Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-09-24

he bent his head to gaze curiously be-
tween the Stats of the boxes Clearly
he had never eaten pineapples and
wondered If they tasted as good as
they smelled.
Sometimes he glanced up as If he
were expecting some one. but he did
not seem impatient. Perhaps he was
used to waiting.
Suddenly gruff voice brought him
trembling to his feet:
Can ye drive, sonny?"
"I-I mought," stammered the boy,
a frightened look creeping into his
eyes. II worked heap with mules on
the poor farm"
There, there! didn't mean to scare
We. But I want some one to drive my
team over to the grove for another
load. Smith III take the other team and
point out what yen do. I've got to
stay here and mark truck"
Il were awaitin' fer paw, and l low
cayn't go right now. If It weren't
fer that I'd accommodate We sure"
He spoke deprecatingly and bent his
shoulders as If he expected a blow.
The man looked at him curiously. The
shrinking form and furtive glances re-
minded him of some dumb animal
cowed by long abuse.
Don't be feared, younker. I'm not
hurtin' babies" he said in more kind
ly tones. But l low your paw must
be pizen mean, and
my paw never hurried mel! inter-
rupted the boy fiercely. "'Twere the
poorhouse men that pestered and beat
me. My paw wrote fer me his own
self, he did, and | come clean from
Car'lina on the cars. We're goin' to
My paws bigger than you, and he'll
fight all you uns that talk to him bad
Him and me are gOin to make an or
ange grove. and he wrote me the
money to come on paper, and the post
office man give it to me. He's bigger
than you and more favored" The sal
low cheeks were flushed now, and the
eyes flashed angrily.
"Sho, sho" eXpostulated the man. II
low l don't know your paws name,
and | reckon he's a mighty fine man.
But if yell take my team over III
make it all right with him when be
comes. Likely he'll not be round be.
fore next train now, and yell be back
long before that. Besides, We can show
him this when We see him." And he
tossed up silver quarter and caught
it as it descended.
Quite treasured, the boy clambered
into the wagon and began skillfully to
back the mules from the platform
Seeing his team was in safe hands,
the man turned his attention to stem
Cling the boxes.
''Ye'l be sure and tell paw / were
awaitin'?' shouted the boy before he
disappeared from sight.
"Sure!'
An hour and half afterward the
teams drove up, and the boy asked
eagerly:
did paw Gomez"
''Hain't seen him." answered the
man. But perhaps he'll come to meet
the next train. Likely he lowed ye
wouldn't be round before then"
But the next train puffed in and out
and the crowd once more melted away
from the depot and left the boy alone
Soon after the man who had giver
him the quarter came up.
Your paw must have mistaken the
day" he said kindly. "That were the
last train, We'd better come home witt
me for the night, and tomorrow We cal
come back and wait for him."
The boy followed his new frient
doub'fully. Il must surely be bacl
early in the mornin'," he observed
Paw mought think got lost"
whats your paws name? Perhaps
l might have heard of him."
John Croffers, and paw he lows
are good name. His grandfathe
We're Il capn, he We're"
The boy spoke proudly and looked q
his new friend with flushed checks
but the man turned his face away will
low whistle of dismay. John Crof
fers had been led away from the tow
only the week before and warned new
er to enter it again. He had long beer
known as idle and shiftless and fol
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