The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-16
idsnts In bi. atter IIfs whIch I wI.h 70

dents IN his after life which 7 Wish TO
recall.
Many years after he had gained fame
aud prosperity, he visited q brother ar
tist of yet higher standing than his
owni who lived in IA bleak district Of
New England. His host bad but one
childi a boy Of about eleven, who, seated
IN an easy chair, was carried into the
parlOr by two men. He was worn to 2
shadow, but his face was full Of sensi-
tive feeling.
"My boy has been an invalid from hi,
CRADLE his father said "Fsr months
in the year he is not able 90 leave his
bed"
Bruce, during his stay, became much
attached 10 the little fellow. one day
his father said 10 him:
This mouth Of August is Charloy's
one glimpse Of freedom. Daring the
Fall and Winter he never leaves hi-
room, aud Is not able TO read, To amuse
himself with toys, or even 10 lisien tn
music. BY the way, fonnd rare
pleasure for him last Wiuier, uIgSt uH-
eXpeciedly, iu an OLD fashioned wall
paper, Of singular design uf leaves.
Wild flowers, aud birds dying here aud
there iu the summer light. lie Used &"
lie and look at 10 with real delight. 1t
I Just takes me right out nf doors, papa
I he said; and he would fancy stories
about the birds aud tell them 10 his
mother by the hour. There i really
remarkable artistic merit IN the paper.
| 1 should like you to look at it,"
IL should be glad to see 10, ." said Mr..
Bruce, who was troubled just then by
some far memories.
When he carried little Charley into
I the chamber after while, aud heard
I him explain his "Wiuter garden" his
pale face reddening with pleasure, the
Iears came To Bfuce's eyes.
Five years later, ia looking over a
western newspaper, Bruce found this
paragraph:
"By the confession Of jim Budd, last
week, just before meeting his fate on
the gailows, it was proved. as our read
ers gill remember, that Oscar Arnold
was innocent of the crime OF forgery,
for which he was sentenced five years
ago. Arnold was an old man, a farmer,
whose life had always been inOfieusive
before the trial. His pardon was sent
at once 10 prison, but arrived just too
late The old man had died the day
before. He had been confined TO his
cell for months, aud some kindly soul
had covered the walls with a cool, sum
merry paper, with birds flying here aud
there through the grass. The prisoner,
As his mind failed, took as great delight
in these pictured walls As a child, fan
cying himself, poor fellow, free aud in
his own fields again"
Not long aflerward, Bruce passed
through the city where Arnold had been
confined, aud visited the prison. The
wife OF the jailer told him the whole
pathetic story, aud showed him the
white daisies and the song sparrows on
the wall.
"He fancied himself out OF doors and
among them, poor soul" she said, "aud
so died calmly and happy. The Lord
put il into the heart OF somebody TO
paint that paper, I think. I wish the
designer could know the good il has
dOuen
Bruce stood in the cell, himself a
gray-haired man, scanning the work OF
his youth and he thanked God for
every stroke which had made wild flow-
ers or birds more real or true. He re-
memhered old Beu's motto, "GOOd work
always pays the worker, soon or late. 8"
But he thought no work had ever paid
him as this had done Youths Com
DdntOn.