Osage Valley banner., 1880-04-01

and waited few minutes. And when
be looked again, the coast was clear
His heart was In his month rs he hur-
ried back, and, slipping his hand
through The broken pane gently tossed
the bouquet rs near the Sleeping chilfs
face rs be could, without waking her.
She made a slight movement, but did
not open her eyes.
Jack walked away, feeling guilty. as
ifshe bad done something 60 be ashamed
OF. His heart beat fast and his face was
quite flushed. II was several minutes
before he could muster courage 20 again
steal round the corner; and then he east
only hasty and casual glance in at the
broken window. But il was sufficient 10
show him that the little invalid was
awake, and that She had taken the
flowers in her thin hand and wits gazing
M them with look full OF wonder and
delight
Jack went away. feeling older aud
more Important than he had ever felt
before in his life. This was the best Sc
cTct he had ever had. If the Beekman
boys knew they wottld call him a spoony.
But the Beekman boys should never
know. He decided not even 10 tell his
sister May. II he ever revealed It to
any one, II would be TO his mother, Ia
one Of their confidential talks; but for
the present he meant TO revel In the lux
ury Of keeping il all to himself, while he
watched over the little sick girl like -
guardian angel in trousers aud djackot.
During the afternoon Jack rode his
velocipode only three times round tho
block, and then rather laDguidly. Il
did not give him the usual pleasure.
AZ tea-time his mother inquired II he
was not feeling we'll. She had remarked
his failure To ask twice TOR his favofiie
jclly-cake. lie was planning to run
back 20 Cisrk Street early in the even
ing, and take y peep ut the child's
mother through the broken window.
She might be q drinking, disrcputable
woman, who neglected the sick child !;
and in silch u case IL would be necessa-
~ to take his own mother into his con-
fdence at once, for Jack had the great
est faith in her power to "iiN things. -
When he got back there, a light was
burning in the room and the curtain had
been lowered; but few inches of the
lower pane remained uncovered 1t
gave him view Of woman bending
over the fire, A bowl of something hot
stood stcaming on the table BY the
child's bedside, and in cracked cup
were placed Jacks flowers. The little
girl lay with her large eyes inten,ly
fastened on them, She had plucked
away q single gerauium leaf and one
rose-bud, which were pinned in the
front Of her night-dresSs Twice she
coughed while Jack stood there,
and there WAS painful throb-
bing in her neck and her delicate
temples. The woman left the fire and
came and bent over the child; aud,
though Jack could not hear what she
said, he felt easier in his mind He saw
she was not a drinking woman, nor ugly
and cross. She had an honest, freekled
face, kindly in spite of her towsled hair,
She was the ordinary type OF poor,
oyerworked Biddy, with red arms aud
an untidy dress; but Jack knew she
would not be unkind to the child.
That night Jack had q bright thought.
His father had given him n dollar 10 buy
stamps for his album from hoy he
knew, who had connections in Tasmania
and other out-of-the way parts Of the
globe. Jacks thought was TO save
enough money out of his regular allow.
ance for the stamps, and 10 spend his
dollar in fruit for the sick child. He
knew the cough must make her throat
husky, and then bunch Of grapes or
an orange would be very grateful Jack
wouldn't have had the Beckman boys
get hold OF this for the world. II he
had engaged In n game Of iisticuffs with
another boy, and had come ont ahead,
he might have crowed as Justify rs a
young cock that has damaged his adj
versary's plumage; but his good deeds
were carefully hidden under bushel,
for he had before his eyes the fear of be-
lug called namby-pamby
The next morning Jack made q sacri-
flee of all tho rosebuds and carnations
Ia the garden; and when May came out
TO gather some of the parlor vases, she
wls surprised 10 find the beds quite
bare. ON his way down tho street,
Jack stopped at fruit-stand, and bar
gained Ave minutes with the ola woman
who kept il over iiue bunch of white
grapes, lie finally bought the rich,
Juicy cluster, aud had II wrapped in
bit Of white paper. lIeapproaehed the
window very cautiously, and, to his sor-
row, saw that, as the day was cool, the
sash had been lowered and the air eN-
elnded 10y Am old straw hat, carelcssly
Thrust in at the hole bur the hole was
large aud the hat was loOse, and he
stood there, feeling quits dlscomfited,
it occurred TO him 10 Try and cautiously
push tho hat round just SO far that he
could deposit the fruit and the nosegay
on the sill inside After this was ac-
complikhod, he ran away down the
street, not daring 70 look back for three