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Ah! little Major, he said, poor Beau has been waiting for you to take those bad words back. Old Beau thought it was all bob with his little cove. Beau, said the boy, Ive had such a dream! I thought my dear father, who is working so hard to bring me home to him, had carried me out on the river in a boat. We sailed through the greenest marshes, among white lilies, where the wild ducks were tame as they can be. All the ducks were diving and diving, and they brought up long stalks of celery from the water and gave them to us. Father ate all his. But mine turned into lilies and grew up so high that I felt myself going with them, and the higher I went the more beautiful grew the birds. Oh! let me sleep and see if it will be so again. The outcast raised his gold-headed cane and hobbled up and down the room with a laced handkerchief at his eyes. Great God! he exclaimed, another generation is going out, and here I stay without a stake, playing a lone hand for ever and for ever. Beau, said Reybold, theres hope while one can feel. Dont go away until you have a good word from our little passenger. The outstretched hand of the Northern Congressman was not refused by the vagrant, whose eccentric sorrow yet amused the Southern Committeemen. Ole Beaus jib-boom of a mustache ll put his eye out, said Pontotoc Bibb, ef he fetches another groan like that. Beaus very shaky around the hams an knees, said Box Izard; hes been a good figger, but even figgers can lie ef they stand up too long. The little boy unclosed his eyes and looked around on all those kindly, watching faces. Did anybody fire a gun? he said. Oh! no. I was only dreaming that I was hunting with father, and he shot at the beautiful pheasants that were making such a whirring of wings for me. It was music. When can I hunt with father, dear gentlemen? They all felt the tread of the mighty hunter before the Lord very near at handthe hunter whose name is Death. There are little tiny birds along the beach, muttered the boy. They twitter and run into the surf and back again, and I am one of them! I must be, for I feel the water cold, and yet I see you all, so kind to me! Dont whistle for me now; for I dont get much play, gentlemen! Will the Speaker turn me out if I play with the beach birds just once? Im only a little boy working for my mother. Dear Uriel, whispered Reybold, heres Old Beau, to whom you once spoke angrily. Dont you see him? The little boys eyes came back from far-land somewhere, and he saw the ruined gamester at his feet. Dear Beau, he said, I cant get off to go home with you. They wont excuse me, and I give all my money to mother. But you go to the back gate. Ask for Joyce. Shell give you a nice warm meal every day. Go with him, Mr. Reybold! If you ask for him it will be all right: for Joycedear Joyce!she loves you. The beach birds played again along the strand; the boy ran into the foam with his companions and felt the spray once more. The Mighty Hunter shot his birda little cripple that twittered the sweetest of them |
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