Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-11-25

pleads not for herself, but for her
child-her child, ay his child! Let
her words strike home, kind spirit,
and melt his hard, wicked heart!
Alas. no kind spirit could stop on
such a fruitless errand.
Sir Richard turned his head aside,
pushed the child away, and in harsh
hoarse voice, said:
There must be some mistake.
do not know you my good woman
Take the child away-stay, there is a
trifle."
And with a cold, falteFing, cruel
hand, he dropped a sovereign to the
pavement
Richard" cried the woman, with
hOrror-stricken agony. DO you not
know me? 1t is Lucy, whom you loved
whom you wronged!"
At these last two words her voice
rang tragicaI intense.
They touched the man, for they
frightened him.
GO, my good woman; I do not
know you; there is some mistake,
say. Leave go my arm. Quick"
Then, as he heard a carriage en-
tering the square, he flung her off,
and hurried, like the fiend and cow
ard that he was, away.
The woman fell. She was too weak
to waIk-to bear such violence. The
child was thrown from her arms into
the frosty road, and lay there for
moment, crying piteOusIy.
With a groan the mother rose, as
if with pain, took the child in her
arms again, and staggered weakly
across the road
The distance was short, but It was
too far.
Her slight, fair hands cIutched the
iron ratings and she sank upon the
pavement.
The child, moaning fretfully, chung
to her scanty dress and called upon
her name
Wearied at last by her silence, the
poor little fellow sank down beside
ner and nestled, shivering, against
her bosom.
Half an hour passed. Carriages
ratified through the square, people
tramped along the frosty pavement
but the spot where the mother and
child was lying so quiet and dark,
and no one saw, or noticed them.
Presently there came from around
the corner OF Oxford street, queer,
iIl-shapen little man. a deformed,
diminutive little creature-a bunch
back.
The hunchback was more grotesque
even than his fellow sufferers were,
with a large head, a pair of prom
nent gray eyes, and a shock of gr1z-
zled hair.
AS he came around the corner at
a sharp trot, his long arms swinging
like a monkeys, he pressed his BAL
tered hat more firmly on his fore
head, and, striking his arms across
his chest to increase their warmth,
said to himself, with a gruff chuckIe:
I'll take a little quiet, [ think
All, to think Of the money as is be-
ing spent tonight in gas for ali then.
big shops. l never such heaps OF
toys and meat an feasting stuff. An!
think O. the grubbery as will be 60
ing on tomorrow; the plum-puddens
and the port and sherry wines. All,
well, the more the better, says ola
Sam; and if he'd got chick or cnIlu.
kith or kin, to jine him in a feed.
hedge in for cummut lively him
self and he plunged one hand into
his pocket and dragged out a hand
full of coppers, with a piece OF silver
or two gilt ering among them.
After inspecting these with a whis-
tie of satisfaction he trudged OH
again, shaking his head and mutte1-
ing:
mo; I'll keep 'em. What shc,lIo
I do with a plum-pudden and a bunch
O. colored crackers? I'll keep 'em
for somebody as as a sight O. chill !
dren and wants a pudden bad.
Then, with another ram of the hat, |
which was already quite far enough
on his gnar1ed forehead, the little
misshaDen old fellow hurried on.
AS he entered Grosvenor Square
two young fellows anticipating to-
morrow's revelry. rolled past him, /
stopped, and staggering dangerously |
with the attempt called back at him:
Hello, old crooked shanks, where's /
Judy?"
''Ha. grinned the dwarf. that's it, /
mind you be thankful for your own
pretty shape, you young dog, and
don't 80 reviIing your natural broth
ers."
This was to himself. and with ap-
parent animation. but he shrank new
ertheless from the rude cruelty ana
crossed the road, leaving the lighted
pavement to those who we're proper
" made and shaped.
The dark Is good enough. almosr
TOO good. for me- he muttereG. and
he Tudged along quickly and cheer1Iy
as ever.
Suddenly he stumbled over some
thirg. and was precipjtated with
jerk On his head.
HeIlo," be cried picking 1T Ms
hat ard rubbing its napless surface
with anxiety. 7Who's that lying there