Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

36 articles on this Page

- -__- - -TO-DAY'S SHORT STORY.]…

News
Cite
Share

TO-DAY'S SHORT STORY.] "Ginger. (ALL RIGHTS EESEKVED.) Garden View once svJOd alone in suburban Isolation at the top eno' of the township of Lingerly; now it stmds surrounded, the heart of a populous ward. On one side only has it a fair breathing space, end even that is row slowly being swallowed up. Rc-om is precious there these latter days aid the- green of the field must give place to the ashea hue of the roadway and dwelling. To many at Garden View this stow smudg- ing of the immediate landscape was an entirely unsatisfactory proceeding, and the building contractor and his men were con- sidered in no attractive light. A block of unfinished h ">uses at the end of a street which has always 1 coked upon itself as complete and sufficient was scarcely likely to be regarded favourably by the dwellers jn that thoroughfare; the task of appreciation was difficult eaior.g'a in all conscience; it would be but little lesc; simple with the houses finished, the road.- relaid and the rooms Some of the feelings of tne residents at Gar- den View can thas be imagi,>t.d when, one early June morning, the foundation:; for en additional eight houses were marked out oil the tovvn side of the street. They --cc)wled at the workmen as they went to their business in the morning—unless they were late and they frowned at the slow-rising brickwork on their return at night. The workmen were generally gone by then, but the ill-favour of the residents was always expressed, which proved that the labourers were some sort of martyrs, b-è-iL¡g persecuted for work's sake. Their martyrdom caused them litile incon- venience. however—with the excepttoa of one, he of whom ihis story has to tell—arid day by day the work advanced on the new block, and the bricklayers soon had carpenters for fello w-iaboure rs. The children at Garden View, too, were not slew to show their disapproval of the building of the new houses. They seized every oppor- trnity of exprcs-ing their opinion and some exciting scenes were witnessed in the vicinity when a suddtn half-angTy move on the part of one of the men would send the children scattering. There was one man whom they tingled out for special merrticn. His name was John Wileon. He was a plain man, little, wholly insignificant, red haired. His mates called him Ginger; he had always been called that. and soon the chiidtta caught it up, and, standing in the middle of the road, would shout in a mocking oh or as the sobriquet. As a rule he took little notice, even when the rest of the men laughed at him in spite of themselves. He was not a resentful man and never had been. Had he been otherwise he might have been, romething far different than a bricklayer at the age of 42. Ginger used to stop and look at his tor- mentors sometimes, especially at the two who seemed to take such special pleasure in ta-unting him. Elsie Ley ton and her little brother Willie were generally the most daring of the groups who made fun of the men and their work. They, too, seemed to have singled out Wilson more than their companicns did, and whenever he turned and looked at them they shouted the louder Once Ginger took a step towards them, and instantly they broke and ran screaming away. The man stopped and looked after them; they did not see the expression on his face. Like to catch the little devils, hey, Ganger?" cried one of the men on the first platform, and he laughed. Ginger did not reply and went on with his work. "Willie," said Elsie, when they got home that day, and had recovered their breath, "I b'lieve Ginger'd murder us if he got us. I do, really. Don't you?" Willie s-hivered; that was his reply. Elsie was the elder of the two, and her brother was just thirteen. She was the pret- tiest child in Garden View, and when shewas not up to mischief, the sweetest. The two were always together, aad never quiet for ten minutes at a time. One often got angry with them individually and collectively, but not for long; Elsie's large eyes would plead for- giveness when she saw she had offended, and her sin was in«tant-ly eondened. Never seemed she so pleased than when she was playing in the vicinity of the new houses. see-sawing on a board placed across a pivot of red bricks or stirring up a mortar bed with the wrong end of a spade. She had had many narrow escapes of capture, and every failure of the men had only served to make her more daring. And where she went Willie went; what she did Willie did. Things went on unchanged and the walls and floors were finished. There only re- mained the slates and the windows and the internal fittings to fix and the block would be complete. Ginger did not ccme to work one day, and one of the children heard it said that he was ill. Next morning, however, all the children heral led his re-appearance with a shout, and Wilson's neighbour said it looked as though he "were gettin' quit poplar wi' the kids." The two men were working on the top platform. Just then a sanall stone struck Ginger on the brow and cut it deeply. He stood for a moment, and his eyes lashed down at the children. Instantly they took to their heels without a word, and Wilson's neighbour flung a piece of brick after them. "You're a mean coward, Neddie Ashley, ,and I wouldn't be you for anything, Elsie cried at the tall lad who had flung the stone. There were five of them in a group, and they had run their hardest for some minutes, and were thus well out of sight and danger. When they had stopped panting Elsie had turned on the guilty lad. "I—I didn't mean to hit him." the boy Stammered, flushing. I "Then why did you throw it?" she said. "Throwing stones is quite different to calling out names and playing with their things.' "No, it isn't," retorted the boy, angry at being taken to task by Elsie before the others. "It's not half so bad as throwing the ma.n's coat on the lime." "I didn't do that, Neddie." "You did; I'm sure." "You shan't say that of Elsie," exclaimed little Willie, and he moved between his indig- nant sister and her accuser. For a moment there seemed danger, but Elsie averted it, and pushed her brother aside and faced the elder lad. Neddie Ashley," she said, and her face was white; I'll never speak to you again." Good job, too," muttered the boy, after the -manrer of children. I don't oare," and lie turned round to walk away. And I'll go to Ginger end apologise," Elsie said, determinedly. You daren't," snapped Ashley, turning round sharply. I dare," she said, instantly. I'll tell him we are sorry we have been so rude to him and the others, and will re'r say anything to them again like we have been saying. Ashley hurst out laughing and walked away by himself. "Isn't he a cad?" said Willie to the other two of ths group, and they nodded their heads. "It wasn't Elsie at all. I saw who did it. It wa:3-" "Don't tell, Willie," put in his sister, sharply. Let Neddie believe it was me if he likes It doesn't matter." But you won't really go and speak to Gin- jer, will you?" said Elsie's friend, Milly Wes- tern, as the four strolled homewards to Gar- den View. I will, and this afternoon," was all Elsie said, and they knew she meant it, and won- dered at her bravery. Willie, when the two got home, tried to 8h-ake his sister's resolve, but he failed. It's not dangerous, she said, testily. But Ginger may think it a trick." pro- tested the lad. "He'll soon he able to make sure of that." I shall come with you then," he said, but Ulsie would not have jt 60, prLferriii7 to go alone. She made up her mind to slip out just before six o'clock and catch Ginger as lie was on the point of finishing up for the day. If she went by herself, she argued, she would be more able to get to him without rousing suspicion and courting molestation. Willie also made up his mind as to what course he should pursue, but he did Dot tell his sister. Most of the men were already packing away their tools ready to leave work when Elsie crept boldly up. Quite near the nearest j house and concealed from view by a stack of slates she stopped for a moment and looked r ,a,bout. Ginger was on the top scaffold, she saw, busy with a rope. He was alone, and around his head was a white handkerchief tied roughly. She could see where the stone had struck him, and she was sorry. Although she had not thrown it, she felt that altogether I she was not guiltless. The incident had served to how her her own thoughtlessness, it had helped her to realise in its real light what she had been doing, and she had deter- mined to a-ot in what she considered the right and only manner to make up for it. Elsie stepped out from her semi-eonceal- iment as Wilson put his foot on the top rung of the ladder. There came suddenly then a hoarse cry, a crash, the shouting of men, and a moan, and when she glanced up the ladder was untenanted. At the foot a group of men bent over a prone form. Elsie stood etock still for a moment, her nerves quivering avd her will spent, then she recovered and rusib-d homewards as she had never yet run in all her life. Mr. Leyton was i a doctor, and to her father she went crying aloud for aid for a stricken man. Father and child sped to the scene together, and the rough men stood apart and wondered at the sight of the pale-faced child standing there motionless while the doctor put Ginger's I broken legs in splints. They did not exactly understand it, and not understanding, said nothing. Let the men bring him to our home," she said to her father, as he fljiitfhed his sad taisk, Do, dad," she pleaded. I want you to let him come to our house and get well. ) I'll tell you why afterwards if you only will." Dr. Lev-ten demurred, but finally Elsie had her way, and the inj ured man, m an insen- sible condition, was conveyed to the Leyton dwelling. That night he was slightly delir- ious, but towards dawn he got quieter and fell asleep, but Elsie's eyes had closed very little, too, and in the morning she was early aeir to ask the sufferer how he felt. Better, miss, thank ye," Ginger said, a little weakly. I can't exactly understand, though, why I was brought lierre. Why didn't you have me took to the hospita.1?" Becam e, Elsie said, looking down at the floor and stumbling over her words, be- cause we thought you'd be better cared for. Father's a doctor, you know, he's very clever, and we are so near. Besides, someone cut your eye to-day, and I was partly to blame, j and I thought if we had you bere-" Elsie stopped. She could go no further. The sick man put out his hand and just touched hers. She started and looked at him half-shyly. Tbers was a soft light in his eyes and an expression on his face that seemed to transform him. He did not appear like the common rough bricklayer that he was: he was something far different just then, some- thing that he once had been, something that, perhaps, he might be once again. When you used to call me Ginger," he said softly, I was sorry. I was never angry. I could not be with you because you were so much like my own little girl. No; I have lost her. She and her dear mother have gone. The work there was always hard, little one, too hard, I think, for I was never used to it and never could be, I suppose; but it was very easy and light when you were there. Yes, I was always glad when I saw you coming, even although I knew you came but to help to make fun of me. I saw then not the little tormenting stranger, but my own lost darling, and I was pleased. I always wanted to look at you so, and did sometimes turn, for I could not always con- trol myself. I am glad, do you know, that I slipped on the ladder." Oh, no no," Elsie said, bunyting into tearB, which she had vainly tried to keep back. "You might have been killed." "But I wasn't, I wasn't," said Wilson. "I am very much alive as you see. And I am very happy," he added, in a low tone. "Very happy. I have lived a lone, cheerless life for fourteen years, child, and I had despaired of ever catching a glimpse of warm sunlight. It was all dark and so wearisome." You shall never be anything else than happy," Elsie cried through her tears. "You shan't be lonely any more." The sick man smiled faintly. "You mustn't say that," he said. "When I am better I shall go away and get another job, you see, and live my old life. No," as the child moved closer to him impetuously, not exactly my old life, miseie; I shall always have the remembrance of you with me—you and Rosie Why, I shall be as happy as—as I ever could be, and no work will be too hard for me. I think I can sleep now, sleep and get better." Elsie smoothed the pillow and made every- thing comfortable with gentle touch. Even before she had done this he was sleeping! quietly. She stood for a moment looking down at him, and then, moved by some loving impulse, bent over and lightly placed her lips to his forehead. Then she crept from the room, glad in her heart again. John Wilton got well quickly, bnt he did not go away. To the combined requests of Elsie and her father that he should accept a post in the Leyton household as gardener and custodian of the little surgery and exper- imenting laboratory, he finally yielded. John Wilson is no more concerned with the building of houses, but as a souvenir of a fateful event he still keeps a pmall common- looking flint stone, which only he and Elsie think worth preserving.

Advertising

[No title]

Passing Pleasantries.

I : ! FRIED, ROASTED, AND…

Advertising

IFor Women Folk,

IDEATH OF SIR R. D. GREEN-PRICE

BATH AND WEST SHOW I ) - I

"WHAT THE HALMA-MAN DID."

SHIPPING RINGS I

Advertising

ALIENS IN -SHIPYARDS I

Advertising

Crossed in Love.

CARDIFF DOCK MYSTERY I

FOOTBALLI

GOLDEN WEODINC AT HAY.I

SKIN AFFECTIONS. I

Yesterday's Golf 1

COAL FOR ADMIRALTY R,OAL…

MAN AND WIFE BURNED I

Advertising

Miners & the Manifestol

MERTHYR INCORPORATION

[No title]

PESTERED BY POSTCARDS. I

BOXING I

BOWLS I

ATHLETICS

BODY WASHED UP AT LLANTWIT

Advertising

Shipping Intelligence.

LONDON FREIGHT MARKET.

I LOCAL TIDE TABLE. I

Advertising