The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-09-27
nv LITTLE GENTLEMAN.
BY L. II. ALCOTT.

No one would think of calling him so, this
ragged, baretooted and freCkle-faccd Jack,
who spent his days carrying market baskets
for the butcher, or clean clothes for Mrs.
Quinn, selling chips, and grubbing IN the ash
heap for cinders But he was honestly earn
ing his own living doing his duty as well as
he knew how, and serving those more poor
than himself and that is being gentleman
in the best sense Of that fine old word. He
had no home but Mrs. Quinn's garnet, and
for this he paid by carrying her bundles and
getting the cinders for her fire Food and
Clothes he picked up as he could and his
only friend was little Nannie.--Her mother
had been kind to him when the death of his
father left him all alone in the world, and
when She too, passed away, the boy tried to
show his gratitude by comforting the little
girl, who thought there was no one in the
world but her Jack.
Old Mrs. Quinn took care of her, waiting
until she was strong enough to help herself
but Nanny had been sick, and still sat about,
pale little shadow of her former self, with
white film slowly coming over her pretty
blue eyes This was Jacks great trouble, and
he couldn't whistle 1t away as he did his own
worries; for he was a CHEEKY lad, and when
the basket was heavy, the way long, and the
weather bitter cold, his poor clothes in rags,
and his stomach empty, he just whistlcd, and
somehow things seemed to grit right But the
day he carried the first dandeliOns to Mamie
and she felt of them instead of looking at
them az she said, with such pathetic patience
in her little voice, II don't see 'cm, but
know thcy'r pretty. and love 'em lots" Jack
felt Is though the biithc spring sunshine was
all spOiIed and when he tried to cheer him
self with good whistle, his lips trcmblcd so
they wouldn't puCkcr.
The poor, dear child'scyes could be cured
| amt doubt but it would take "a site of
money, and who's going to pay it," said Mrs
Quinn, scrubbing away at her tub.
Glow mnCh money would it take" asked
Jack.
"a hundred dollars, | dare say. Dr. VIII
kn5ons cook told me he done something to n
lady eye once, and charged thousand dol
lars for doing it,"
Jack sighed long, hopeless sigh and went
away 10 fill the water pals, but he remember
cd the doctors name, and he began to wonder
how long it would take him to earn a hun.
drcd dollars
Mamie was very patient but by ant by
Mrs. Quinn began 10 talk of sending her to
some almshOusc, tina! she was too poor to be
burdcncd by helpless child. The fear of
this nearly broke Jacks heart and he went
about with such an anxious face that it was a
twelve br, ne hHi = hard load f. carry in:,
then; for the thought Of his little friend,
doomed to a Iiln.IonT darkness fnr want or -
little money. trmntc6 him 70 steal moro Than
once apJ ,Iay, HIM thn first Li,tnr f.cIina,
ar3fv.f t,,.r hotter of Than Ln vi,nn H.,
carried ni,. ,lirn.r. ~ ,l,n house ,md .,,,.
Inc rlpur, iI,,, ,...r,iI,j ,hnro Ln ca,,Idn,,
I.ar,, t,t il,i,,g ',,. C,;n Nv $500
~, ,,,cr and .,,,, 80, ii,,i W. w. ~ nav .
,ro,t,, ,,,;rir,,, I.;,,, a.. ~ ~ ~"
i,g ,.in. ,I,;. " .''U pun VI ~,
100. I,, ,.. ,,.,iJ an ~ No. :" 'D', ''lo
i,r s,r,;' ...,H . r.ia , ~ =; MN VI l,oo'
,,. r,5,., ,,,, .'' '',',' ~ ~, ""' ~, -
III. .''' q. WI! ''''' u h''p
W., 5.....,.,..,
., a., a~,, LaiI ,1. J",' ~ " liz
NM, ',,l ,I -. '', ~ ~ ''o nm
~. sI,, ,Io Tr ',l' ',I" sIUnJ'
N,,I,,ral 90, H., - "'"mS h' van We
III. i,,,J ,', ',N,o ", you, nv 'ic"CI,cI
., ,Ia ,',. 49, uU 'i '''I S''P?,
ina -, =, '''" h''A' MN let
III.
,..c,.l ,,. ~, my anu "a 'hual uheA-
- ~"s' D"' u. "..'I ioI BoI inc dGspcrl,t
--,, S ,'1t came 10 MN mat day ana all his
.',,u, - u' "S very tenueF 10 thoSc VINO
.. 49, JJ'Hp.',' aNv ylelueu, aS ne was saved
' i "''Is' ny what seemed 10 him an acct
va! a,Ei ms attempt at the doctors,
..',. ,,;', -Iu'2ln5 III . new deposited ash
.i ill., ,.'r "t'''' iccIhg very Oad, and
..a.,.,, L'ol, a2d "v"'y' nc ioGnu dirty old
.,,nt.o'pN' anu Pun IL IN his bosom without,
.,irl ,,5 W rAaiiil"e H. Tor many boys and
orrhirl,,. onJ ,ha aJunu MN IKE brood