Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-14

The little girl saw that his moe
casins were much worn and that in
one was a hole with the edge blood
stained. And then she began to
watch her fathers face, which
showed hat the contents of the let
ter were astounding him. He rose
quickly when he had finished and
put out his hand to the stranger.
Il am glad to see you, my boy
he said with great kindness. Bar
bara, this is a little kinsman of ours
from Kentucky. He was the adopt
ed son of an Indian chief, but by
blood he is your w cousin. His
name is Erskine Dale"
"
The little girl rose startled, but
her breeding was too fine for be-
trayal. and she went to him with
hand outstretched. The boy took 1t
as he had taken her fathers. Imply
and without rising. The father
frowned and smiled-how could the
lad have learned manners? And
then he. too, saw the hole in the
moccasin through which the bleed
ing had started again.
You are hurt-you have walked
a long way?"
The lad shrugged his shoulders
carelessly.
Take him into the kitchen, Bar
bara, and tel! Hannah to wash his
foot and bandage it,"
The boy looked uncomfortable
and shook his head, but the little
girl was smiling and she told him to
come with such sweet imperiousness
that he rose helplessly. Old Han
nah's eyes made a bewildered start!
Swiftly the old negress bound his
foot, and with great respect she led
him to u little room.in one ell of the
great house in which was a tub of
warm water.
"Ole marster say you been travel
lin an mebbe you like to refresh
yo'self wild a hot bath. Oars some
O. little marster's clothes on de bed
dar, an a pair O. his shoes, an /
know dey'll just fit you snug"
She closed the door. Once, winter
and summer, the boy had daily
plunged into the river with his In
dian companions, but he had lever
had a bath in his life, and he did not
know what the word meant; yet he
had learned so much at the fort that
he had no trouble making out what
the tub of water was for. For the
same reason he felt no surprise
when he picked up the clothes; he
was only puzzled how to get into
them.
The boy began putting on his
own clothes.
Outside Colonel Dale and Barbara
had strolled down the big path to
the sun-dial, the colonel telling the
story of the little Kentucky kinsman
the little girl listening and wide
eyed.
"Is he going to live here with us,
papa?"
perhaps. You. must be very nice
to him. He has lived a rude. rough
life, but / can see he is very sensi-
tive"
At the bend of the river there was
the flash of dripping oars, and the
song of the black oarsmen came
across the yellow flood.
"There they comet" cried Barbara.
And from his window the little Ken
tuckian saw the company coming up
the ,ath. brave with gay clothes and
smiles and gallantries.
All the men were dressed alike
and not one was dressed like him.
Panic assailed him, and once more
he looked at the clothes on the bed.
and then without hesitation walked
through the hallway. and stopped
en- the threshold of the front door.
A quaint figure he made there. and
for the moment the gay talk and
laughter quite ceased.
No son of Powhatan could have
stood there with more dignity, and
young Harry Dale's face broke into
a smile of welcome. His father be-
ing indoors he went forward with
hand outstretched.
' IT am your cousin Harry" he
( said, and taking him by the arm he
led him on the round of p%resenta-
ton.
! And the young ladies greeted him
with frank, eager interest. and the
young gentlemen suddenly depressed
patronizing smiles and gave him
grave greeting. for If ever a rapier
flashed from a human head. it flash
ed from the piercing black eye OF
that little Kentucky backwoodsman