The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-12-19

anu cuBer.
80, papa, if you only could see the
little doggie now. Mrs. Parker has
washed him all over, and put salve on
his poor leg, and she saysit was broken,
and fed him. He wouldn't eat until he
got up on his back legs and walked
along little, and then made a bow
you have no idea what gentleman he
is, only he amt very handsome, you
know"
The father took his little motherless
boy into his lap, and when there he
gave a long sigh, and lay YEARLY down
on his fathers breast, saying: 81 am
very tired, papa. What makes me get
tired so easy now? didn't use to, but
now every time / go up stairs it makes
something Jump so in here (placing his
hand over his heart) that | can't hardly
breathe, and don't care about playing
ball any more, and L never ride my
rocking-hOrse now"
so, my God p said the father, with
white lips, as he all mt once saw that
the boy was pale and thin, even to ema-
citation. Why, he asked himself, had
he not seen it before. 1t was all plain
now, and the sight of the colorless
cheeks and hstless air made him remem-
Der other things, fits of almost frantic
excitement, followed by prostrating
WEAKNESS, nights when the childish
form was never still, tossing and start
ing; days when the delicate appetite
failed and the weary eyes seemed to
turn with loathing from the tempting
food hours while the child lay about
on the rug at his feet, or on sofa, and
when asked why he did not go out and
play on the lawn, answered simply,
I'm tired"
He saw it all now too plainly ; he saw
that all through that first summer Of
bereavement, while he had given up to
grief for his lovely young wife, his child
had been fading with the summer, de-
caying with autumn, and now, he felt,
was dying with the winter.
Harry lay on his fathers breast till
at last he fell asleep. Then laying him
tenderly down on sofa, the startled
man went out, called Mrs. Perkins, and
pointing to the sleeping child, whose
face was as pale as a Gala lily, and with
lips like the lilac blossoms, said Is
he dying, Mrs Perkins, like his
mother?'
"Oh, don't, Mr.. Edward" said she,
with a gush OF silent tears.
You have seen it, them" said he
Z" was not sure, and | couldn't bear
TO distress you, but / fear it SO.
"Stay With him. ] will fetch DR..
Bennett, " and the stricken father hur-
ried ont, while the good old housekeep-
err sat down and looked at the child
through her fast falling tears. She
thought: "Tho lamb knew it was
40 use, for no one can cure heart DIS
ease but if he had had any eyes, he
must have seen that ! have kept the
lamb from excitement, and have taken
all the care / did of him, and done
for him all could for his mother, but
he never thought it possible. All, well
we all have TO wake TO trouble some
time.
Soon the doctor, accompanied by the
father, came in, and the old man, who
had been not only physician, but friend
and adviser, to the dead young mother
all her life, sat down by the still sleep
ing boy and watched his pale face, his
blue lips, his purple finger tips, and his
labored breathing very gravely then M
last he turned n set, sorrowful face to the
father, looked long and pitifully into his
eyes, and the father knew. He had beer
buoyed up by more hope than he haC
known, and now this solemn fat strucl
him as ii he had not expected it. Thel
they went out into the library, and the
doctor gave some directions for genera
treatment, and taking his friends hant
said " Edward, this is going to be hard
but try and be brave. Think, it is NJ
harder for you to be without him here
than for his mother there. God bless
: you, my boy let me know if any change
, takes place. He may live months yet
or it may come any day; good bye.
, Harry awoke, and started up from TIN,
I sofa saying: where's my doggy 2
, and started to go down, but his fathe
! said Keep quiet Harry, love, anC
! the little dog Shall be brought up here,
9 and Mrs. Perkins went down an,
! brought him into the room. He was
. different looking dog in even the shor
s time allowed for improvement, but still
nothing could make beautiful the long
yellowlsh brown body with its coars,
/ rough hair, and the short, ill-formeC
{ legs, or the ugly head with it's cropped
J.. ears, though the intelligent eyes whicl
/, now expressed love and gratitude towar,
: Harry redeemed him, at least in tn
= opinion of Mrs. Perkins and Mr.. En-
= mons, and they both concluded he wa
/ not so bad looking dog after all.
No, | know he ism Handsome, papa
o but think he is good, and | love him
! don't /, doggie =? Then again, papa
$ was you going to buy me anything TO
Christmas ?"
= "Yes, Harry, what did you want?'
Il don't want anything now, papa.
. will take doggie for my Christmas, onl
he docs look SO funny, doesn't he ? Jus
as if he had never been used TO be wher
o there was good fire. and more to Ca
+ than he wanted. L suppose he has bee
q dragged from one house to another, jus
o like Hannah drove that poor old cat ava
p that was trying to get some scraps in tn
y yard, and just cried. 1t looked back $
= sorry Oft the kitchen fence, and wante
: to pinch Hannah for it. And you, poe
y doggie, you have been drove off troi
i houses, know, and had stones throw
a at you, and-where do you suppose dog
e sleep, papa 2
~ "Oh, almost anywhere 1 guess.
- will get nice little house made for hi
if you wish. "