The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-14
By Margaret Beaucbanzp

Mrs. Livingstone took him upstairs and washed his
little hot face and hands She gave advice about
keeping quiet in weather, but Robert hardly
heard her His supper tasteless in his mouth Why
oh, why had he thrown that stone? What would Rose
mary think of him? After all, grown people knew best
He would break loose and try to form existence
of his again. Henceforth life held for him nothing
but series of family excursions and long, lonely days
his heap of beachsand in the backyard. Perhaps
in the morning, Willy would be waiting for him with
to bear h s m e snd
mama all about it like little When this thought
assaled him, hope and courage vanished He crept
to his mother, and leaned his head against her arm
guess will go to bed now he murmured in sub
If he had known the of his effort his little
soul would have been even more upset He had never
him as he hurled the stone But success often
crowns least carefully considered efforts, and the
stone had struck Willy the shoulder, in exactly the
years Willy squrmsd and twisted his hand elaPped
rose simultaneously from the horse block.
Feel it," they inquired judcially The ethics Of the
grmaced to imply unheard-of sufferngs, heroically
borne.
Rosemary Bulge lowered her lean anatomy from the
fence and looked him sternly in the eye
You began it., she said
The Bulge boys stopped whiting and considered this
reversal OF the situation opennouthed Willy kicked at
It's your own fault He didn't say thing to you,"
Rosemary finished the question: and settled her hat firmly
Rosemary! Rose-mary!" called Mrs Bulge appear
ing on the piazza Of the house with baby in her
arms Supper will be ready in FIVE minutes" And the
the narrative of the days events at the gate.
THE little boy next door throw like everything!
he hit Willy lStevens right on the
Willy deserted the scene of his defeat heard the
story Of his msdemeanor and its clearly and
and turned homeward getting poor consolation by de-
posting large amount of gravel upon his front
Meantime the little boy door lay his bed and
gazed openeyed into the dusk Over and again he
prospects spread fair before him Once more he felt
the shortlived madness in which he had wrecked the
low grew hotter and hotter and less and less adapted to
his head Suddenly he felt longing express himself
in He slipped out OF bed and stood cser
dim Biblical suggestion he scurrsd over to the wash
Dear Lord" he began, and then stopped, fearing
undue familiarity. That rather the way to address
.our Father Wh9 art in Heaven want tall, thin
rage, all by myself have been bad but didn't
know | going to be. If you will, will stand still
and let Willy Stevens throw stone at me. and will
shut my eyes cannot wait much longer for my broth
Il think mama would like them, too. And this ask
for Jesus sake. Anen!"
stole back bed drew the sheet up under his
chin cool breeze began to come in at the window,
balls and grew all soft and quiet And in his sleep his
hands and feet twitched slightly, like little dogs, who
dreams that he is running very fast.
Robert awole to impression of great events. He
had made business arrangement with God and he, at
least. would live up to his side of it. He with the
desire strong him to out and meet Willy Stevens
and redeem his Lessons took place usual while
the sound of chdrens voices tantalized him from the
street. Mrs. Livingstone fond OF teaching, and she
considered it good plan to keep chdrens minds
pied quarter before eleven when she closed the
volume of Reprints from Great Masters and put away
Robert and stood in front of her. his hands behind
his back
hard 'Aa& Will go out now '''' his As''' beat
"Out for a walk" she asked
He wondered whether it wrong to tell her that
it not exactly for walk but this not the time
to tell OF his sin and the great that there vas
swept after him. tall and graceful and taking the hat
from his hands she adjusted carefully and passed the
elastic under his chin. shade of misery passed
his face She raised his little round chin in her white
hand and kissed him on both cheeks.
Della will give you your dinner, she said, as she
turned upstairs to make ready for day in town
Robert slowly down the first flight of steps,
It was as he had feared The street was empty Sud
denly the door of the house opened and process
her carried large basket in had
from the other the small person of indefinite
whose face was almost featureess in the joy that it
large tin pail AS they reached the foot of his steps,
Rosemary looked up and nodded
Come on he thought she said.
Could it be possible? He took step forward, and
then hung back
"Were going to Bad Mans lot Don't you want to
Gomez"
Come on" echoed the Bulge boys
Don't stop for anything eat" continued Rosemary
with tact which should win her many lovers "We're
going to call for Maudie Winslow. We've got jelly
sandwiches for everybody"
Robert hesitated no longer. of Joy seemed to
lift him off his feet and he with them In after life
the memory of that moment brought back him a mad
ness Of delight like nothing else that he had known
Bad Mans lot piece of unclaimed land standing at
and tramp, really bad-looking man, had once been
seen going it. There the Budge always bold and
progressive had established playhouse Robert knew