Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-03-05

L y.
The Boy from Zeeny was sitting n
the alley window Of the hayloft of the
doctors stable. and the cross-eyed boy
had paused below, and, with his no.
ward-looking eyes upturned. stood
waiting the effect of this intelligence.
What do I care for the boys in
this town." said The Boy from Zeeny.
"The boys in this town." repeated
the cross.eyed boy. with slow, pro-
phetic flourish Of his head-"the boys
In this town says cause you come
from Zeeny and BACKED Billy Kin
zey's eye, at you think you're goin'
to run things round here! And youll
find out you amt the bosst O. this
town." and the cross-eyed boy shook
his head again with dire foreboding.
"Looky here. Cocky!" said The Boy
from Zeeny. trying to focus direct
gaze on the boys delusive eyes. IVY
don't you talk straight out from the
shoulder? reckon the boys in this
town. as you calls 'em. didn't send
you round here to tell me what they
was goin' to do! But eft you want to
take it up fer 'em. and got any sand
to back you, jest say 1t, and I'll come
down there and knock them durn
twisted eye O yourn straight ag'in!"
Yes. you will" muttered the cross.
eyed boy. with dubious articulation.
glancing uneasily up the alley.
"What?" growled The Boy from
Zeeny, thrustfng one dangling leg far
Their out the window, supporting his
weight by the palms of his hand, and
poised as though about to spring
what i'd you say?"
Didn't say nothin'," said the cross.
eyed boy, feebly; and then, as a sud-
den and most bewildering smile
lighted up his defective eyes, he ex-
claimed: "Oh, tell you what's les
do! Les me and you git up a show
in your stable. and don't let none O.
the other boys be in It! I kin turn a
handspring like you, and purt' nigh
walk on my hands: and you kin p'form
on the slack-rope-and spraddle out
like the 'inja-rubber man'-and hold
a pttchfork on yer chin-and stand up
on a horse 'ithout a-holdin'-and-and
-Oh! ever'thing!" And as the cross.
eyed boy breathlessly concluded this
list Of strong attractions. he had The
Boy from Zeeny so thoroughly inocu-
lated with the enterprise that he
warmly closed with the proposition,
and the preparations and the practice
for the show were at once inaugu.
rated.
Three hours later, an extremely
cross-eyed boy, with the freckles of
his face thrown into vivid relief by
an intense pallor, rushed pantingly
Into the Doctors office with the fateful
intelligence that The Boy from Zeeny
had "fell and broke his arm ag'in."
And this time. as 1t seemed, the help
less boy had surpassed the serious.
ness of all former fractures, this last
being Of a compound nature, and very
painful in the setting, and tedious in
recovery; the recovery, too, being
anything but perfect. since it left the
movement Of the elbow somewhat re-
stricted, and threw the little fellows
arm into an unnatural position, with
the palm of the hand turned forward
as he walked. But for all that, the
use Of 1t was. to all appearances, little
impaired.
Doubtless It was through such in
terludes from rough service as these
accidents afforded that The Boy from
Zeeny had acquired the meager edu.
cation he possessed. The doctors
wife. who had from the first been kind
to him, grew to like him very much.
Through her gentle and considerate
interest he was stimulated to study
by the occasional present of simple
volume. Oftentimes the good woman
would devote an hour to his instruc.
ton in the mysteries of the books
photography and rhetoric.
Nor was The Boy from Zeeny dull
pupil, nor was he an ungrateful one.
He was quick to learn. and never
prouder than when a mastered lesson
gained for him the appreciation of his
patient instructor.
The history of The Boy from Zeeny,
such as had been gathered by the doc
tor and his wife, was corroborative in
outline with the brief hint Of It COM
municated to the curious listeners at
the rear window Of the doctors office
on the memorable day Of the boys
first appearance in the town. He
was without family, save a harsh. I'M
feeling father, who. from every evi.
dence. must have neglected and
abused the child most shamefully, the
circumstantial proof Of this fact be.
Ing evidenced in the boys frank &C.
knowledgment that he had repeated.
~ run away" from him, and his still
drm resolve to keep his name a se.
cret, lest he might thereby. be. traced
to his present security and fall once.