Middletown transcript., 1914-12-19
copuriah..aql4!by BOl9osnerrin CO.

est-must do all that, sure enough
"WIll you?" said 1; that's wnat
want to know" and l pushed BACK
the dusky little face and looked INTO
the bewildsred eyes.
"Solid?" he quer4sd, gravely.
solid" / repeated, handing MIN
the box. "Win you comer
IVY, course ] will, on'y | was 1ist
a-thinkin-"
Just thinking what?" said l. as
the little fellow paused abruptly ana
shook the box suspiciously at ms
ear. "Just thinking what?" ! repeat
ed; "for l must go now; good-py.-
Just thinking what"
"Oh. nothin'." said the boy, backing
of and staring at me in phase OIL
wonder akin to awe.-"Nothin', ony !
was list a-thinkin' that you was a 1T
tie the curiousest rooster I ever see.
Three hours later, as l sat alone,
he came in upon me timidly to say ne
had not been home yet, having run
acrost the old man jist a-bilin', ana
had to git him corralled fore ne
dropped down somer's in the snow;
but I'm a-gittin' long bully with him
now" he added with deep sign OF
relief. "'cause he's so full he'll hat to
let go purity soon. Say you'll pc
here?"
/ nodded silently, and he was gone
The merry peals of laughter rang
up from the streets like mockery. the
iingling of bells, the clatter and con-
fusion of the swarming thoroughfares,
flung up to me not one glad murmur
Of delight; the faint and far-of blar-
ing of a dreamy waltz. blown breeze
like over the drowsy ear Of night, had
sounded sweeter to me had l stood
amidst the band, with every below
ing horn about my ears, and the drums
and clashing cymbals bowling mad.
/ couldn't work, couldn't read. !
couldn't rest; could only pace about.
heard the clock strike ten, and
strike it hard; I heard it strike eleven,
yiciously; and twelve it held out at
arms length, and struck it full be
tween the eyes. and let it drop-stone
dead. o saw the blood ooze from
its ears, and saw the white foam
freeze upon its lips! l was alone
alonel
It was three o'clock before the boz
returned.
Been a long WHILE" he began, "bu'
!, had a fearful time with the old man
4 and he went on so when did git hin
in l was most afeard to leave him
t hut he kind O. went to sleep at last
and Molly she come over to see hov
l Sis was a-gittin'; and Sis said She
q like to see you If you'd come now, yol
e know, while they amt no racket goir
on.
eCome, then,7 said I. buttoning m
o coat closely at the throat, i an
ready" and moment later we ha
8 stepped into the frosty night w
moved along in silence. the little fe
e low half running, half sliding alon
s the frozen pavement in the lead; an
It I noted, with a pleasurable thrill, ths
d he had donned the little fuzzy cap an
h mittens, and from time to time wa
y ainging, as he ran. admiring glance
at his shadow on the snow.
l. Our way veered but a little froi
the very center Of the city, but le
N mainly along through narrow stree
Ie ana alleyways, where the rear enc
Il of massive business blocks had dwi
Or died down to insignificant proportion
", to leer grimly at us as we passed u
ii tie grated windows and low, scowlir
,u doors. Occasionally we passed
IS clump of empty boxes, barrels. al
1. suchs debris aud merchandise as hl
m been crowded pell-mell from some
,r- ner storage by their newer and mo
el. dignified companions; and now a.
he then we passed an empty bus, bulgil
m nm in the darkness like a behemo
Of the oIden times; or jutting fro
m. still narrower passages, the slopi
ne ends of drays and carts innumerab
And along even as forbidding def
an As this we groped until we came up
he a low. square brick building II
might have served at one time as
m wash-house. or, less probably, perha
la a dairy. There was but one wind
ne IN the front. and that but little lart
re- than an ordinary pane of glass.
I'M the sides, however, and higher
,ep was a row Of gratings, evidently
: signed more to serve as ventilatf
Of than as openings for light. There '
tie hut one opening, an upright doorw
e's half above ground. half below, "
SIS little narrow sidesteps leadir DO
pli- to it. A light shone dimly from
md little window, and as the boy
Gu. toned me to pause and listen, sol
sak Of female voices talking in unC
not tones was audible, mingled with
adj sound like that Of someone snor
Ike heavily.
md Hear the old man a-gittin' In
nat work?" whispered the boy.
eli / nodded. Hes asleep? ?"
eM aYou bet he's asleep!" said the
! stiIl in q whisper; land he'll I
nj about stay with it thataway fer
See hours. anyhow. What time you
now. cap2"
he good. Take tRs win for the d