allston
stepping across the common carrying his youngest, with the four older
children at his heels. One had sprawled, and was evidently lifting a
howl to the paternal ear. They both laughed at it.

"He's a good fellow," remarked the photographer, "but there's no end to
the ignorance and misery such creatures bring upon the world. He
couldn't take decent care of himself, and he has a wife and five
children hanging on him."

"It is just so with nearly all these people," exclaimed Miss Gill in
high scorn. "They have no idea of what life should be--no ambition, and
scarcely a soul to divide around among them all. It smothers me!" She
threw her arms out impetuously. "I want such different things--the
society of the cultivated, the stimulus of great natures. Maybe I could
write something that would get before the public then."

"Have you ever sent anything East?" he inquired with a Hoosier's vast
respect for older civilization.

"Yes," she answered with a falling inflection of voice and head. "But
it's no use: I never shall amount to anything with my surroundings."

The water gurgled over its boulders and the green landscape sent up an
exquisite loamy breath. The young people, both representing the afflatus
of the State, met in one tragic look which ended in a smile.

Next morning Mallston took his usual post in the car, shifting from one
bare foot to the other, while the photographer lounged on his locker
waiting for custom. The native frequently parted his shaggy jaws, but
considered how he should offer his information. He watched his employer
with real attachment, and his dark red face deepened its hue around the
eyes as he broke out, "We've got a little feller t' 'r house."

"What! not another one?"

"He's two month ole," explained Mallston.

"Oh, your youngest. Why, yes, I've seen him." Mallston was evidently
surprised that so humble a creature as his youngest had attracted the
great photographer's notice. "He's a fine youngster," added the latter.

Mallston was then emboldened to blurt out, "We've named him."

"You have? Well, what do you call him?"

"We called him after you."

"Why, here's an honor! How did you come to name him for me?"

"_I_ done it."

"Let me see: what can I do for him? Suppose you bring him over now while
we aren't very busy and I'll take his picture."

Mallston grinned with pleasure: "My woman wanted his picter. My woman
'lowed mebby you wouldn't charge for it if you knowed he w