St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-04-01
n" NUMBER ONE"


"Look out for number one, my boy"
said his father, as the baby held up his
bread-and- milk for mamma to eat .s'
"That's what he never will do"
laughed mamma. '.He'd far rather
look out for number two. Not a spoon
full will he take till he holds it up for me
to taste"
Just as mamma had taken her sip,
baby caught sight Of papa's curling
beard and laughing eyes. Holding up
the spoon to him, he made q little coax
ing sound. ... ......
'.The generous darling!'' said man.
ma. Number two and number three
both come before number one in your
arithmetic; don't they, baby"
"We'll name him Number One "
said atlnty, from her easy-chair in the
corner; and ever after that she playful
ly called him Number One although
he soon had another name. Aunty had
a way of proving that her choice of a
name was a good one however. For,
as baby grew older, his father was con-
tinually repeating the saying: look
out for number one;;' but it was with a
proud feeling that his boy never could
be selfish after all. He was so forgetful
of self that he always thought OF all
other numbers before number one. "
He chopped kindlings for mamma as
cheerfully as if it were the best fun in
the world; and often and often he
secured the knives, or even washed the
dishes, if she did not feel well. He
helped papa in many other ways. His
sick aunty called herself number
four" for she came in for large share
of his loving thoughtfulness. .....
AS Number One grew older, he had
darling baby sister, number five. Then,
by-and-by, came number six and seven
another sister and a brother.
How could Number One look out for
himself, when there began to be SO many
other numbers? ..... 49,.
He kept finding out new numbers,
too. There were Grandpa and Grand
ma Gray, Grandma Eaton, and aunts,
uncles and cousins-so many that, when
he counted the numbers, they went all
the way from number eight to number
forty-seven. He did not see them all
every day, to be sure; in fact, some Of
them lived so far away that the visits
were few and far between. But when
they did meet, they were all sure to feel
very soon that Number One was not
looking out for himself, but wished rath-
er to make them happy.
Number Forty-eight was poor old
Darby, who had to sit in his chair from
morning till night, year in and year out
poor, lame and blind! How Number
One did delight to carry him pailful Of
mothers broth, and perhaps sit and
read a psalm to comfort him! '':
By-and-by he was strong enough to
shovel snow for Miss Patty, who lived
in the lane close by, OR to dig up her
little patch Of a garden in spring.
time. So aupty called her Number For
ty-nine.
Then there were numbers fifty and
fifty-one-Tom Hanson and his little
brother. They had never sled to their
names. How could Number One help
lending them his for ride every other
time? True, Dick Jones and Jack Har-
vey didn't lend theirs; but perhaps they
didn't think. Yet, somehow, Number
One did think, and he couldn't enjoy
his all by himself, seeing the little fell
lows look on with such hungry eyes.
And so the numbers kept addingup day
after day, and year after year. At first,
aunty kept account to amuse herself in
her weary hours of sickness; but by-and-
by there were SO many that she gave
it up. .
Il believe there never was more un-
selfish boy" she said; land he's the
happiest boy I know of, too
The numbers counted up pretty fast
when Number One grew to be man;
for he was married, and had boys of his
own. But he often thought how much
he should love little daughter; and he
soon found out way to add two new
numbers to his list. A poor woman
died, leaving twin girlies without father
or mother, and Number One adopted
them. He took them to his home,
where his wife was all ready to welcome
them. The twins were old enough to
remember their own dear mamma; but
before long they found that they loved
their new mamma and papa Just as