The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-05-10

N/ stared with unseeing eyes
wv out of the nursery window.
1t was unbelievable To
think that he, William ii. Compton,
Jr., had been called a babyl And by
Cracky, too! If only he, like Cracky,
could sell papers on the cornerl He
would ask Cracky, but Cracky thought
him a baby. Why? William walked
across the room, and for about the
second time in his life surveyed him.
self closely in the mirror.
At this moment his thoughts were
interrupted by shriil voice calling,
Master Williaml Master Williaml"
Yes, maybe that was it. Maybe Miss
Hartwell was the cause of it. What
about being tied to Miss Hartwelrs
apron strings.
Master William" came the voice
again and then Miss Hartwell herself
came flying in. "Why didn't you an
swer me? IFS time to walk in the
park now and you must take your
bath and change your suit. Come
right away" Then, suddenly snatching
his sweater from a chair, he sped
through the door leading into the hall,
down the hallway, down the stairs and
through several rooms before he
paused for breath. . av
At last he was free. He ran down
the garden walk leading to the street
back of the house. How many times
he had come down this same walk
before, but always had to be accom-
panied by Miss Hartwell. How differ
ent it was to be ones own master
And Cracky-how proud Cracky would
be of him! All, there was the park.
there was the bench, the very bench
where Miss Hartwell was accustomed
to sit while supposedly he played not
too far away. But that one day, that
one wonderful day when he had hap
pened to stray around the bushes way
down at the end of the path and had
caught his first glimpse of Cracky.
He thought of the day Miss Hart.
well had appeared. How angry she
had been to find him talking to what
she called common little street boys"
But now he was freei Now he was
freel He ran on down the park path.
There were the busiest He pushed
them eagerly aside, only to find-why.
where was Cracky? Ia
"Sure an ye can't be sellin' your
newspapers this mornin', Cracky, me
bye. An it's enough that OF have TO
do without takin'-Cracky Don't you
dare to be gettin' upw Mrs. O'Brien
crossed the dingy little kitchen to peer
into Cracky's eyes. "Oh, Cracky,
Cracky," she cried. why couldn't We
of had 'em while We was young? Kit
ty an Patrick an Nora an Mandy all
had the masles. Shure an they'll be
afraid to bring their washin' here now,
I'm fearin'. AS if anybody would be
fearin' an 1t might we'll have been
diphtheria, while it was at it, I'm
thinkin'. You ate this porridge,
Cracky, darlin', an you'll be feelin'
better"
Again she crossed the room, and
with her sleeves rolled to her elbows
plunged her arms into the soapy lath-
er in the washtub. The steam, as II
arose and mingled with the smell of
the soap assembled Cracky's nostrils.
He turned YEARLY on his side and half
asleep, half awake, thought of the lit
tie cOmrade who had appeared so sud-
denly through the bushes so many days
ago. How regular he had been in his
visits. And how Cracky worshiped
him. And yesterday he had unthink-
ingly made him cry. He did not think
it would make anyone cry If one called
him a baby. But, oh, why had he
done it? He wondered dismally If the
kid would be there this morning.
At this moment pounding on the
outside sent his mother with Kitty
and Mandy clutching her skirts and
Iatrick trailing slowly in the rear to
the door.
Isn't your boy going to pedde news
papers this morning. ma'am?" inquired
the irate man on the doorstep
"Shure, an it phase your honor, he's
havin' the ,masles."
"The measlesl Well, we'll, ri have
to get another boy, that's all. He'll
have to sacrifice his job. I'm sorry.
Good day."
"Oh, Mr.. Collinsi Cracky lose his
job! If Cracky loses his job We'll all
be"
But already Mr.. Collins was half
way down the street. He walked
briskly on toward the park where his
look of annoyance changed first to
perplexity. then amusement and then
hope. group of boys, shouting and
yelling. were crowded around some
thing which at first Mr.. Collins was
unable TO see Then he saw. Evil
IDENTIFY there was fight on. A small
boy in dusty suit of brown linen was
staring with defiant brown eyes at a
small urchin confronting him. "Baby,
baby" tainted the urchin. At this the
small boy in brown shouted. "But |
tell you I'm not I've run" and
then he approached the other slowly