The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-16

rcd light through the trees behind the
house.
HTS a boy" announced the first
speaker. and laughed joyously, as
though it were the best joke in the
world. reaching in and lifting lrcnus
over the wheel To set him on his un-
certain legs among the little struggling
weeds at the path SIDE.
For any sake" Whose is he,
honey? Whar did We git i'm att" asked
the smiling wife, who seemed to be
"A very friendly, pleasant person. not
at all upset by the finding of small
boys in her husbands luggage. She
stopped down before Irrnus To- bring
her kind. reassuring face to the level
of his.
"Ye CANT prove hit by me-" declared
the old man. chuckling. "Whcr | drove
In to town from Niuty AIMS this murnin'
left my wagon in Gruner's yard. When
come back long about noon an put
my plumber in | never disturbed the
hedclothes what NotN was a-scndin' up
to We. Lord love hits little soul Hit
must "a been un'neath EN- asleep at
that very time"
Irenus nodded sulemnly. The eve
ming light in the sky told him that
into the house of bondage Vast, silent
slopes Of forest green blowing outside
the small clearing and patch of tillage
on the edge of which the cabin stood
added the information that he was very
far away from K'sterson's mil. Surely
the Lord had led him.
While the Old people talked apart for
moment the bpv stood gazing. The
clear blue sky rosr high above his head
in majesty unknown to the smoke
filed valley of KcS crSun's. Range be-
yond range the everlasting mountains
circled this retreat afar off, folding now
about their great shoulders their eve
n ny Splrndors Of purple and gold, put
ling on their crowns of rose and anne
thyst. Near at hand. yet unseen, the
little spring branch laughed and chat
tered to Itself. a childs voice making
homcly and human the stately Wilder
ness. The crystal air was keen and on
il came the scent of growing things and
Of freshly turned ear.h.
As the hoy looked his eye dlatcd and
lirdlpd. the thin nostril expanded ana
trcmblcd: he drew in great breath
that lifted his sunken chest. \ wood
pecker drummed on a dead tree; away
down the mountain side man sent out
. the long. soft. yod"ling call 10 the hogs;
in the deep woods the frogs began To
tril: the old hound baNcd. Something
swellod in the factory child's throat and
his eyes filled. He felt himself for the
first time. part Of Gods living world.
He looked up as the old people turned
toward him.
II work on the night turn" he he
gan N the middle. as child Will. 81
thcst CANT sleep at home. case pap he's
ant t. hc a-drlnk!n'; an the folks at
lives around wh1r we do, they holler.
| So | clumb up IN yo' wagon To see
| could sleep better thar whar the piece
quilts looked a. soft an good. But
dcprecatinGly-"I aimed to wake up an
rit out when you all come back-an'
| then never walked up at all"
HTS one - the chaps f'"m Kester-
| sons" laid the old man sohorly. glanc-
| ing at his wife Pore little critters
I'VE stud "a a heap bout how them mill
| folks could keep chaps - that age awake
| 10 work 'em al n'"ht."
But the wife shoe her head. son"
she said gently. putting out hand to
Irenus and leading him toward tn"
cabin. "you ort not 70 "a done thu.
away. l 'spcct " nanny an al Nn'
| folks is skcrred mighty nigh To death
about We right this minute"
II amt got no mummy-now. She
died off "Wednesday" sad the child
with a gulp. "Thcy's nobody hut pap AT
home, an he won't study bout me tell
pay day comes an hr goes down Ia
! draw my WAGES
The cabin was small and brown, hung
/ Ike birds nest IN the rocky steep of
! the mountain whose bench formed It's
clearing. smoke went up from the great
stone chimney; big pale blue Volcts
gemmed the struggling sward about it,
An anxious. loud c,uckiug b.ddy mar
| shalled her balls of pl!nt.VelY cheepinG
down toward their nights reposc. a
chip pile with the axe lying across a
| half cut los showed where the fuel for
the hearthStnne was prepared. The child
| looked at it with loving eyes. lie could
barely remember such cabin and door
yard. back in his habyhood. before they
went down from the mountains 80 that
his mother might work in the mill He
was sure that this was no house oi
bondage. .
What mought We call yo' name
young fcllrr?" asked the Cd man, seat
ing himself drawing the child to his
knee and slapp!ng one small hanc
| SOFTLY between ms two SOIL ma d"n"'
palms. I'm Nentrcss Brazcal. an my
wife, she was a Ch.drcss."
I'm name lrcnus,' said the littl,
boy, IAN my pappy Is Cord io,ang."
Mandy BrlHral, who was IA th!ldress
was getting supper at the broad ston'
hearth. The bacon she was fryinl
smclled very goodito the hungry child
liut when lrcnus anSwc ed him thus ia,
old man got up suddenly ana drew hi
wife out on To the porch, where they
stood murmuring in lowered tones for
while. The child 10y the fire, drowsl
a"ain, heard of all their talk only tn
two words "Nut Tonight"
Irenus ate from "A treasured small
plate with y Il Cs around the rim
humely supper that Was wonderful To ,
little boy who had been living ON foo,
prepared 10y an unwilling. half iutoNi
Gated man. The old people rrgarde,
with deep feeling the guest at thei
table eating of their bread, Their eye
dwelled upon him with mute tenderness
then sought each others eyes above tn,
young head.
lie was put To bed, Mandy lirazea
r"ntruduCing To his attention the latcl!
40 r,li m N ~ Al ~ -