The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-19
MY LITTLE GENTLEMAN.

No one would have thought Of calling
him so, this ragged, bareioOted, lreCkle-
faced Jack, who spent his days carrying
markct.baskCts Tor tho butcher, or clean
clothes for Mrs. Quinn, selling chips or
rrubbing in the ash heaps for Cinders.
But he was honestly earning his living,
doing his duty as well us no knew how,
and serving those poorer and moro help
less than himself, and that Is being gen.
llemau In the best sense OF that fine old
word, He has no home but Mrs. Quinn's
garnet; and for this he paid by carrying
the bundles and getting the clnders for
her fire. Food and clothing no picked
up rs he could; and his only friend was
little Nanny. Her mother had been
kind to him when the death OH father
lett him all alone in the world; and when
she, too passed away, the boy tried TO
show his gratitude by comforting the lit
tic girl, who thought there was no one in
tho world like her Jack.
Old Mrs. Quinn took care Of her, wait
Ing till she was strong enough to work for
herself; but Nanny had been sick, and sat
about a 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 baskets
were heavy, tho way long, the weather
bitter cold, his poor clothes In RATS, or his
stomach empty, he just whisIled, and
somehow things Reemed 10 get right. But
the day he carried Nanny the first dande.
lions, and she felt Of them instead Oflook.
ing at them, US she said, with such pathet.
ic patience iu her little face, II don't see
en-; but know they ore pretty, and l
like EN- lots" Jack felt as II the blithe
spring sunshine was all spoiled, and when
he tried to cheer himself up with good
whistle, his lips trembled so they wouldn't
puCker.
"The poor deAr's eyes could be cured, l
amt doubt; but it would take sight
o. money, and who's going TO pay 1t 7"
said Mrs. Quinn, sCrubbing away at her
tub.
How much money!" asked Jack.
"a hundred dollars, dare say. DR.,
Whliinson's cook told me once that he
done something to ladY's eyes, and
asked thousand dollars for It"
Jack sighed long, hopeless sigh, and
went away to fill the water pals, but he
remembered the doctors name, and began
To wonder how many years 1t would take
to earn o hundred dollars,
Nanny was very patient, but, by and
by Mrs. Quinn began to talk about send
ing her to some almshouse, for sho was
too poor to be burdened with a helpless
child. The fear Of this nearly broke
Jacks heart; and no went about with
such IN anxious face lhatit was mercy
Nanny did not see It. Jack was only
tive. We, but he had Il hard load to carry
Just then; Tor the thought Of his little
friend, doomed 10 u lifelong darkness ioE
want Of little money, tempted him to
steal mOrC.than once, and gave him the
first fierce, bitter feeling against those bet
Ter OIL than he. When he carried nice
dinners TO the great houses and saw the
plenty that prevailed there, he couldn't
help feeling that it wasn't fair for some
to have so much, and others so little
When he saw pretty children playing in
the park, or driving with their mothers
sugay, so well cared for, so tGndCrly loved
the poor boys eyes would I'LL to think Of
poor Nanny, with no friends in the world
but himself, and he so powerless to help
her.
When he one day mustered courage to
ring the great DOCTORS bell, begging tc
See him u minute, and the servant answer
ed grutlly, as he shut the door, go along
he can't be bothered with the like o
your Jack clinched his hands hard rs
he went down the Rieps, and said to him
self, with a most unbOyish tone, "Ill gel
the money somehow and make him Lot int
iuw'
lie did get It, aud in n most unexpected
way; but he never forgot the desperate
feeling that came to him that day, and al
his lie long he was very tender 10 people
who were tempted in their time ottrouble