaling the animals |
on the sod before him. IL was their un.
sieadlness on the insecure footing that |
made him laugh. With much care he ar.
ranged them in line, but the unwieldy |
Others with him. And the boy laughed |
again.
A sudden desire for companionship
seized the man-even the companionship
Of child. lie crawled through the open.
ing and seated himself on the grass.
Hello son." he said.
The boy looked up.
Hello. he answered. The child show.
cd no surprise and no dread. The big
III Il.
and then turned back 10 the cargo OF the
The man was pleased at this. Shabby
and unconth as he was he had no,
alarmed the child
Big family you go, there, son." he
said.
Very naughty family" the boy re.
turned. "Dey don't ston up nice. Dess
tumple over ever time. Sec,'
And the line toppled and wavered and
went down.
THAT was the elephants fault" said
the vagabond His tusks hooked that
brown one there in front Of him."
The boy picked up the fallen animal.
Ats wolf" he said .'Its nose is
bwoken dies little" He looked at the
block in his hand with commiserating
air. Then he stared up at the vagabond.
90 looks someiin like a wolf" he said.
The vagabond slowly smiled and his !
strong teeth shone.
That's what | am" he answered He
liked the title. I'm a wolf all right" :
But neither his tone nor his fierce face
the lad :
900 is much too big to put in my
Irk." he laughed. Deere is only dess
Dom for little wolfy. 90 doesn't see
'ap'n Noah nowheres, does oo?'
The vagabond looked about the grass,
rawling on hands and knees. but the
Missing block could not be found
Maybe Noah got drowned" he sug-
ested
NO" said the boy. Il fink dat naughty
iker Gated him. See how fat he is.
He laughed as he held up the striped
lock and the man laughed, too.
The boy began to reload the boat.
Poor Cap'n Noah, he's gone he said
I a pathetic tone. IAN Shem is gone,
nd somebody has bwoke off de wabbit's
ars, an | tant find de tammel no more.
VERY bad" said the vagabond. 'Im
orry ! cant make myself look like
amel, too
100 isn't muffin like camel said the
oy emphatically. 100 is DIES wolf.
ammels has humps on dere backs an
'olfs have sharp teeths. VIII 90 play
orse?
The vagabond nodded and the boy pro-
uced cord and the man put it about
is shoulders.
Being a wolf,' he said, Il can't be ex-
ected to play horse as it should be
layed."
'Whoa." cried the boy as he caught up
lie cord. Now be dood horse an
zach a hold of de wagon,
Much to his surprise the man found
imself doing what he was told to do.
or five years he had been doing what he
as told to do, but always unwillingly.
his was different. He caught up the
,ngue of the wagon and started toward
lie house, the boy dancing about behind
I'M with many "whoas' and "dit-aps."
Gaping and prancingto the intense de-
ght OF the driver-tbe vagabond had al
ost reached the porch, when tall man
lddenly appeared on the upper step.
The vagabond stopped and stared. The L
an was looking down at him and his -
ay eyes seemed very keen and bright.
The vagabond knew him-did he know
lie vagabond? They had held the same
lative positions before-the gray eyed
an and the unhappy criminal. Then
e gray eyes had searched his face as
ley were searching it now. For this was
lie Judge and this the burglar
The vagabond drew quick breath. He
as growing FESTIVE under that keen
lze.
There Davie," said the gray eyed
an, take your playthings into the
,use. Mama wants you.
The boy came close to the vagabond as
, drew away the cord. He patted him
Chilly on the arm.