St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-05-07
flor he Children.
Hal and his Sister Alice.
From the Wen.Spring.l

FROM Ine Weu-SprlnSI
"Well, my man, what can | do for
you to-day?"
The question was asked in a kindly
tone by an old gentleman looking
through a pair of goldrimmed spec
tacles at IL young boy on narrow cot
bedstead in Il hospital ward.
The boy looked up, saying sadly, 81
reckon there amt nOthin' to be done
now"
SIS it so bad as that?"
"Doctor says can't get WE'LL"
"Wouldn't you like me to send for
some of your friends?"
"rhere amt no one but my sister
Alice, and reckon she don't want to
come"
"Why, don't she care for your"
eyes but | struck her yesterday"
'.StrucE her! am sorry to hear that"
ayes, and l was sorry after did it,
for | never did before but | didn't tell
her SO. And when l went out and got
my papers, jumped for car, and slip
ped-and here | am; and the doctor
says I'm going to die. l reckon I've al
ways been pretty bad, and that III
never see Alice when she dies for she's
good and kind, and she won't go where
Pm going. You see l smoke, and
swear, and go with bad boys; but she
don't. You don't happen to be a min
lister, do you?'
"No. Would you like to see and
talk to one?
81 reckon it's too late for that. But
1 want some one to be kind to Alice
and some one that's good. 1 reckon
you look so. Would you miRd going
and telling her about it after I'm gone
And tell her Pm sorry hit her, and I'd
never hit her again, if l wasn't going tc
die.n
Suppose 1 go and find her now,'
said the old gentleman. "She may be
wondering where you are. Wouldn't
you like to see her?"
''Reckon l would! and you may go il
you like"
After receiving directions for finding
Alice, the old gentleman left; and the
invalid boy closed his eyes YEARLY
only to open them suddenly on feeling
q light touch on his check 1t was the
kiss of a little girl.
"YOu see brought her sooner than
you thought would" said the old gen.
tleman with smile; "but l found heI
just outside your door,"
"TOm Brady told me all about it,
said the girl, "and 1 came last night
but they wouldn't let me in. Won't
you soon be well enough to come home
again? 1t was awful lonesome last
night; and Mrs. Brady was cross because
you had got hurt, and she was afraid
she would lose her rent. Don't you be-
lieve they'd let me stay here with you
till you get well Z? I've got whole dol.
lar that I've saved, and 1 wont cal
much.n
The poor boy, failing to swallow q
sob, turned his head, that his sister
might not see his distress but she put
down the basket she had brought on
her arm, and leaning over him, with
the tears in her eyes, said kindly, "Does
it burt very, very much, HALF"
at don't seem to hurt at ALL" said
the boy "but the doctor says Pm going
to die.n
Alice sprang up, and looked wildly
at the old gentleman, as if in hopes he
might contradict the boy, but he only
answered her by rubbing his spectacles
and lowering his eyes. 80 Hall" she
cried, throwing her arms around the
boy, 81 love you sol" Then she wept
cOnvulsively for moment, when she
controlled herself sufficiently to ask the
old gentleman if he did not think the
doctor could do something to make hin
well.