Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-07-31

how, and serving
Ind more helpless than
d that is being gentle
best sense Of that fine
Ho had no homo but in
inns garnet; and for this he
carrying the bundles, and
the cinders for her fire.
and clothes he picked up as
nld; and his only friend was
Nanny. Her mother had been
md 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 like her Jack.
Old Mrs. Quinn took care of her,
waiting till she was strong enough
to work for herself; but Nanny
had been sick, and still sat about, a
pale little shadow Of her former
self with white film slowly COM
ing over her pretty blue eyes. This
was Jacks great trouble, and he
couldn't whistle it away as he did
his own worries; for he was CHEEKY
lad, and when the basket was heavy,
the way long, the weather bitter
cold, his poor clothes in rags, or his
stomach empty, he just whistled,
and somehow things seemed to get
right. But the day he carried
Nanny the first dandclions, and she
felt Of them instead of looking at
them, as she said with pathetic pa
thence in her little face, 81 don't see
'em, but / know they're pretty, and
I like 'em lots" Jack felt as if 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, / amt doubt; but it would
take lot OF money, and who's ago
ing to pay it?" said Mrs. Quinn,
scrubbing away at her tub.
elbow much money!" asked Jack.
ga hundred dollars, dare say.
DR.. Wilkinson's cook told me once
that he done something to lady's
eyes, and asked hundred dollars
for it."
Jack sighed a long, hopeless sigh,
and went away to fill the water pals
but he remembered the Doctors
name, and began to wonder how
many years it would take to earn a
hundred dollars.
Nanny was very patient; but by
and by Mrs. Quinn began to talk
about sending her to some aims.
house, for she was too poor to be
burdened with helpless child. The
fear of this nearly broke Jacks
heart; and he went about with such
an anxious face, that it was mercy
Nanny did not see it. Jack was
only twelve, but he had a heavy
load to carry just then; for the
thought of his little friend, doomed
to {. lifelong darkness for want Of a
little money tempted him to steal
more than once, and gave him the
first bitter feeling against those
better of'than he. When he carried
nice dinners to the great houses and
saw the plenty that prevailed there,
he couldn't help feeling 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, so
gay, SO we'll cared for, so tenderly
loved, the poor boys eyes would
fill to think Of poor little Nanny,
with no friend in the world but him.
self, and he so powcrless to help
her.
When he one day mustered cour-
age to ring at the great DOCTORS
bell, begging to sec him a minute,
and the servant answered gruffly, as
he shut the door, go along! he
can't be bothered with the likes of
your Jack clcnched his hands hard
as he went down the steps, and said
to himself, with most unboyish
tone, "1'll get the money, and make
him let me in"
He did get it, and in a most I'M
expected way; but he never forgot
the desperate feeling that came to
him that day, and all his life long
he was very tender to the people
who were tempted in their times 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 newly deposited ash-hcap, with
the bitter feeling very bad, and the
trouble very heavy, he found
dirty old pocketbook, and put it in
to 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
havings," was one of the laws ofthe