McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-12-04

men of the day were shown, but they
were not as enthusiastically greeted as
were the bright colored illustrations Of
nursery rhymes and fairy stories. the
hues showing on the white background,
and the pictures standing out quite as
clearly as those in black and white.
The comic Autographs and the chrome
cards were all well received, while the
pictured "story of Joseph" was made
more entertaining by the word descrip-
ton of Sunday school children.
"His coat was worse than crazy
quilt" remarked one of the enlight-
ened.
''That was an awful mean trick of his
brothers -throwing Joseph down the
well, and staining his coat with blood
to scare his poor old father with" re-
marked another.
Eyes, it was" said the third, "and
just to think! he didn't keep the money
when they played him such a trick !
Well, he could afford to be good"
Ten o'clock came all too soon, but a
few simple refreshments served as con-
ISOLATION, and after vote of thanks to
Jack and his mother, the young folks
said goodnight, and went to their vari-
GUS homes.
Two days before Christmas, only
few short weeks after Jacks first Poly
opticon surprise party, and he was des-
tined to have another-a very sad one.
Every boy and girl on the street was in
state of excitement, for little Jack Lee
was missing from his home, and his
poor mother was nearly wild with anxi-
ETY.. Still, she had such faith in Jacks
promise, that she felt only an accident
would have detained him.
slack promised not to 60 far, and he
said he would be back before dark;
something has happened to my baby!
she walled, as she joined the searchers.
Every house where Jack was known
was visited, but the mother knew Jack
was in no house, so, through snow and
dark, on she went from one vacant lot
to another, hating moment at the
foot of every slide. Oh it was so cold,
and she was so weary!
But bark!
Surely, that was a moan, sounding
from the bottom of a freshly dug-out
cellar for new house. How Mrs. Lee
got down she never knew, but in mo-
ment she was beside what seemed a
mass of earth and snow. She had found
her boy; but was he dead?
1t was Jacks call for help that
moments later, for in the agony of joy
and grief, or fear, his mother tainted.
Jack was not injured; he had gone too
near the edge of the cellar and the snow
and earth had caved in, and the boy
was dazed by the fall; indeed, he said
he could not get out, and so he went to
sleep. But as he had large lump on
his head, the doctor rather doubted his
naturally.
''There is no hurt" said the kind doc
tor; the suspense and shock has been
more than the little mother could bear
We must do something to rouse her
from this stupor.''
dispose we give another Polyoptition
party" suggested Jack, the innocent
cause of all the trouble.
ga splendid idea," said the doctor,
who was perfectly familiar with Jacks
peculiarities, and withal was something
of wit, so no one was surprised when
he was heard to declare that IF jack
hands were smoked little it might
help to wake up the mother which
caused Jack to almost burn his hands.
holding them over the glass shade of
the lamp, which was soon ready; the
guests were hidden and little mother
was placed upon sofa before the
screen, and the performance common
ced.
''Laugh and talk as loud as you
please, Children" directed the doctor,
land here, Jack, stand by your mother,
put one of your smoky hands on her
forehead, and give one of your I'M
earthly war-whoops."
Jack tried to obey, but the ''yell'
was by no means one of the healthy |
sounds that so often terrified Mrs. Lee
and her friends, but perhaps the pain
in the cry reached her heart; anyway,
her eyelids quivered and at last opened,
and the little mother saw about her |
anxious, loving, youthful faces boy
and his friends, and as she clasped |
Jack in her feeble arms and wept tears |
Of gratitude, one after another little |
form left the room, while the picture of |
Jack when he was baby smiled upon
them from the screen; and this is the |
reason why Jack Lee gives a joyous
Polyopticon party every Christmas eve.
M. E. H., in Foote's Health Monthly.