The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-12-03


boy grinning then ut having the !ack
! of carrying me kome-for he was fond
Of me. too-and perhaps ten cents at
the end of it. So Mr.. Urton and Nan
and the chestnut-boy al started Oft
together, each carrying something; Mr..
Orion had books. and Nan a paper
of candy, and the boy me. Mr.. orion
asked the boy ever SO many questions
as they wentup street, and heard about
his home. and all manner of things.
and that his mother had only Jack s.
that was the chestnut-boy's name, Jack
Willis-work to live on, and he couldn't
get much. Mr.. Orion was the sort of q
man to get at boy; l felt that, even if
did not hear well, owing to wrapping
paper. When we got to the house Mr..
Orion didn't pay Jack. but told the
man who opened the door to take him
into the kitchen and tell cook to give
him some supper; and when Jack went
home he had basket of eatables and
bundle of Master Dicks clothes, and
was told to come to the factory next
morning, perhaps the foreman could
find him job; and the foreman did,
and Jack there still and doing well.
Well, was great comfort to Master
Dick, and in that way to the whole
house-for it is no trifle to family
when lively boy of thirteen breaks his
leg; and then, when he heard about
Jack, he was ashamed of his growing,
only did not hear him tell Nan that
he thought chestnut roasting must be
real fun. But Nan thought it must be
awful tiresome to be doing the same
thing always. / could have told her
as to that it all depended on the spring
that set you going!
and everybody else's, and even Christ
mas did not put my nose out of joint
very much, for whole troop of little
cousins came to stay with our children,
and was new to them. One day, be-
tween, Christmas and New Years,
there was a grand jnbilee; all the
cousins were to spend the day here,
and were to come early and stay late,
because it was holiday week. and be-
cause Dick was well again, They had
a grand time, and the new toys had
rough handling. was just beginning
to think one might be wound up too
fast and too often, when Mr.. Orion
came in. carrying great picture, and
behind him were Mrs. Orion and her
sisters, and the lady they called Miss
Ellen. Everything was dropped then,
and I hit myself dreadful thump
when Dick let me fall; but fortunately
landed right side up, so could see
you think it was? The old toy-stand,
nothing else, with Nan and Jack and
the strange man that seemed to be
taking pattern by me; and was there,
too! Dick picked me up and showed
me my likeness, but had often seen
myself in the lookingg-glass before; and
knew wasn't handsome; but the other
portraits were famous. Every one
congratulated Miss Ellen. and Mrs.
Orion was delighted to hear how many
people had climbed up to her studio
since "the new toy" had been in the
picture-dea.er's window.
And then Mr.. Orion was called away,
and it was little quieter; while Miss
Ellen chatted with her friends about
other wc-k she had on hand, until
Dick and his cousin Sam got into a
squabble about the way a battlefield
ought to be laid out. Dick got pretty
loud, being little spoiled by the petting
his broken leg mad brought him, and
would likely have come to grief if his
father had not come back with great
piece of news.
"Whom do you think have beer
talking to, Ellen?' he said to the young
artist.
She looked up quickly, and her
cheeks grew very pink. Mr.. Orion be-
gan to laugh.
"No. miss. nothing of the sort; how
foolish of me to ask girl with lover
such question! 1t is the fellow in
your picture there, your solemnly-
intent friend in the corner. The toy
gave him an idea, it seems"
"Oh, has Jem got the machine to
work?' think Miss Ellen did forget
her lover then, as she ought, if two
people are one, and it isn't right to
think about yourself too much.
Eyes, he has been down to the mill
with it, and Harris thinks it a capital
thing, and sent him up to me. had
rather trust Harris sense of machinery
than my own, but have promised to
come down on Monday and see it tried.
He seems to be the real inventing sort,
all alive about it, but a little misty
about getting a patent. If it is worth
anything, we must see that he is not
swindled out of it,
eff it does come out right, how much
you will have done for him and me and
Jack Willis!' said Miss Ellen, in a
choky voice.
II? Nonsense, child; I did not give
you and this man brains, and make
Jack nimble and willing. Here's the
real architect of your fortunes!' And he
picked me up and set me on the man