Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-09-06
AS for Miss Lawrence, she WAS rather
glad OF this Sunlooked-for escape from

ed partly through my fault. The school
Is dismissed. Charles will remain"
The boy sat aniet, unheeding the jeers
or the contemptuous glances of Che 9th.
ers as they passed out, aud staring
iblankly straight ahead of him. like one
who had Just seen q last hope 10 out. The
teacher watched his face, SO stony, SO
unchildlike, long after the last young
footstep had pattered out of hearing.
At last she said.
4" Charles, II dit not suppose you cared
SO much for playthings that you would
take those which did not belong to
you" y
II don't" answered the boy, logged
Y; why dent You let me go now ?
There amt nothin' to stay for. You've
smashed it, and that's the very worst
thing you could do to me-"
You may go presently; but why do
you speak soto mef Idid not keep you
here for q punishment You forget that
l have the toy to pay for, unless you can
"Weil, + can't then," he rcjoined,
desperately. 81 haven't got a penny
IN the world. If I had had or could q
earned one do YOU think I'd a teuekea
his old baHoonl"
"But why sho,.id you, any way ?"
urged Miss Lawrence. "It wasn't
anything you needed"
Wasn't it?" he cried, furiousIy. 81
never needed anything go much in all
my life, and if there's another to be
prigged in this town TO night I'm the
fellow that does it, and you may help
yourself"
"Why, Charles ." exclaimed the as.
tonished lady; "aro you crazys What
ls the matter? Tell me all about it.
she added, coaxingly, almost terrified
ny the strange conduct of the boy.
What's the use?" he muttered,
with a sullen, suspicious glance. "You
couldn't help, and if you could, you
wouldn't. Nobody cares for poor folks
like us. What if we do get sick and
die! It's no matter. And as fol
feelin's, who ever thought of our havin
any? Feelin's isfor folks that dress in
silks and satins off O. the money they
cheat US out Of"
"Charlee, " observed Miss Lawrence,
gently, 81 nm sureI don't know what
makes you talk SO strangely, but T an,
very sorry for you, aud if you will tell
me what oil this means, will help you
if I can. Isn't that fair?"
(" Yes, ma'am, " replied the boy
slowly, after long, wistful gaze into the
troubled and gentle eyes of the teacher
"Pll tell ye, though there's nothin' you
can do, as l know on. You see, my Lit.
tie brother Len has been sick long
time and gettin thinner and thinner till
he's Jest as poor and pale rs ghost. It's
mostly the poor food he has had and the
hard times, the doctor said, and he,finally
told mother there wasn't no use of hi:
comm any longer; SO he don't, and poo,
little Len has got SO weak he can't sit ur
any more, but Just has to lie still all day
long, with nothin to pass the time away
or make the time any easier, only wher
some OF 'us hold him up to the window 6
few minutes at time. He can't beal
1T long, BUTT seems to please him. Well
the other day, as 1 was dom so, n boy
came along with one of them things, an
1t took the poor little fellows eye, SO il
seemed he must have one. But mother
told him she couldn't get it, cause she
hadn't bit of money, and then he didn't
say another word, but just turned his
poor head over on the pillow, when he
thought nobody was lookin', and crieG
all to himself" itIaJ1 f3tiE} "
I've been tryin' ever since to gel
somethin' to do, so 1 could buy him one
but nobody would give me any work,
He was 80 bad this mornin' mother said
she was afraid he wouldn't last but day
or two. He's out of his mind q good
deal, and then he talks mostly about the
pretty red moon, and says he's going to
climb up into the sky and get it. ]
thought maybe he'd die easier to have it
and when [ saw Ray Burgess with one
In his hand, made uptmy mind to gel
it if l could. IT wasn't real, downright
stealing for me to take it from him
really it wasn't, Miss Lawrence. ONLY
just takin' little of what belongs to III
for father spends most every cent he
earns at Mr.. Burgesss drink shop
though mother has begged Mr.. Burgess
on her bendcd knees not to sell It tt
him. We'd be comfortable and decen
as anybody if we could only. have faith
er's wages; but they all go to help built
Mr.. Burgess's grand house, and put fin,
clothes on his wife aud buy nice thing
for his children, when our poor Ler
can't have one little plaything, and h,
a-dying of slow starvation. That's wha
mother says it is"
And the boy broke down with cob a
the thought of his pet brothers wrongs
Miss Lawrence had not the heart t,
argue with him. She was poor herself
but no misery like this had ever crosse.
her path.
"You may go now, Charles, she said
"but let the balloon rest for tonight
and don't give up; your brother may no
be SO i'll as you think"
He departed, little comforted.
The teacher went straight to the on
toy-shop OF the village and purchased it
last remaining toy balloon. Then ney
sign "Theodore Gray, M. d." scarcel,
noticed before, arrested her attention
aud soon she was on her way to the hous
of want, accompanied by young ply
sician who was not too we'll established
and successful to attend to the poor.
Little Len lay on his bed of suffering
his thin, drawn face SO white that h
looked already dead, and one felt almos
startled to see the blue eyes unclose.
Charles sat gazing at him in despair.
A fruitless fight against want and mis-
cry showed everywhere.
While the doctor examined his patient
Miss Lawrence sought the heart-brokel
mother.
"We have come to help you, if yol
will let us, she said, simply.
SO the tw6-poor themselves-set Il
work to relieve those SO much poore
and more unhappy.
Little Lens sunken eyes frightened
at the sight OF the red balloon, and afte
supper of warm broth he fell asleel
with his hand on the string and tn,
bright globe nestled against his wal
cheek.
No; he did not die.
Richard Markham heard the stor,
next day and went to see him. To hi
credit be it said, he was not ashamed t.
take Charles by the hand, and say:
I" Forgive me, lad. I was more t
blame than you. I ought to have foun'
out all about it before trying to make
public example of you, when had neve
known you to do anything like that be