The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1873-05-14
my LITTLE GENTLEMAN.
By L. NJ. ALcoTT.

ireckieIaccu JACK, VINO spent MS DAYS
carrying market baskets for the butch
ers, or cleaning clothes for Mrs. Quinn,
selling chips or grubbing in the ash
heaps for cindera But he was honest
ly earning his living, doing his duty
as well as he knew how, aud serving
those poorer and more helpless than
himself, and that is being gentleman
in the best sense of the fine word. He
has no hSme but Mrs. Quinn's garret
and for this he paid by carrying the
bundles and getting the cindsrs for her
fire. Food and clothing he picked Up
as he could; and his only friend was
little Nanny. Her mother had been
kind to him when the death of his
father left him alone in this world
and when she, too, passed away, the
boy tried to show his gratitude by
comforting the little girl, who thought
there was no ono in the world like her
Jack.
Old Mrs. Quinn took care of her,
visiting until she was strong enough to
work for himself; but Nanny had
been sick, and eat about, pale, little
shadow of her former self,with a 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
chcery lad, and when the baskets were
heavy, the way long, and the weather
bitter cold, his poor clothes in rags, or
his stomach empty, he just whistled,
aud somehow things seemed to get
right. But the day he carried Nanny
the first dandelions, and she felt for
them instead Of looking at the N las she
said, with such pathetic patience, in
her little face, ~ don't see them but l
know they are pretty, and / like 'em
lots" Jack felt as if the blithe spring
sunshine was all spoiled, and when he
tried to cheer himself up with a good
whistle, his lips trembled SO they
wouldn't pucker.
"1he poor dear's eyes could be cured,
Amt a doubt; but it wsuld take a
sight Of money, aud who's agoing to
pay it?' said Mrs. Quinn, scrubbing
away at her tub.
"How much money p asked Jack.
"a hundred dollars, dare say.
DR.. Wilkinsun's cook told me once
that he done something to a 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 manv
years 1t would take to earn hundred
dollars.
Nanny was very patient; but, by
and by, Mrs. Quinn began to talk Of
sending her to some aims. house, for
she was too pour to be burdened with
the helpless child. The fear of this
nearly crushed Jacks heart; and he
went about with such an anxious face
that it was mercy Nanny did not see
it. He was onl y twelve, but he had
hard load to carry just then; far the
thought of his little friend, doomed to
lifelong blindness for want of little
money, tempted him to steal mote
than once, aud gave him the first
fierce, bitter feeling against those bet.
ter of than he. When he carried
nice dinners 70 the great houses and
saw the plenty that prevailed there, he
couldn't help feeling that il wasn't
fair for some to have so much, and
others SO little. When he saw pretty
children playing in the dark, or driv.
ing with their mothers, so gay. so well
cared for, So tenderly loved, the boys
eyes would fill to think Of poor little
Nanny, with No friend in the world
but himself and he was SO powerless
20 help her.
When he one day mustered courage
to ring the dsctOr's bell, begging To
sec him minute, aud the servant an.
swered gruffiy, as he shut the dor,
Go along he can't be bothered with
the like of yeu!" Jack clinched his
hands hard as he went down the steps,
and said to himself with q most un-
boyish tone, ''I'll get the money some.
how, and make him let me in !"
He did get it. aud in a most unex-
pected way; but he never forgot the
desperate feeling that came to him
that day, and all his life loug he was
very tender to people who were tempt
Ell in their tims of trouble, and yielded
as he was saved from doing, by what
seemed an accident.
Some days after his attempt at the
doctors, as he was grubbing in a new
ly deposited ash heap, with the bitter
feeling very bad, aud the trouble very
heavy, he found a dirty old pocket
book, and put it in his bosom without
stopping to examine it. for many boys
and girls were scratching, like brood
of chickens, all around him, and the
pickings were unusually good, so no
time must be lost.
Finding is having" was one of the
| Ia vvo af The aeb L.