The Boy Kept Step.

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 71

The Boy Kept Step.

! The other day while waiting at a desolate way-station in Illinois for a train which seemed to have declared itself against sche1 dule time and human patience, my attention ! was attracted by a man and a small boy I who sat on the bench near the end of the platform. The man's face be=poke opprcs-

sive weariness, ana tne exnausieu «»'»'<■■ in which he leaned back against the station house showed that he had been subjected to some great strain. The boy was given to I excessive liveliness. He found a large barrel 1 hoop, and, in turning it round for closer inspection, struck the man on the nose. Then, securing an old oyster can, he filled n w<th water "from a neighbouring puddle and poured it on a carpet-bag which someone had left on the platform. Then, wiping his hands on his clothes, he approached the man. The man sighed deeply and said: " Run along now." "What fur?" "Because I don't want you heie. No. 1 don't want you to put your arms around my neck," he added, when the boy had climbed up on the bench. " I want to love you." "Well." but you can love me without choking me. Look out; don't put your muddy feet oa me."

"Why?" "Because I don't want you to, that s wh>." "Will people think you hay c been playing in the dirt:" " Yes." "Why will they"' 1 ' "Because they v.ill."' " Why will they will?" " Oh. get down and hush. You are sometimco the most foolish child I ever saw." "Arc you an anarchist?" the boy asked when he had climbed down, not, however, without wiping his muddy feet on the man's pantaloons " Of course not." '"What is an anarchist" ' A man who tries to destroy the law." "What law?" "The law of the laud." " What land?" "This land." "This laud right here?" pointing to the ground. " Yes."

" What is law I '"' "It"', a rule of civil — that ii — look here, sir, are you going to hush and let mc alone 4 '" After a ihort silcrce "What is law for" "To make people he-have themselves" " Can I see the law if I go out there and look on the land':" "No." "Then how 1- it tliP law of the land?"' " I don't know Hush." "Then how do you know it i s (he law of the land" "I don't want to box \ our oau-. but I'm afiaul I'll !>e dm en to it " Box my ear- lxcu'-e I talk,'"'

• And would you box my toiigue because 1 hoai ':" /CU? mau fa^rauc to lua leet and be^du to

waik up and down the platform. The boy followed, attempting to keep step with him. After a while the man, glancing at his watch, muttered that the superintendent of the road ought to bo hanged. "Is he an anarchist?" the boy asked. " Xo " "Then why ought he to be hanged" " Because he has no rpgaid fcr the public." "What's the public" " The people." "Am I the public?" The man wheeled around and walked away. The boy kept step with him. The man resumed his seat on the bench. The boy found an old phoe. put it on and began to " scuff " around on the platform, pretending that he was lame. Then, declaring that he was a horse, he began to galop. The old shoe- flew off and struck the man on the head, just as he had taken off his hat to run a handkerchief over the polished surface covering his mine of thought. " I didn't go to do it." the boy exclaimed. "Come here. Fir. and sit down. Come here this instant. Sit clown here, now. and don't let me he.T another word out of you. This is the last time you shall ever go anywhere with me Do you hear? Hah, do yon hear'/ W^hy don't you answer me, =ir?" "Because yon satd you didn't want to hear another word out of me." The man sprang to 1113 feet and began a nervous march up and down the platform. The boy kept step with him.