Newspaper Page Text
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BY AUNT SUSIE.
(TM, t. . «.m.r ~t aside tor .». U® >?' k ’ C< ’ n!t, "“"’" ’«* *-» “•*
tainment and development n the art of let _ g— _ _ , .
The Rnn«w«? Hoy.
TTunst I sassed my pa. an’ he
Won't stand that, an' he punished me—
Nen when he wuz pone that daj
T’slippc-I out and ninrol away.
I took all my <opp*r cents.
An’ climbed over our l»a< k fence
In the jimson weeds ’at growed
liver’where all down the road.
Non I pot out there, an’ nen
I tunned some—anT runned again.
When I met a man ’at led
A bip cow ’at shooked her head.
I went down a long, long lane.
Where nnz little pig« a-playin':
And a great bls P«K *’•’"< ’booh-
An’ jumpe-l np and sheered me. too,
JCen I scampered vast <*n
Waa aonebody hollered “Hey!
An’ just locked ever’where.
An’ they w iz nobody there.
I want to but I’m afraid to try
To go ba.k • • • An’ by an by
Fomepin’ hurt my th’oat inside
An’ I want my ma an’ erie«i.
Nen a prea’ big girl come through
Where’s a gat- and tolled me who
Am I? and es I tell whet*
My home’s at she’ll show mo there.
But I couldn’t ist hut tell „
What my name; an’ she says "Well,
An’ ist looked mo up an’ says
••pho know where I live, she guess.
Nen sh i« >1 me hug witc close
Round her neck!—an on she goes
Skippin’ up the street! An' nen
I urtv noon I’m home again.
An’ my ma. when she kissed me.
Kissed the big girl. too. an’ she
Kissed me es 1 p’omis* shore
1 won’t run away no more!
—James Whitcomb Riley.
Three Famon* Boys.
William Paxton, the flrat English printer,
was born about 1113 in Kent. It was here
hi spent his boyhood days. His father, who
was the <*vn*T of some land, gave him the
best instruction obtainable at that time.
Caston, speaking of these early days of his
life, says. ”1 was born and learned mine
English in Kent in the weald, where I
doubt not is s;x*ken as broad and rude
English as in any place in England.** It
is always pleasant to read of the gratitude
of children for the kindness and wisdom
shown them by th»lr parents. William
Caxton speaks in his quiet way of the love
bls parents had for him during his school
days. “1 have specially reduced (translated)
It (the life of Charles the after the
simple cunning that God hath lent to me
whereof 1 humbly and with all my heart
thank Him. and also am bounden to pray
ior my father s and mother’s souls, that in
my youth set me to school, by which, by
the sufferance ot God, 1 get my living. 1
hope truly.’*
The disregard that boys have of the value
of schoolbooks in these days would not
have been thought possible by boys of the
Sixteenth century.
Great value was then attached to them.
In Lincolnshire In 137* the corporation
records show that it was agreed that "a
dictionarye shall be bought for the scoliers
of the free scoole; and the same boke to
be ty-d in a cheque, and set upon a desk
in the scoole, whereunto any scoller may
have aceesse as occasion shall serve.’*
Alas. n-»w we see dictionaries and even
prize b <oks lying about anywhere but in
the right place, by our carehss boys and
girls.
Our boys do not seem to realize th* diffi
culties that lay in the way of learning a
few years ago. Some of the world's great
est men have had to overcome obstacles
that would cause many modern aspiring
youths to despair. Today we see boys and
girls with elegantly bound and neatly print
ed books and nicely framed slates. Rut in
the time of Queen Elizabeth the pupil when
he entered school was banded'the "Horn
book.’’ and from that he learned his first
lessons.
The "Hornbook" was one leaf on which
was printed in black letters the alphabet, a
large cross, then the vowels and combina
tion of vowels and consonants, followed by
the Lord’s prayer and the Roman numerals.
This leaf was mounted on wood and
protected from dirty fingers by a transpar
ent horn. This sheet of horn was secured
by a border of brass ana tacked to the
voodrn back. The large cross or "crisa
cross’’ on the page was to show that the
•nd of learning is piety.
Admirable Crichton was simply James
Crichton. Admirable was only a title given
him by the ladies of the French court, who
on a-count of the variety of his talents,
his youth, the gracefulness of his manners
and the beauty of his person named him
I.’Admirable, it is sal to think that this
talented boy dkxl quite young, and
has left us nothing In the way of proof of
his cleverness except the testimonials of
undoubted and extreme admiration on
several distinguished Italian authors who
were his cotemporaries and associates. He
was born in Scotland in ISSL Al fourteen
he was master of arts, he became third
reader in his college, then master of phi
losophy and languages, of which he knew
ten. At seventeen he went to France. Here
he gave lectures in twelve different lan
guages. Besides possessing such wonder
ful learning he was remarkably clever at
outdoor sports and excelled In tilting, hunt
ing. sword practice. He trav«ded to Man
tua, where at the age of twenty-seven he
was assassinated by Vincenzo Gonzaga,
son of the duke of Mantua, it is supposed
through jealousy.
Sir Thomas More, who was bom in
Miik street. Cheapside. I«ondon, England, in
1480. was one of the brightest scholars at
fit. Antony's free grammar school, Thrtad
needle street. He outstripjied al! his young
companions and was first class at Latin.
Greek was not taught in English schools
at his time.
Like most boys of that period, as soon
as he was fourteen ha was removed from
school to officiate in the menial work in
romr great family, in order that he might
learn implicit obedience, and stem discip
line, and profit by the words of his elders.
It was not thought at all degrading for
boys to submit to menial work. More had
the fortune to gain admittance to the pal
ace of <’ordinal Morton, archbishop of
Canterbury and lord high chancellor.
The archbishop soon noticed that he was
a bright, cheerful boy and willing at all
times to do the most menial things, and
often said to his friends: “That child wait
ing at table whosoever shall live to see it,
will prove a marvelous man.” Dean Colet,
a visitor at the cardinal’s, said: "There Is
but one wit in England, and that is young
Thomas More.”
Al the»age of seventeen More went to Ox
ford. England, and here he composed the
greater number of his English po*-ms. w hich
Ben Jonson speaks of m some of Ute best
In the English language. ~ - -
TH® WEEKLY CONSTITUTION; ATLANTA. GA. MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 24, 1894.
YOUNG FOLK’S CORIIE.SPONHENC’E.
letters of Exchange Among The Consti
tution's Little l
Ethel Ellmgtosi, Robinson G:*.—l Uro one-half
uibo 1 nun Koliitison. a littie ►tation on the Georgia
railroad. I wish the story «i Little Air. Thimble
fli.grr would newer end; I like to read it very
much.
The Ogcechec river i« about three-quarters of a
mile from my ho*i.<-. I think all country girls
should leain to coos. lam going to learn.
I guess all of the < <>u*ins like to go to picnics.
1 have Ix-en tonne this ye.-r. 1 have l*een going to
school this year, but iny school has closed,
Mamie Stewart, Goodman, Ga.—l am a little
girl living in the wiregrass regions, twelve years
ot age. and on a branch road from Tifton. North
ea* t< rt* railrosd. My father is a terpentine man,
and I am camping awhile with him.
I am very tonii <<l flowers, but at present have
only tire wild ones to t ike the place of more
cultured ones. Tlx* v ;mhls alxnind with them and
some of them are marvels ot loveliness.
I have a cat with only three Ret, injured by the
railroad, ami think it right to have something lor
damages, but as it lives in the store 1 guess it will
lie ali it will ever get.
With best wishes and success to The Constitu
tion.
Hattie anil Lizzie Williams, Rrewryvllle, Ga.—
Will you let two little merry girls join your hip
py Circle. We have iteen reading the dear old
< onstituiion tor a long time, and think it tho best
paper printed.
We iiave a very nice time eating watermelons.
Our especial delight is .i<>r>el>ack tiding.
We will exchange the songs: ••t’athline, The
Blind Girl,” lor "Just to Please The Hoys,” and
••Alter the Ball.”
Why is a drawn tooth like a thing forgot?
YV hat did Queen Eliz »l*eth take her pins in?
Why is the letter "K” like a pig’s UH?
II luck's father is Tom’s son, wiut relation 13
Dick to Tom?
Corresimndents solicited.
Bessie L. 'llnnnason, Kerr Station, Ark.—Some
time ago I wrote to the children's corner, but 1
tailed to see my letter in print. We missed one
<-opv of our paper, and my I iter might have been
in that, or it might have gone in the waste bas
ket. so I will try again.
This is a dreary morning, »nd my married sis
ter is making chow-chow while I am writing to
Aunt .-uie and the cousins.
I was jjist reading in .The Constitution this
morning about the little city l*oy di Inking the
cow’s milk and diink it was lietter than the milk
in in'- milk. I think so, too, lor 1 have tried both.
I live >n a farm and enjoy all the .usuries that
the country affords, but in winter I am compelk d
to stat ;n town to attend school.
I will close by asking some ot the cousins about
my age. which is nine years, to write to me.
Arthur Page. Loiclmpoki, Ala.—Here comes
another country ln»y for admittance. I work on
tne farm; .uuejevn years old. Mamma teicbes
ine at home. I live three miles from Loai hapoka,
a ni< e village on tins Western railroad.
Aunt Sii'i«, tbit is « noble idea oi yours not to
whip little lx>y«; it mt! c- them meaner.
I will answer Ida itmlgv’a que-tmii, “In what
battle was Mollie Stark** tho watchword’."'
It was fought near Bennington in the northern
part ot bew York in the spring of 1*77. The
Americana were commanded by Major Starke,
win* defeated the British and took several hun
dred prisoners.
1 will ask a question : What queen of England
was compaied to an occidental star?
E. W. Shumate. Marion Station, Miss.—l am a
farmer’s boy and enjoy that life very much. 1 have
lived in the city all my Hie until this year and find !
now that city lite is nothing t<> * *>mpare to that of I
the iarm, where one can raise chickens, hogs, etc. '
Hue that ha- never experienced lar elite cannot '
imagine the plea-ure there i* in it. The long sum
met evening- may lie passed under the shade of
some stalwart tree listening to the sweet warbling
«>ng of • oine pretty bird, or tn roaming the gras
sy meadow in search ot some sweet Howers.
I »ill exchange “A In r the Bdi.’’ ••< baries Gui -
teau,” “Hying •. ’ or Barney McCoy,”
for".Xellie't,ray.” "I'll Be Al! Smiles Tonijht,
Love.” . ml “My 01*1 Kentucky llome. ’
I would like to correspond with some girls in
the southern states.
James B. Holland, Marion Station, Mis-. Our
little village is situate*) five uiles north ot Meri
dian. Miss., on tb<- M. and O. railroad. It is a
beaiititul site f.*r a !a»«rn. and we nave two
churche-, two stores, * igai tact*.ry. saw mill, oil
mill. Masonic t**dge, two gins ami a nursery.
Tiie soil is well adapted :>> truck farming, etc.
The |M-op|e here raised lots ot toinatix-s. cucuin- w
tiers, lieans and potatoes tor the northern market
this year, and will r.u-e wacli more next.
I will answer Hattie Hag < iiruis question:
••How many I’llgrtnu* Ir.mled at i’lymoutU Rock
in lit!#.” There w« re only 101, including the wuineu
and children.
I have IxHiks to exchange for some other good
books. < Im- ist he hl vol .toiiii Sterl ii>g. paper Ixiund
with alxiut ’AW pages. The other is “The lite of
Tliai-keray. pa|x:r bound. I.W pages. Write first.
I wijl clos* by askni- a question:
What was tlx* popiii.ttion al Plymouth ten years
alter the laudingot the Pilgrims?
.1. C. Jackson, Notasulga, Ala.—Two years have
elapsed situs- I wrot • to the \ ming folks’ Corner.
1 live about hall way l etwei u Notasulga and Tal
lassee. Notasulga is .• nice little t*>wn on the W* s
teru railroad. It his eight stores, two blacksmith
shops, «*.*«• li«*tel, three churches and a seh*x*l
house. The Montgomery district high seinad,
winch is situate*! her*', is ,inder the professorship
ot Kev. <’. A. Hush, A. B. It has ibout one hun
dred am! twenty -five students during the winter
months. We had a nice coiiiuieticeuiclit al*out
I ll*- last of May.
Tallassee is a thriving little mannfact'iring
town on the Tallapoosa liver. Tuskegee, the site
of this county, is situated about fifteen miles
south of here. It contains about two thousand
live hundred inhabitants.
I will answer George W. Vardanians and Tal
mage I- Brown’s questions:
I 'o'uiubiis died in Spain May 2®, l.’Ot*.
I'rom Adam to Christ w-re sixty-three genera
tions.
The fi*x*d was nearly seventeen hundred years
alter the creation of man.
I will ask two *p:estiotis-
Who were the oldest amt youngest presidents?
Who were t he ohlest and youngest I tilted States
senators-.'
Evelyn Lamar. Walkup. N’. (’. —I am not an en
tire stranger to this department, though many the
changes since last we met in the Corner. In the
interim, however, I have derived much pleasure
'* from reading your interesting ami instructive l«-t
--ten>, and leel tliat 1 hive lx--n greatly benefited
thereby, lam fond o! reading; good poetry ts
my s|icciai delight.
'three i-hecrs ami a band-shako for Cousin
Cli.irtcs Gordon, of Sandersville, Ga. Blessings
on tlx- young man who willingly helps his mother
to e**oli; he is a hero ot tin.- purest type. Should
victory not |*ei*-li u]m*ii his banner, the fault will
not lx- his.
Who was called the Ciueiunatus of the west,
am! by whom?
Wh.it wa« the name of Samson's wife?
'lm- first one to send an answer, either by pri
vate letter, or through the ••<’ort.cr,” will receive
a beautiful picture.
1 will ix-g id to hear from any of the cousins.
My wish lor Aunt Susie: May your life lie full
of sunshine and gladm-ss; ‘-sorrow’s cup hold no
drop lor th.-e.''
Gellian Kay. Bln”’ Springs, Ela.-l have been
read.ng the in my nice letter- in The Constitution,
and somehow 1 icel like 1 must join your pleas
ant circle.
I have Iteen reading the thrilling accounts of
the Japan** e-i h,ite.-<* war in the last papers. I'he ;
attitude •>. the adjoining nation . in fact all the
ruling jiower- «*| the earth, s*-**m ridiculously
grtedy to me. They remind me of a little rhyme '
1 II*; *1 to know about two r*x>st**rs and a crow. I
one of til" roosters had a piece ol cake, the
oth*-r had none. The second said he wanted it. |
No. I s.iiil he shouldn't have it; so they fought.
M hilv the roosters weie disputing, a crus came !
by. and seeing the trouble, determined to seethe i
fight and if possible to gvt the cake, ami he did I
get it.
It seems to me that these nations are the crows
watching to tet tiu-cak** that China and Japan are i
fighting over, but they won't get oil as easy as the I
I like to read Dr. Talmage’s descriptions of the I
countries h<* is visiting. They arc so entertaining, !
and then they bring th* in to* the mind as some- !
thing real and true, instead of the vague ideas
that are derived from the schoolliooks.
Say. cousins, would you not like to visit the
quaint capital ot Corea, Hie city of Seoul? Erank
G.f arfx titer s letter itescrlbiug Seoul, has fired
mv soul with a desire to see it tor myself.
i, Fannie A, Thomas, 1 agree with you about the
continued stories, I like them best of all. And
‘■Little Mr. Tliinildetinger” is especially entertain
ing, *s 1 can prove by my litt’e brothers, Jessie anil
Charley, who always insist on hearing that
first. They always’ask if “Buster John” and
"Swcetiest Susan’’ have got home yet?
•‘Bashful Bill,” I like your letters very much. I
never saw the couplet you quoted ix-fore; it is so
pretty. Mother says she thinks that it is the pret
tiest thing she ever heard.
Aunt Susie, your letter about the “Milk Booth,”
reminds me of a little anecdote my mother tells
sometimes about some folks that came to their
house once. The little boy liked the milk, and when
milking time came he went to the cowpcn and saw
milking done; when supper camo he would not
drink any milk; when asked why, ho said ho did
not love stuff that was squeezed out of a cow.
I think -Mr. Straus’s enterprise very commend
able.
1 have lost *he third chapter of•• Little Mr.
Thimblefinger,” and would like to get it.
Will exchange rooted cape jessamine, or a root
ed geranium, red, white, or pink.
Where is the city of Battle? What vVhs it for
merly named, and why changed?
Emma Morris, Gceville, Miss.—A rainy, dreary
day like tills, is calculated to cause one*to reflect
on tltp past t<> an extent. I sometimes wonder
wh it will become ot the girls and boys that used
to play <>n the green sward in front of our quaint
old sc iioolh<>nse.
Do you ever dream of your childhood days, or
allow your mind to wnnder back into realms of
the past? I was priviieg d to do so 1 ist night, and
many of the incidentsof my early childhood were
repainted on the canvas of memory.
rt e. the youth- ol today, are rapidly passing up
the hill of time, ami will some day stand on a
point ir. our journey where milestones cast their
shadows toward the east, and while with one hand
we will strenuously eluteu at. the fleeing niemori* -
of the past with ttie other, we will, as today bo
reaching out for landed pleasures in the future.
Early tn this century tliere was growing up
among the Massaehusett hills a plain lookind
country girl with a *pii, x, strong intellect, and ass
unquenchable thirst tor knowledge, and a will to
acquits* It. By 1;*. r own efforts Mary Lyons at
tenaed a seminary for gill-.
Liter, she taught with great success. But her
mind was tilled with an ever increasing ilesite to
establish a seminary for women where the terms
shoulil tie so low that New England's gtGs might
all have its advantages. This she never gave up. A
building was finally elected and *>pt iu:<l in isourli
Hadley, ami afterward became famous as the Mt.
Hnlvoke seminary. Today Mt. Holyoke lias many
famous daughter institutions, too numerous to
mention.
Ami now, why cannot some of our cousins make
such resolutions as did Mary? We can do it, ami
can execute them, so that in after yc*:rs it can tie
sat<l ot us, “Mary Lyons rests, but her works do
truly f ollow fier.'*
Correspondents solicited,
Modena Swain, Blue Mountain. Miss.—l live in
the village oi Blue Mountain. We have a fine
school Ju-re for girls, which I have been attending
several year*. School will open the Kith of Sep
tember and a large number is < xpected the com
fng session.
I have iteen reading, with interest, the discus
sions in the Young I *!- ■’ department, and find it
more interesting than Woman’.- Kingdom.
The girls of the town have organized a literary
society. liid 'y night we intend to make our
meeting public amt invito the young men. and
older people, to let them see what our society is
doing.
Giris, would it not bo profitable for us to dis
cuss in this department tne diilerent ways that
we may eacn a livelihood? II ar? ot tne boys
would like to join us in this discussion, we would
like to have liiem help us out.
Annie I’. Green, Magnolia, Ark. 1 will describe
our country. 1 live one mile south of thebcauti
fui little town ot Magnolia. I’his is not. a good
farming country, lint it is well timbered and wa
tered; some line saw mills,
I returned Saturday from a visit to tny brother.
I like l<> read “Little Mr. riiimblefinger.'
1 will an-wer Eva Patrick's question “Who dis
covered the I’acific ocean?’’ Balboa crossed the
•isthmus of Darien ami discovered the Pacific
ocea n.
Columbus made four voyages to the new world,
.lonn Adams wax tne first vn <‘-presid* :it.
K‘*g*-r W llllams was the founder oi Rhode
Island.
1 will ask a few questions:
Who established tne first newspaper in Rhode
Island?
U ho discovered Florida?
Where, and when, was the first newspaper
printed in America?
T. R. I. .rl.Taylor. N.C.— I am a North Carolinian,
ami tliluk there t- mulling like my “Old North
State.”
I enjoy re.uling* The Constitution very mm*h,
c-pcci.if y the Young folks’ Corner. 1 live mar
th.* beautiful town oi W il-ou, situated on the Wil
mington t'tid Weldon rai.ro.ul.
1 go to school at R.*ck Ridge academy; I like to
go very much. YVe have a nice building beauti
fully situated anil some very nice teacher.-.
After this year I sb i's go to college. 1 have hr .1
a grand mm* during vacation, but i am anxious to
get to -school again.
How many of the cousins like novel reading? I
like to read good novels very much.
Corresponbents solicited.
Minnie Cole, Garlandville, Miss.—Wo have been
taking Tin- Constitution ever since 1 can remem
ber. ami tn reading th'* young folks department. I
notice th *t tim-t of t he’letter.s ;*.ro tioin cott-iiis
living in the country. Now. I know how dread
fully lonely it is .itter having been oil at college
tor tin* n..-t three stars.
YVe have I ecu taking The Youth's Companion
for tlx na-t few year*, ami have most ol tin* num
lx*.s saved. Tin sc h-per- arc ti led with pretty
stories. I'o any one -endin ; stamps to forward
wttn, I would like to send them to the cousins.
1 close, asking for a tew «:orre-nondents.
The AY *>meu K»i«>vz Best.
Much comment has been caused by the
official reports of the United States and Ca
nadian governments, in which are pre
sented the evidences of tin superior strength
purity tied wholesomeness of the Koyal
Baking Powder.
It is true that the go >d housewife looks
upon commendations ot the Royal Baking
Powder from s< ien’ists and official sources
such as these wry nun h Ilk** "the gilding
of refined gold.” Her pra< tic.il experience
long since taught her in the most convincing
way the great usefulness and superiority
of the Royal article. A higher proof than
this she dees not want and cannot have.
Yet it is pleasant for her to realize that
the facts established by these great, competi
tive tests, these scientific examinations
made und*r direction of the government,
exactly pa rail* I those she had before work
ed out in In r own common-sense, practical
way.
It dy**s not appear that any baking pow
der, when present***! in competition with the
Royal, either at th* government t sts or
before world’s fair juries, has never received
favor or award over the Royal or made an
equal showing iii purity, strength or whole
someness.
Some I Gi* mes For Hoys mid Girls.
No doubt suin' few of our leaders have al
ready taken part in the pastimes we shall
describe b* low. They must not, however,
think we are making game of them, for we
feel convinced there are many who know
nothing of “E i’llt, Air and Water,” save as
the in ecs* ary elements of our globe. Howev
er, without mote prosing, we will proceed
at once to our business, which is pleasure.
The first game in our list is sometimes
called
I Love My Love.
Suppose half a dozen or more young peo
pleple to have pretty well tired themselves
at Blind M tn’s Buff—a game which we im
agine needs no description—they can form
a circle round the fire and rest their minds
Ut “1 J*ove My la>ve.”
The first player we will stt|j>o»e a young
gentleman will commence by saying:
“1 love my love with an A because she is
Aec'Cnplished; I hat'* het* because she is
Angry. Her name is Alice; she comes from
Athens; she Jives on Ambrosia; and I will
give her an Accordion.”
Second player, presumed to be a young
lady, then gives her reasons for loving her
loti* with an A. and so on round tin* circle;
but no one m» i give a word that has been
used by another player, under penally of
a forfeit. Then pt.weed to love your loves
with the letter B, and so on through the
alphabet, if you can* to play so long.
Ilnrtti, Air mid YVnte*-
is a noisier game than the foregoing, and
the more players tin* merrier. Form a circle
round the room while the leader has a soft
bill or a handkereht“f twisted up. This he
t mows at on*- of the party, calling out
-•1-kirtli,” or “Air.” or “Water,” whichever
ple.tsos film, and then begins to count. Be
fore he has finished his counting, the person
struck b\ the ball must name some animal
bird, or fish, according to th** element named.
Failing tbG. a forfeit is due. For Instance,
if “water” is called, tho person Indicated
sitys. “Salmon, shark, ilolphiti,” or any other
fish he can think of. Sometimes a. nervous
person will at the last moment shout out,
“fish.” but that will not do; he pays a
forfeit. Nor must lie say “bird” when “air”
is called. The bird or fish must be named.
The T’light of Summer.
The heavy dew
Falls earlier ami whippoorwills complain
in forest deeps. Groat vivid moons arise.
Burning and tierce as passionate with pain;
And, deep within, a sense of sadness lies;
For whatsoe’er of beauty may remain.
The soul of summer with the swallow
flies.
—Cara £3. Whlton-Stone.
TWO DAYS IN THE LIFE OF PICCINO
BY F'RANCIS HODGSON BURNETT.
(Copyright 1891, by the author.)
PART 11. Chapter I.—Continued.
Piccino saw an old man standing before
the door talking to his mother. At least
he was trying to get in a word edgeways
now and then, while the mother wept ami
beat her breast and poured forth a torrent
of bewailing, mingled with an avalanche
of scolding addressed to her husband, who
stood near her, looking at once sheepish
and ill-temp* red.
“YY orthless brute, and pig!” she proclaim
ed. "Idle, wicked animal, who will not
work to help me to feed his children. It
is only I who work and the donkey who
helps me. Without her we would starve —
starve! And he sells her—poor beast—sells
her to get money for his wickedness and
gluttony! And I am to starve without her!
A fin** thing—and he brings to my door the
thief he has sold her to!”
Baby as he was, Piccino began to under
stand. His father had sold the donkey and
it would be taken away. He lifted up his
voice In a wail of bitter lamentation and,
breaking away from M. ria, ran to the
dopkey and clung ’round her front leg, rub
bing his cheek woefully against her gray
shoulder.
For an hour or so they all wept and la
mented, while their mother alternately
wept and raved. She abused her husband,
and the old man who hail bought the don
key, by turns. Stray neighbors dropped in
and helped her. They all agreed that old
Beppo was a usurer and a thief, who had
somehow got the better of Annibale, who
was also a drunken, shameless brute. Old
Beppo was so ovet whelmed by the storm of
hard words and bad names raging about
him that he actually was stunned into al
lowing that the donkey should remain where
she was for two days, that sh** might finish
some work her mistress had promised to do
with her aid. Ami he went away grumbling,
with his piece of rope over his arm.
There was nothing to eat in the house,
and if there hnd been, the mother was too
prostrate with grief and rage to have pre
pared anything like a meal. And so it
seemed a great piece of gpod luck when
dirty little Filippo burst upon them with
the news that three grand carriages, full
of illustrious looking forestieri and inviting
hampers, were unloading themselves at a
certain turn in the road where the grass
was thick and the trees big and close to
gether.
“Come!” said Marla, catching at Piccl
no’s hand. She gave him a look over. His
crying had left a flush in his soft cheeks
and a little pathetic curve on his baby
mouth, which was always like a tiny ver
milion bow. His hat, with the tulips tunib-
v l
,U - . ,
T.afij’ Aileen Carried Her plate to the I.lne of Spectators.
ling round it. was set on the back of his
he id, and the rod and yellow inlngs made
his eyes look bigger and lovelier than ever
by contrast. In these respects Maria saw
that he was good for more cakes and soldi
than ever. And it would never have o> cur
red to her that tears and tubbing against
tho donkey had left him dirtier than ever.
In Maria’s world nobixly troubled t.temselves
about <lirt. Washing one’s seif amount
ed almost to a religious ceremony. But,
ah! tiiat little love oi' a Bieeiuo was dirty—
as dii’t? as he was soft and dimpled and
rich colored and beautiful.
Near the place where the pleasure seek
ers had spread their feast upon the glass
there was a low, rough stone wall at the
side of the road
When the servants had spread the bright
rugs and cushions upon the ground the
party sat down in little groups. No sooner
bad they done tnis than on* of the ladies
looked lip and broke into a little laugh.
•l.ook there!” she said, nodding in the di
rection of the low- wail, which was only a
lew yards from them.
And those near her looked and saw a lit
tle boy peasant, sittjng with his legs dang
hng, and gazing at them with •the interest
and satisfai-tion of a person who has had
the good fortune to secure the last seat at
a theater.
“Ilf is a sharp said the lady. He
hits got hen- first. There will be others di
rectly. ’ They are like a swarm of little
vultures. The Both wicks, who have tin
Villa des Balmier, were here a week ago,
and they said children seemed to start up
from the earth."
The servants moved about in dexterous si
lence, m packing the hampers and spread
ing white cloths. The gentlemen sat at the
ladies’ feet and everybody laughed and
talked gayly. In a few minutes the lady
looked up and laughed again.
Look,” she said; "now there are three.
And there were six l**gs dangling, and the
second and third pair were little gills’ legs,
and their owners lo*>k<* i on at the strangers
with cheerful composure, as if their assist
ance at the festive scene were the most
proi*er and natural thing in the world.
The lady who had seen them first was a
t: 11 and handsome English woman. She 'had
big colls of reddish brown hair and large
bright eyes, which looked restless and tir ,- d
at the same time. Everybody seemed to
nav her a great deal of attention. The
party was hers, the carriages were hers,
the big footmen were hers. Her guests
called her Lady Aileen. She was a very
rich voting widow, *yith no children and
though she had everything that walth and
rank could give, she found it rather hard
to amuse herself. Perhaps this was be
cause She had given everything to Lady
Aileen Chalmer that she could and it had
not yet occurred to her that any one else
in tlie world was any affair of hers.
“The Bothwicks came home In raptures
over a child they had s*-en,” she said.
••They talked of him until it was fatiguing.
They'said he was as dirty as a pig and as
beautiful as an angel. The rest of the
children seemed to use Inin as a bait. I
wish they would bring him today. I should
like to see him. 1 must say I don’t be
lieve he was as beautiful as they said.
You know Mary Bothwick is byway of
being artistic, and is given to raptures.”
“ Are you fond of children, Igrdy Aileen?”
asked the man nearest to her.
- I don t know,” she answered. “I never
had one. But 1 think they are amusing.
And these llttlif Italian beggars are some
times very handsome. Perhaps I should
not be so bored if I had a very good look
ing child. 1 should want a boy. I believe
I will buy one from a peasant some day.
They will give you anything for money.”
She turne<l her face a little, and laughed
as she had done before.
••There are quite twelve on the wall now.”
stje said, “perhaps more. “1 must count
them-”
When they had counted them they found
there were fourteen. All in a row—all with
dangling feet; all dirty, and all staring at
what was going on with a composure wnicn
had no shadow of embarrassment touch
ing it.
The row. having gained in numbers, was
also beginning to be a little more lively.
The young spectators had begun to ex
change conversational and lively remarks
upon the party, the big footmen, and the
inviting things being handed about and
eaten.
In ten minutes from that time I.any
Aileen counted again and found, there
twenty-two lookers on, and when she
reached the twenty-first she gave a slight
start. .... j
“Dear me!” she exclaimed and laid down
her fork.
"What is it, Lady Aileen? asked a g*rl
who sat at her side.
“I am perfectly certain the twenty-first
one is the child the Botbwicks were talking
about. And he is a handsome creature.”
"Which one?” the girl exclaimed, lean
ing forward to look. "The twenty-first.
Oh I am sure you mean the one next to
the end. What a beauty, Mr. Gordon, look,
at him!”
And Maria had the. encouragement of see
ing half a dozen people turn back and look
at Piccino sitting by her on the wall, a
marvel of soft roundness and rich color,
his velvet eyes dreamily wide open, as he
gazed fixedly at the good things to eat,
his crimson bow of a mouth with parted
lips, his flaming tulips nodding round his
torn felt hat.
Lady Aileen looked quite interested.
“I never saw such a beautiful little ani
mal.” she said. "I 'had no idea children
were ever really like that. He looks as
if fie had been deliberately made to order.
But I should never have had the imagina
tion to order anything so perfect.”
In a. very few minutes everybody was
looking at him and discussing him. Maria
saw them and all the other children saw
them, and the whole party began to con
gratulate itself and feel its spirits exhil
arated, beeavse it kn w how the matter
would end. The only one who was not ex
actly exhilarated was, it must be confessed,
Piccino himself. He felt a certain shy
a wkwar-lnes-s when bo was looked at and
talkvl about so much. He was not much
more than a baby, after all, and he liked
tho cakes and little birds’ backs much
better than he liked being looked at by so
many grand ladies and gentlemen all at
once. Perhaps, too. if the truth were told,
he was not ns thrifty as Marla and her
companions. Ho liked the good things,
but ho <’id not like to ask for them, whereas
the others did not obj.-ct to begging at ail.
It was second nature to them.
On this occasion Maria, seeing what ef
fect he had produced, wanted to lift him
down from the v.all and put him on the
grass and make him go among the signori
and hold out his hand.
But he clung to her and shook his head
and stuck out his vermikon under lip and
would not go.
It was when he was doing this and Maria
was whispering to him and scolding and
coaxing, that Lady Aileen called to one of
her footmen and told him to bring her a
plateful of cakes a.id some matrons glaces.
"I><i<-s y.-.ur iadysaip wish m** to take
them to the beggar children?” asked
Thomas, his distaste suppre.-sed by re
spectful civility.
“No,” Ludy Aileen answered, rising to
her feet. "1 am going to take them my
self.”
•‘Yes, my lady ” said Thomas, and step
ped back. “It would have been safer to
have let me do it.” he remarked In a dis
creet undertone, when he r durned to his
fell* s. “Ladies' dresses are more liable
to ti uch them by accident. And one
wouldn’t want to touch them.”
Lady Aileen carried her plate to the line
of spectators on th** wall. Mr. Gordon and
two or three others of the party followed
her. All along the row eyes began to glis
ten and mouths to water, but Lade Aileen
went straight to Piccino. She spoke to hipi
in Italian.
“What is your name’” sh“ asked.
; h e hung back a little, keeping close to
Maria. This was just wlmt he did not like
at all—that they would come and ask him
his name and try to make him talk. He
. had nothing to say to people like them.
I He could talk to the donkey, but then the
donkey was of his own world and they
knew eath other’s language.
“Tell the signora your name,” whispered
, Maria, furtively pushing him.
"Piccino,” he said at length, the word
; coming through a little reluctant pout.
Lady Aileen laughed.
"He says his name is Piccino,” she said
to her companions. “That means Tittle
one,’ so I suppose it is a sort of pct name.
1 How old is he?” she asked Marta.
Piccino was so tired of hearing that,
i They always asked it. He never asked
, how old they were. He did not want to
know.
“He will be six tn three months," said
' Marla.
“Will you have some cakes?” said Lady
Aileen. ITccino held out his horribly dirtg
dimpled hands, but Maria took off his hat
with t!,e -tulips around it and held *t out
for him.
“If the illustrissima will put them In
here,” she said, "he tan cany them bet
ter.”
Lady Aileen gave a little shudder, but
sin* emptied the plate.
“What an awful hat!” she said to her
friends. “They are quite like little pigs;
but he looks almost prettier without it.
Look how womierful his hair is. It has
dark red lights in it and is as thick as a
mat. The curls are like the cherubs of the
Sistine Madonna. If it were not so dirty
I should have liked to put my hand on
it.”
She spoke in English and Piccino wonder
ed what she was saying about him. He
knew it was about him and lie looked at
her from under his veil of lashes.
“It would please me to have a child as
handsome as that about me,” she said.
“Why don't you buy him?” said Mr. Gor
don. “You spoke of buying one just now.
It would be like buying a masterpiece.”
"So it would,” said latdy Aileen. “That’s
an idea. I think I will buy him. I believe
he would amuse me.”
"For a while at least,” said Mr. Gordon.
"He would always be well taken care of,”
said her ladyship with a practical air. “He
would be infinitely better off than be L
i nov ”’. . be Continued.) ..<*>-*
MWW
\ - r ;. ■'
KNOWLEDGE
Erings comfort and improvement and
tends to personal enjoyment when
rightly used. The many, who live bet
ter than others and enjoy life more, with
Joss expenditure, by more promptly
adapting the wot'-rt’s best products to
the needs of phy-deal being, will attest
the value to health or the pure liquid
laxative principles embraced in t.e
remedv, Syrup of Figs.
Its excellence is due to its presenting
in th? form most acceptable and pleas
ant to the taste, the refreshing and tnuy
beneficial properlics of a perfect lax
ative: effectually -lem.sing the system,
dispelling colds, h?a ,! ariu-s and icy *?
and permanently curing constipation.
It has *»iven satisfaction to millionsand
met with the approval of the medical
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Syrup of Fig is for sde by all drug
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ufactured by the California Fig Syrup
Co. only, whose name is p. ited on ever;
package, also the mme. Sy.m,.'< f Figs
and b°ing well -..ofcrmed, yott v, ill no)
swept .iii y substitute it oaeic-u.
EXIRr- 1 ,if ■ 5c l>- -a’A'
- ■ tajJ* »’
Mention The Uoa»:i:uri
KJWT
Mention The Constitution.
The Ladder
Os Success
*‘jVon r or never .for 'r.nr.i climb
Upward io lite peaks sublime,
1 ci’. ial below,
Upward where the laurels grow. ,r
m a
J '
lhT|;i|L;u j ! / (i. 'r
t
<■
i.- ■ -' :
t
-
I-..* -»?*-l jm
teQ KB. IpJi
feW'/il-iILZ- li, i
M "JTif
Nothatcg’ Is
More OmspaniHig
To the ambitious vounij man than to read thr
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•■access.
Thomas A. Edison ’v.*< a train boy; Jay
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worked in a mine; Htr.ry Cle.vs started lift
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Such f, 'ts seem stranger than fiction. Y«1
the list could be indefinite l *- drawn out from
men who. born poor, «ith few educational
advantages, have, by persistent work by
hard study, by putting to Its best use every
opportunity', c.imbed the ladder of tortur.a
and success.
Greater
Opportunities
Have you than wer* e- r -.oucnsafed to th*
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Y our first step in such a iise vHlbe to secure
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The CtJ.-sistution
ATLANTA, GA»