A A & & & A

.« 4 Jt it Jt Jt

HIS NEW MITTENS-by Stephen Crane

that child i

tktpUU of food." L ITTLE Bane* wjo walklac hom« from HhcoU brUUanUr decoralad hr a pair of now rod mil lona A narabor of boyi wef• tnowbalUnc clocfuUr In a Hold They ballad Mm. “Como oo.'Horace. We’re tn« a batUa” Horaco waa >ad “Na" ha aald. -I can't roe cot to so home." At noo bu mother had admoalahed him. "Now. Horace, yon came otralsht homo aa aoon aa acbool la oat. Do yoa hear? And don't yoa sot them nice new ten* all wet. either. Do you hear?" Atao hla aunt had aald: "I declare. a aha me ^e way you allow n ”l» thins*-" She had meant mlttena To hla mother. Horace had dutifully replied. -Tea'm.' But ho now loltued In the rldnlty of the sroup of uprohrtoaa boy*, who war* yelllns Ilka hawk* as the whit* ban*

Bew

this < they paused to ocotf. "afraid of your new mlttass. ain’t your’ Soma smaller boys, who were not yet so wtsa in discern las motive*, applauded this at--A-fray-ed tsf hla mlt-Uoa! A-fray-ed of Ms mft-tan*" line* to creel a which U aa old childhood and whlah It laMha prtnlas* of the emancipated adult Slately forset "A-fray-ed fef

Boles a boy hlmaolf. he did not

deretand boy* at all. He had of CO urea

the dtamal conviction that

f to do* him to hla srava. But

the corner at the' field they aud-

denly seemed to forset all about It Indeed. ti. , poeaeseed only the malevolence of no many flltier-headed epariwa The Intereet had **un* cuprl-

c field asnln.

* other i. they were off caroualn* amid the therltatlve bey had probably eald, "Aw. At the pursuit ceased. Horace hla retreat He spent some t what wae evidently an attempt Just hi* self-respect ahd then bc*an to wander furtively down toward the sroup. He. too. had undersone an important Chanse. Perhaps hla sharp asony waa only aa durable as the mslevolenoe of the other*. In this boy-

They did not hood hi* return. They were tn*a*ed in an altarcatlon. It •vldetflly been planned that this 'ha waa between Indiana and soldiers. 1 smaller and weaker boys hnd been duced to appear as Indians In the Initial skirmish, hut they wets ' of It steadfastly, rhnass 'of i ill won srsat distinction, fievanatln* ndlsns materially, and they wished he war to so on as plannid. They izplnlned proper for the soldiers alwsys (s thrash Indiana. Tha lit lie boy* did not isd to deny the troth of this at*»t; they conflnsd thamselrss ti ilmnle statement that In that r*si they wished to be eoldler*. Each litboy wlllinslr appealed to the other* to remain Indiana, but aa tof himsalt, be celt*rated til* dnslre to snllal n soldier. The lars*r boys were despair over this dearth at enlhu eiaam In the small Indiana. They alternately wheedled and bullied, but they could not ptueuade the little boy*, were really euffarlas dreadful

m turned , to the trunk of mat maple trees that lined the curb. Is mads a prmae* of dasoly ns the roush naS virile bark. To Ms Bind, this familiar street of Whilom «!le seemed to srow dark In the thlch hadow Of shame The trees and the louses were Sow palled In purple "A-fray-ed of his mlt-tens:" The

. war-drum* of chan tins

At last Horace, with supremo effort. rMdod hta head. " Taln’t them 1 care about." h* said cauffly Tve set to so home. That * alL" Wheteupon each boy held hla left fere-flnser aa If It were a pencil and hesaa to sharpen it derlalTaly srtth Me ilsht fore-finser. They came closer, and sans like e trained chorus. "A-fray-ed ef Me mittens'" - When be raised -hla votes to

frontlns all . the traditions of boyhood held hofer* Mm by Inonorabte repruho fallen that on* lad. a men" 1 cut flanked him and Ikon struck him hi the cheek with a heavy snow-ball. Tha

another onalausbt of soldtor* They were called all Che. baby' namss that

s'uoslas deep into

hall, and fluas It at the ether. "Ho\" cried the boy. "you're an Indian, fcre you? Hey. foliar*, here’s an Indian Umt ain’t bean killed, yet." He and Horae# ensased In a duel In which both were In such haste .to mold balls that they had little Urns for aim U»S. j. Horace once struck hie i squarely In the chest. "Hey." he shouted. "you’re dead. You can’t flsbt Sky more. Pet*. I killed yoa. You’re dead." The other boy- flushed red. but ho continued frantically to maki ultlon. "You never- touched retorted slowerins. "You never touched ma Where, now!" he added defiantly. "Where'd yon hit me?" *On the coat 1 Ri*ht on your breast. You can’t flsht any more. You're dead." .1 did. toe. Her. tellers, ain't he

a profoundly miserable human boll Aunt Martha opened' tha door for thorn Xdsht streamed about atralsht skirt. -Oh." aha aald. "*o you’found him on the road, ah? ' I declare! It was about timer Hones clunk Into the kftchen. The stove, apraddlln* out Du Its four Iron less, and sentlr hnmmfus. Aunt tha had evidently Just Itsbted the lamp, for (hf want to It and be*an to twist the wtek experimentally. “Now," said the mother, lire

The akplratlon

m retribution, from

i in hi* heart, w where they

he seeped finally aa h* passed hla

over hla pockat*

"Horace.’' Intoned Me are tallln* me a story 1" '•*Taln't a atory," he above hla breath. H* sheep-stealer. a

reputation, one who oo boys that wore lens denly blew out bis cbe ed. *W»U. all rtsht th Indian mheelf. Now."

n the Isaac becanae all of the par-

fiftl* Horace had turned toward 1 Omen. huC aa a matter of - . Bo had Al- ‘ T** even a aamp. Or* luifiiWus welsh with the delirium

Aunt HArtha. profoundly ecornln* he policy of concession which them rorda meant, uttered a Ions, oontempt -cue ei rhUI ' Alone In tha kitchen. Horace etaref with somber eyes at the plate of food For a Ions time he betrayed no els* at yleldlns- Hla mood waa edamartin*. He waa resolved not to **11 hli sen seen ce for bread, oold ham. and < plckla. and yet It must ho know* that tks elsht of them effected him power folly. The pickle la particular wai notable for IU eednctlve charm. H.

But at lest,'unable to 1 onset e Me state, his attitude In the pr< of the pickle, he put oat an Inquisitive r and touched It. and It was sreen and plump. Then a conception of the cruel woe of hla uatlon swept upon him euddendly. hie eyes Oiled sHth tears which besan love down Me cheeks He sniffled, heart wae black with ha psinted 'In his mind scenes of deadly eotrlbution. HI* mother would b* teuyht that he wen not one to endure persecution meekly, without raisin* an hla defanse. And so his dreams were of a slaushter of feellnss. and id of them bis mother was pictured aa eemlns. bowed with pain. feet Wee pin*, she Implored Me charity. Would he forgive her? Ne: hla once tender heart had been turned te stone by her Injustice. He could not fotglve her. She must pay Inexorable penalty, is first Item In this horrible plan the refusal of the food. Th!* he knew by experience would work havoc

tr*a heart And srlmly waited.

* with th*lr friendship for on* on earned parties Hi went, aboet con ten oched me. He never _ I,' waST* jravT An Indian? Well, then, you’re dead—that * alt H* hit you. I saw l Ho n Ho of i t'hq-t called In a certain familiar tone at two net**, with the last note ahrill and prolonsvd. He\ looked toward tha elde- - and saw hla mother star, d 1 nj In her widow’s weeds, srtth two:

proacb: • throuirh <

ffaMhc aunteruly off d brenchea of the macrlmaon Wuneot hare

.Jr*-.. _

a distance of ten paces He a deeperata venture “Oh.

rhlned. while r

•Wo."

me With me." Ateracf knew that proe; It was the laexorPblt prpilla But i continued to plead, hecfiufie It wan

not beyond hi* n of aufferlaff nou suffering later.

o look back at Ms

ugiae hU *tandln*:^iow that ho had been ef«'w4regged off hy M* mother In Sight at th* whbta world. He was

* mother held Mm hy the arm. and i began to eearch Me pockots moot at once she waa aM* to bring »*rth > pair of very wA iWttens •'Well, I declarer cried Aunt Harts*. The two women went cloM to th* lamp, had minutely examined the mittens, turning them over and oyer. Al irda. when Horace looked up, ither'e tad-lined, homely face. turned toward Mm. He hunt Into tears. Hla mother drew e chair hear atove. "Just you alt there until I tell you to gtt off." He ■

ct of Oblivion

Th* maiden aaa^k'UM In Ignortce. gaaed with Bit? and contempt por iMa Inter***- "Wall. now. Emily, kow do I know?" she qwriad. "Waa I

id- over him? Of Ml the do about that el "

"Waa he ought

o eat sometl go ‘without

first part of hla rev an** was 1

danger of falling. The thought strut

hla mother might not cap!

ulate In tha usual way. According t hU recollection, th* time waa mci than do* whes ah* should com t worried, sadly affectionate, .and ask him If he was 111. It had than been hla cuatonv to klnt In a resigned vole* that be waa the Victim of secret disease, but that bs preferred to suffer in *11*00* and alone. If (he ires obdurate in her anxiety, he always naked her n gloomy, low vole* to gp away and ■"* to Buffer la alienee and alone

knees without food. He had hla manoeuvarikg te result

leave Ms

i tha t

sar

lm» v

— sank Into hla mind, ha eu- ■ loathed Ufa tha world. Ms

banting lack efaatad child.

final stroke He would run In a remote comer of the world be would become some sort of Moodyperson drives to a life of crime by the barbarity of Me mother. She should never know Ms fate Be would torture her for yours with doubts doubts, and drive her Implacably te a repentant gfuve Nor would his Aunt

Martha

Would be shorter a* a re Avenue or ■treeL As the i

mportent, he redaction to re* the dark

decided to withdrew th* wood-shed. He

ehanty. and took seat upon t! chopping-block upon which he wi posed to perform for a few n every afternoon when he return* school. Th# wind screamed and ad at th* loose board*, and thm A rift of snow on the floor to 1<

of a crack.

Here th* Idea of starting for California on each a night departed froi hi* mind, leaving him ruminating mil ernbly upon his martyrdom. He sa’ nothin* for It but to sleep all night In th* wood-shed aifd start for California In the morning Thinking of hie bed.

found tl

rer* all froxen tightly. bedded in lea Inter ha viewed wi the hone* The flare moved rapidly from wlndo r. Then the kitchen du slammed loudly and a shawled flgui •ped toward the gat*. At last he an making them feel hi* power Tl shivering child's face was lit with al tumlne glee aa In the darkness of ood-shed he gloated over the evl- • of consternation tn his home bawled figure had been hie Aunt Martha dashing with the alarm to the

neighbors.

The cold of the wood-abed was tormentis* him. He endured only beof the terror he was causing

But t

> him (

. they

they Instituted a search 4 probably examine the

abed. He knew that It would manful to be caught so soon, not positive now that he waa g remain away forever, bnt at a■a bound te Inflict some more damage before allowing himself to lured. If be merely succeeded ing his mother angry, she woul on sight. Be must prolong the time In order to be safe. If he held

propels, he was sure i

of lore, even though he should drip

with crimes.

Bridently the storm bed Increased, ir when he went out It swung him violently with Its rough and merrili strength. Panting, stung, half-blinded with the driving flakes, a waif, exiled, friendlw With a bursting {leart. be thought of Ma home and Ma member. To Ma ‘ * vision they - - - -

ffoete day, a

■ mother waa t

Martha, and

point out her pari In the blighting hta Ufa For one blow against him ■ ould. in time, daA back a the

arose and took hla coat and Aa he moved stealthily toward th* door he cast a glance backwcrd at *e He waa tempted to taka It, is knew if ha left the plsti " riolat# his mother woiA fas]

ferocity of Me

who had thrust Mm Into tbi* wild storm, and she was perfectly Indifferent Ms fate, perfectly Indifferent. The forlorn wanderer could no longer weep. Th* strong sobs caught at Ms throat, making his. breath come in abort, quick anefflea All In Mm waa quared save the enigmatical childideal of form, manner. This principle still held. oat. and It waa the only - thing between him and submission. When he surrendered, he must surrender in a way that deferred to the undefined coda He longed simply to go tc kitchen and stumble In. but Ms unfathomable sens* of fltceea illy he found hlmaolf f Niagara Avenue, staring thnAgh th* aaow Into th* Maxing windows of BUckney's butcher stop. EUckthe family butcher, not e< sue* of a superiority to other While thrills butcher* as

■hriU equal! drove the flaks* sa?*: of the house. He cowered a Way L and its vtolsno* illumined Us

directfuaa. He

s of th* glob*. H* found thi 1 so plans which were detelt enough is a geographical way. hi Without much 'loss a* Urns he fiedds upon California He moved briskly • far aa Ms mother** frost gate oo tl read to California. He waa HU success whs a trifle dr

imat choked.

But al the gate he paused.

Pi sally Horace .reward. opened the d-*>r Slopped whistling "H ha cried, "what brtns Horace halted, but table. In th* attitude

added. "O ny—In

Ion. hut It was

fltlrkney reached an ennrrooi rar tbs array of beef and grappled th* emigrant Then he alf to Horace's side Hla fi chad with laughter and h shook hU prisoner "Com. na What dashed nonsense Run away, hsy* Bun away*-

against the step, and mad ipectable resistance. "Now. Horace." cried the thrust open th* door w -Hello thsrsr Across the 1 Aunt Martha appear

dark kltch-

the butcher. At the entrance to the sr lying limp, pale as death.-her eyas gleaming with pain. There was electric pause before she swung a ten hand toward Horace. "Hy child." I murmured tremulously. Wherein tbs sinister person addressed, h a prolonged wall of grief and Joy. ran to her with speed "Ma—ma!

U> speak in a known tongue as she folded him In her weak arma It Martha turned dedv»lr upon the batcher because her face betrayed She was crying. She made a geshalf military, half femlnlna ies." Copyright by g a McClure Co.

mute friend of the father of Horae*. Bows of glowing pigs hung head downward heck of .th* tablss. which bore bugs pieces of red beef. Clump* o

Stlckneyp hale end ndllng. . ing with • woman -In

cloak, who. with a monster basket

her arm. was dickering tat eight urerth at ' — -

:.-*s

be want toward tha door. H th* latch with Ms finffer, I drew again Bu^dpudly to the

-aa... whistling cheerily

fi^'—•

A A Common Sense Care That Will Prevent Cholera Infantum A A