Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-09-03
The Tribszlations
OF DON
By EMMA THOMAS ANTRIM


constant companion up to his fifth
year, when knowledge came, and, as
usual, added Sorrow. Chidings, hush
inss and the uplifted-fnger he knew
not. His laughter was echoed; his
were answered. When
his Well-Beloved realized her respon-
siye limitations, always there was
Keith, Don's ever-ready hearer, to ac-
quaint him with data concerning those
things that began increasingly to in
terest and perplex him. To set forth
in its rich entirety Don's joyous life
would be impossible; this chronicle
deals merely with sundry episodes in
the love-sheltered existence OF
ccurtier OF five.
In each eye Don thrust chubby
Enuckie. He slipped slowly down the
stairs, tiptoing lest his enemy. that
white-aproned, thin-lipped "kwoss-
patch lady who guarded his NAM
mas deer, should not know he had
been standing without, meditating an
other prayer for admittance. His pride
rose up in arms He would neber ask
to go in, neberl He was not wanted.
With a gesture of despair he looked
upward toward his mothers door;
then, as if pursued by legion of imps,
ran across the wide hall, out on the
front piazza, then down the steps and
away toward the woods. He was go
ing away, that's what he was going
to do-he was going to go far off
where nobody wouldn't never see him
no more. A big sob of self-pity half
choked him, but manfully he swal-
lowed it and ran on. His itinerary he
planned as he went He would never
stop until he reached those distant
hills, way far kwoss de ribber; 'cept
his feet wasn't SO little, and he was
only five" he could run faster, he
told himself breathlessly; but never
mind! it was only dds mornin'," the
day was long, and-suddenly as If
Don stopped. A curious
shudder ran through him. Night
dark night What would he do way
off among the hills-alone, 'thout no
one there? A CHASTITY pallor spread
over his chubby face. With a whim-
per of terror he threw himself face
down, among the falling leaves. He
was afraid, for away over there, where
he had been going, the Bogie man
lived Ellen, his nurse, had told him
so; "only the Bogie Man lives there. "
Ellen had assured Don, one day when
he begged to go there, and he "eats up
bad little boys" To be eaten up!
With gasp of horror the child rose,
and with winged feet ran back again
to the house of safety.
For hours Don would sit beside the
bassinet watching the tiny morsel of
his alteration.
To sit or stand and wait was suf-
fcient bliss for him, for upon the Sec
ond day of baby's advent, Don had not
only been admitted, but carried in
upon Keith's shoulder. Since Keith,
his chum, erstwhile neighbor, and
hero, had married his beautiful nam
ma, Don's life had been one continu-
Gus festival of good times. Hence the
shock of not being admitted to his
mothers presence when a strange isis
ter" was, worked like madness upon
his brain AS usual, it was Keith who
turned his woe into gladness, and 1t
was his beloved step-father-chum who
gathered the forlorn little chap into
his loving arms that night, and hushed
him to sleep with the promise of an
antree to his mothers domains the
following day.
The event TRANSFERRED. When Don's
eyes first rested upon the tiny crea-
ture beside his mother, his first awed
query was:
us at my baby sister,"
His fat forefinger pointed to a bun
die. Being assured, he looked long
and earnestly at his new relative,
then, without word, disposed his
small self, cross legged, upon the floor
beside the crib, his fascinating gaze
never wavering.
Suddenly the baby made a wholly
yet vigorous cry. There
upon up sprang Don, his small face
a picture of terror. Being told that
the little one could not hurt him, he
resumed his humble seat, and day
after day came back to offer up mute
''It don't hurt, mamma, 'cept when
you touch it," said Don. winking very
hard. His mother lifted him up onto
her lap. His infinitesimal kilt was
and torn, his left eye
and bloody scratch meas
ured the full length of one of his
cheeks. Ellen had just fetched him
from the kindergarten, where she had
arrived in time to see her charge and
his enemy conducting battle royal.
In answer to maternal inquiries,
Don explained. This, however, after
his mother had silently bathed his
bruises and plastered his wounds.
HE said that DISQUALIFICATION was
as nice as-our's an"
"You struck him." said his mother,
mo, not then, l didn't; not til he
said at baby wasn't my really truly
sister, an at Keith wasn't my really
truly farver" SObbed Don his Sore
heart swelling within him all over
again recalling the unbearable taunts
Of his foe.
"Then,' repeated his mother, Don
struck him."
Eyes, muvver," answered Don, sit
ting up straight. Il hurted him wis
my two fists, hard as-hard as"
"And then" interrupted Mrs Ken
nedy, che hurt my poor little SOM"
He Knocked poor Mr.. Don down,
mum, and thumDed his nrotty haod