The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-10-26
POOR LITTLE KIT.

1t was a gala day on the avenue.
, All the fast horses in town were
, out showing their pace, and the
merry sleigh riders shouted with
mirth aud enjoyment as they raced
, neck-and-neck, five teams deep, and
when they came to a deadlock it was
still more fun. At one junction,
however, there were shouts that did
not sound mirthful, a wild plunge
among the thoroughbreds, and some
policeman ran out from the side
walk and talked in authoritive
tones, but the crowd was so dense
no one could see what was going on
among the noisy drivers and their
plunging horses.
"It's only couple of boys" said
, the beautiful Felicia Hautton, set
Ting back among the luxurious
white robes ''two of those horrid
newsboys. They ought not to be
allowed on the avenue at all.
They're always getting under foot
and frightening the horses-such
good time as we were making, too
how disagreeable."
Anybody killed?" asked one
fine gentleman of another as they
passed.
Nav, two boys mixed up, that's
all, one started to cross the street
fell, and tother got run over trying
to save him, stweet Awabs, you
know, can spare few-ta, ia"
'Got under the feet of a highflyer
and spoiled his time" said another
in a disguised tone.
Then the avenue was cleared and
the tice OF enjoyment went on, and
no more Arabs were so foolish as to
sacrifice themselves by obstructing
the triumphs of the fashionable
throng.
At sundown of that same day two
poorly dressed boys applied for ad-
mission at the doors of Harper's
hospital and inquired for one OF
their number, who had been brought
thither that same afternoon. They
were permitted to see him for a
few moments, and on tip-toe,
they entered the long, clean
ward and sought out the narrow
bed on which he lay. When they
had awkwardly greeted him, they
sat down upon the edge of the cot,
and were much embarrassed with
the strangeness of the scene, and
painfully conscious of their hands
and feet; they were also rather
shocked at their comrades clean
face il looked so unnaturally
white with dash of red on either
cheek. Their eyes roved stealthily
about over the other sick beds and
their occupants.
"Say. old feller," began the big
gest OF the two boys, addressing his
sick comrade, "ain't you putting on
a heap of style?"
where's Kit?" asked the sick
boy. fretfully; why amt he along
of you?"
The two visitors looked at each
other, and their faces grew downcast
and troubled; they dug the toes Of
their boots into the clean floor at
the bedside and shuffied uneasily,
while both coughed violently in
concert, then the big boy blurted
out:
Exit went on an errand, and he
told me to tell you he would be up
tomorrow sure-he sez. sez he, tell
Jim its all right"
"You amt ,gassin, be you?" Kit
didn't git hurt, nor nothin'?"
"He couldn't go errants ef he was
hurt, could he?" asked the other,
doggedly; an here" improvising a
lie for the occasion, ''he sent yer
this"
The sick and injured boy smiled
as he took the big orange in his fe-
verish hand and turned it over.
II knew Kit wasn't the boy to for
git me-here, you fellers, take bite
its many a orange, and stick of
candy, and bit of pie we've divided
atween us afore this. Pore little
Kit He knowed as how / liked
'em; here, you take squeeze" and
he handed it back.
But the bows wouldn't touch it,
and the patient put it under his
inflow. Then he said in 4 strange.
quavering voice:
Il want you fels to look after Kit,
and don't yer forget it; when 1
gets well I'll pay back every cent;
but it'll be long time, for I'm all
mashed in; he's little fellow and
needs lookin' arter. New, boys,
4 don't 90 back on me, will you?"
"You needn't worry about Kit"
said the spokesman of the two,
looking away and digging violently
at the floor, ''he's all right"
lord, I'm so tired" said the sick
boy. "If it wasn't for Kit I'd as
leve die as get well but / promised
mother as how I'd allus take ker of
the little chap, ana I've done 1t;
and he wasn't cut up nor bruised
nor nuthen' when they pulled him
out of the hoss's hoofs ?"
.Wasnt cut up nor bruised nor
nothin'," echoed the visitor, with
his back to the bed.
/ "Good! Jes' you look arter him
till | get outer this and I'll work
my fingers off for We. Lord, how
dead tired / am"
He drifted away to sleep and the
two boys left without waking him,
but before they went one of them
slipped little leather bag of mar
bles in his hand and the other put
a few pennies wrapped in dirty
bit of newspaper close by, where he
could see them waking.
"Hel think Kit sent 'em," said
one, as they softly retreated; "they
were in Kits pocket when the lo-
liceman found him--to think he
doesn't know"
That night as the hospital doctor
/ l. l. L r. Al