Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1880-05-15

BY curious boys don't know, but Dave
found that Il didn' work. and he leaned
over to shout to Edith 70 tighten hel
end Of the cord 20 that the thrill of s0und
might be greater.
Poor Dave! poor mammal and poo,
sorrowful little facca that stand about
sec them ali rs write, and my eyct
grow moist rs I recall the scene.
Dave had fallen from the fourth story
TO tho hall. They thought at first that
he was dead, but Q piteous little cry
from the pale lips showed them tina,
there was life left. Then the children
went home, some Of them sobbing. all
of them with heavy hearts. for Dave
was much loved by them all.
Now another picture rises before my
eyes. A silent chamber, an anxious
group about the bed where they have
laid the poor boy, father and mother
standing by with pale faces and lips
that trcmble when they speak. A sur
geon's assistant goes quietly In and out,
bringing basins, preparing bandages,
and otherwise making ready for the
DOCTORS examination. The doctor,
looking very grave and very wise.
passes his trained hands over Dave 8
body. laying his ear now and then close
over Dawes heart. And after it is all
done he answers the mothers anxious,
questioning look. with faint 81 hope
SO; but it Is very bad-very bad indeed.
Both legs and a rib are broken. and
fear there is some injury to the spine. :"
Then every body is shut out of the
room except Dawes papa. who will
stay. and when the doctor goes away he
leaves Dave bandaged almost from
head to foot, aad wiph only strength
enough to sigh when he feels the dread-
full pains all over his body.
Oh, the anxious waiting days! Weeks
have gone by and Dave is able to talk q
little. Very family he speaks, but
sometimes he smiles when his mother
kisses him. At last there is high fes
tival in the house, for Dave is able to
sit up In bed. Father ard mother know
now that he will live, but behind this
joy is great sorrow, for the doctor
thinks Dave will never be aole to walk
again.
One day the doctor comes and Dave
asks:
"When shall be able to walk again,
doctor?"
mot for long time, my boy" the
| doctor answers.
"In year?" asks Dave.
alt will be more than that"
"In five years?"
81 can't tell you, my child; but Wen
do the best we can for you," and SO the
doctor goes, and Dave is left alone with
his mother. He knows that the doctor
has not told him the worst, and he sees
that his mother, in spite of her effort to
hide her grief, is very sorrowful. He
reaches out the one arm that he can
use, puts it about her neck, and says:
Mother. it is pretty bad, but l
should like to know the worst. I'm not
a coward. you know. Tell me, does the
doctor think l shall be able to walk
again?"
And then the mother, putting her
cheek close to her boys sobs aloud and
says:
"Oh, my poor boy! my poor, poor
Dave"
And Dave knows what the doctor
thinks.
Don't cry. mother. It's pretty bad;
but maybe can do some good lying
here 1t was lucky l didn't fall on
Cousin Edie, wasn't it?''
Now it is q settled thing in the house
that Dave is TO be always a cripple.
The shadow is forever there, but some
how it falls everywhere darker than ON
the boys heart. They all wonder that
he is so cheerful, but, you see, every
night and many times day Dave prays,
"Oh, Lord. help me to bear it, and
the good Lord, who is ever tender to
children, does help him TO bear it.
When the winter comes on Dave is SO |
that he can bcfolled about the house in an
invalid-chair, which he says, laughing
And he says to his mother many times,
" Well, don't see what boys do that
haven't any legs or any chair either;
that must be pretty tough" One day
it is bitter cold, and somebody comes to
see Dave and talks about the sutferings
of the poor, those who haven fire or
clothes to warm them. 1t is kind
lady interested in the Children's Aid
Society and ever SO many other sweet
charities. and she tells how even that
she has seen boys and girls, some
Of them smaller than Dave, who hadn't
clothes enough to cover their poor little
half-starved, shivering bodies. She is
in the very midst of her story when
Dave cries out:
"Why, here's chance! I've got lots
Of trousers and haven't any legs to put
INTO EN-. and there's lots of boys that
nave legs and haven't any trousers to
put onto 'em. Why didn't we think of
t before, mother? Bring them all out
trousers, and shoes, and boots, and
skates, too-and let's send them right
ofi; and then I'll lie here and laugh to
.hink of lot Of boys running my trou-
sers about for me-" And Dave1aughed
Is heartily as if he had had the soundest
pair of legs in the world.
Then Dawes mother went to the bu-
eau where she had put all her boys
clothes, and brought them out by the
.rmful. Six pairs of trousers; hand
some trousers. too. and with such pock-
Its! Dave always was particular about
pockets. And a grand bundle is made
Up. and off it goes to the House and
school of Industry; and SO III course of
ime it came out in the report of con-
ributions: Little Dave; six pairs of
PANTS for poor boys And every time
Dave saw poor boy with good trousers
IN going by his window he said, MAY
,e those are my trousers; and maybe
I'M doing some good. after all" And
he was.
Well. it isn't much of a story, is it?
'ut it's only begun. The snap of it.
Ike the snapper of whip. is on the end
# it.
Now, that lady that told Dave and his
mother about the poor boys had an
ncle, with whom She lived. and the ,
ncle had million dollars and the
out. He didn't enjoy either. He had {
magnificent house. and all he could do
ras to sit in one room of it and howl