New-York tribune. [volume], June 05, 1904, Page 10, Image 36

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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10
WHENEVER there arises in my
mind the picture of Kirn sitting
astride the Zam-Zamtneh after
having kicked Lala Dinanath's boy off
the trunnions, <>r of Tom Browne's
bruised forehead, or of Becky Thatcher
craning her neck to see the drawing '>n
the si. in-. I feel convinced t li.it the
man who wn >te
"All turn .ire .ihki-. under their
Save in tin-ir luck, save in I leir itns
niu~-t have known many children in
many lands, since everyone knows that
it is true that "the child is father ol
th<' man."
Race and place seem to hav<
power to differentiate the conduct of i
ter, no matter how difl
or -h<- may behave when grown I
ted in burnoose or frock
string .if beads or evening gown. Their
world under ']\>- proper scrutiny
■ • ■ 'lit. in i me, the m< si
• ■ ■. the most altruistic, and I i
u-. the tradition-h I rn-ups,
• i have an infinite charm I once saw
.1 United States Senator sit .i.iwn in hi priva
aii'l cry '.>.•'. rly bee iv •• he hid just met ai i lyside
>t.iti''n ;i barefooted boy driving .t j
the Senator had once done himself
What family has noi to! the odd
• of the ibstract things th . . hold ?
Then I y mite in Beloit, Wise >nsin, whose
ideas of th<- great thin I :s: s she heard, "liir
were out of her i i ry \ v c a oever
(ailing ni for tho rho were so f>>r
tM N- lu-r friei
had been I I er to be tfr.u.l when I«-ft
r when put to !»-'l ;n the dark, becau c, as her
mamma -..ml :
"Lucille, the ..•..■ I r " >v always, .itu!
cv< ry : ■ - n angel thai foil >ws
I j rg i irdian
angel will ■ ■ ■ thing .■■ • ■■ v."
Lucille and her small brother Bibs were endlessly
■ 1 .1^ \'i the person il appearances, name tnd
general charactei I ■ parate guardian
angels, and many times would run I I . their
shori legs would carry them around the corner of the
house, . i t i< 1 drop « 1 ■ » -.«. i » into hiding in th<- grass, li";>in^
to tr.iji one or the other oi their guardian angels into
following them in haste and thus disclosing himself.
One night the youngsters had been put t" bed in
the dark, and were thought to be sound asleep It
w.is ;t hot summer night, though, -mil both were
wakeful.
There was company down-stairs, .ui'l rwry
one '.v;is having trouble with the mosquitoes that
were swarming about. Suddenly into the flow «>f
parlor conversation came a wail aloft front Hil>^ and
" M.imin.t,
mam-m a,
you tti m
from La-
Mamma
went to the
foot <>f the
sts t a i rway
and called
M.,.w.l barunada
SUNDAY MAGAZINE /or JUNE. 5. 1904
JBiroMglhtoini IBire\ini(dieinilb^jiFg
By
L«M >H,
in tho w. .rl.I is the matter with you?" The child
replied: "My dardian angel bitted mo."
Deeds of real bravery are of frequent occurrence
among children, and I think that the bravest lad I
have ever known is a little chap who lives in the town
of Scilla, the ancient Scylla whose alternate danger
to mariners was Charybdis. His* name is Gaetano
Selinino, and he is a swordfishennan, as are his
father and grandfather. The great Italian swordtish
play in July oil Scilla, and the fishermen pal out in
boats rowed by three or four men while the capo poises
in the bow, harpoon in hand.
Standing on a cross-stick on a twelve-foot pole is
a sharp-eyed boy who watches for the schools of
swordtish making havoc among the sardines, then
returning to eat what they have slain. It is
then, as they reach the surface, that the capo
stabs.
An old male swordtish will often dart away after
being struck merely far enough to get a good
start, and then come back for the boat
with a rush like a shot from a gun. He is
big and heavy, and his sword will pierce
three inches of oak and still impale a man.
Only the quick warning thai the boy aloft
C-..C1.11.0 Walchinc for Stliooh t .l Ssworafi-H
M..r>
must give can save the men be
The boy cries one word and c
steersman turns the boat a
As the swordrish misses ha •
and shoots out of the watt
is hooked deftly, and gets no :.
chances to rush.
This last season GaetSOO v. •
as usual with his father and gra:
father, and one day two big swot
fish attacked the boat, and «
thrust through the boat and c
Gaetano's cousin's kg half in f
as ■ ell as splintering the ba
of the pole on which fiartni
Stood. The boy fell into the w;>.t<.-;
and the boatmen being unable t<>*-'
help him was at the mercy of the
fish. Only one turned its atten
tion •■> the lad. With a courage
surpassed by no feat of which I
have ever heard, Gaetan>> swam
easily on his side, watching his
enemy, and at each rush rolled over -
a few inches out of the line of th<
living sword that shot by !::•
In a few minutes another boat went to the aaa
ance of the disabled one and picked up the boy. I!
cfimbed up t<> a sunny seat and laughed as the 51 1
dried his clothes. _,
■*&
One day a number of years ago I was swinging :
in a hammock 'hung between two sand-pines near I
house of a friend in the outskirts of Ybor (."ity. Fli fi , *
when there appeared at the gate Martha and Jemti ... 4
with little drover Cleveland riding pig-a-back n
Martha's shoulders. They were the three children >f
'Lisbuth Ami, the housekeeper of " Mis" Travise- ;
across the way They were blacker than I can tei?,
and then hair too kinky to comb, while a per: . ••:
sole:: I pervaded them which I was never .:'■'< >
dispel either bj teasing or coaxing. On this OCCa 1
they marched formally in at tht front gate, up c
walk to the door without even looking n;v way. . .d
opened the screen door. Though much uu prised at "
this unusual manner of visit she said kindly:
"Good mawning. children. Come to visit me? "
"Y.'-y.t>'m, M:s' Summah, kin we-. ill see y<
pahiah?" stammered Martha.
" Why, sutinlv: come right in "
From my place in the hammock I could see into ■.<.
parlor through the open window, and could he:ir (
conversation. Mrs Summer was .much puzzled by c
odd manner and mission of the children, but the -.ish< 1 1
them into the room, which had been refurnished noj,
long before.
The two girls stood with little drover between them,
and staled in silence at the floor, then exchange.', ■ed
glances. Martha robbed her stomach thoughtfully,
then sighed and said:
"Hit doan met me sick, nohow."
'■ No' me neiver." echoed Jemima
"It don't make yah sick!" '■■.•■■
hostess.
"What is
it you
mean?"
"Oh,
Mis'Trav
is done
tell Mis'
Sel d c n
yoh-all's
pah 1 a h
kyah pc t
nick huh
sick. '.Mi
ni.i 'n me
Doony.i
l\.,t«-
rht-ro.l NojiK