The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-11-25

THE MAN LOOKED AT HIM CURIoUsLY.
he bent his head to gaze curiously be.
tween the stats of the boxes. Clearly
he had never eaten pineapples and
wondered II they tasted as good as
they smelled.
Sometimes he glanced up as II he
were expecting some one, but he did
not seem impatient Perhaps he was
used to waiting.
sSuddenly gruff voice brought him
trembling to his feet:
Can ye drive. sonny|
IL mought," stammered the boy,
frightened look creeping into his
eyes. Il worked a heap with mules on
the poor farm
There, there. didn't mean to scare
ye. But want some one to drive my
team over to the grove for another
load Smith II take the other team and
point out what yen do. I've got to
stay here and mark truck"
Il were awaitih' fer paw, aud low
caynt go right now. II 1t weren't
fer that I'd accommodate ye sure"
lie spoke deprecatingly and bent his
shoulders as II he expected 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 low your paw must
be plzen mean, and
MY paw never hurted meW inter
rupted the boy fiercely. "'Twere the
poorhouse men that pestered and beat
me. Ny paw wrote fer me his own
self. he did, and | come clean from
Car'lina on ~ cars. We're goin' to
be pardners, hin. and me. He wrote So
My paws bigges than you. and he'll
fight all you uns that talk to him bad.
Him and me ara goin' TO make an or
ange grove, and he wrote me the
money to come on paper, and the post
office man give II to me. He's bigger
than you and more favored" The sal
low cheeks were flushed now, and the
eyes flashed angrily
"Sho, show expostulated the man. Il
low ! don't know your paws name.
and ! reckon he's a mighty fine man.
But II yen take my team over III
make It all right with him when he
comes Likely he'll not be round be
fore next train now, and yen be back |
long before that. Besides. ye can show /
him this when ye see him" And he
tossed up a silver quarter nnd caught
II as II descended.
Quite reassured. the boy ciambered
into the wagon and began skilifully to
back the mules from the platform.
Seeing his team was in safe hands,
the man turned his attention to stem
Cling the boxes.
Yen be sure aud tell paw ] were
awaitin'f- shouted the boy before he
disappeared from sight.
"Surer'
An hour and O half afterward the
teams drove up. and the boy asked
"Did paw Gomez
"Haint seen him." answered the
man. "Bur perhaps he'll come TO meet
me next train. Likely he lowed ye
be- round before then"
hut 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 given
him the quarter came up,
'your paw must have mistaken the
lay" he said kindly THAT were the
last train Ye'd better come home with
me fos the night. ard tomorrow ye can
come back and wait for him"
The boy followed his new friend
Il mus, surely be back
early 10 the mornin'." he observed.
Paw mouaht think go, lost"
What's your paws nancy Perhaps
might have heani Of him"
John Crorers. and paw be lows II
ire q gocd nane, His grandfather
were a cap'n. be were
The boy spoke proudly and looked at
lie new friend with flushed checks.
,ut the man turned his face away with
! iow whistle of dlsnay John Cruf I
'ers had beva led away from the town
,niy the wreck bcfore and warned new
q 10 enter q again He had long been
Inown Is Idle and shlftiess aud for
'oaae rlae suspected of being even