Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29
JACK.
A story OF the Fresh Air Fund.


II don't know about sending such hard
ened little chap as he is"
THAT is the kind that need to CO."
But what II nobody'll take HIM ?"
Then I'll bring him back"
so said the superintendent of one Of the
earliest companies of children sent out by the
fresh air fund, and so it came that Jack Joined
the eager little crowd drawn from alley and
slum of the great city.
HE is q tough one," said the superintend.
ent to himself watching Jack as no half care
lessly, half willfully, tripped up one or two
smaller boys In the rush which came when
they were leaving the steamboat in order to
take the cars.
'Ho don't look like the right sort" said
one or two farmers
IF they we're the right sort they wouldn't
need our help" said pleasant-faced woman
who sat in a spring wagon. "Put him In
here, please Come, my boy, will you go
home with mel"
Jack climbed into the wagon, but made lit
tie answer to the kindly attempts to draw
him into conversation. His eyes were never
raised toward her as he rode along in dogged
silence and Mrs Lynn began TO conclude that
she had taken hold of a very hard case indeed.
But it was quickly seen that there were
some things which Jack loved. Before night
he had made friends with horses COWS, chick
ems, ducks, geese, and cats, and lying under
tree In rapt admiration Of pert jay which
chattered about him, had almost succeeded in
coaxing.it TO light on his finger.
Come with me and I'll show you some
thing more, sud Mrs Lynn, the next morn
ing, after breakfast. She put pail of salt
into his hand and they walked up little glen,
then up steep hill, when she called.
Nan, nan, nan, nan, nan, nan, n,-oome,
INV
come, my pretties."
quiet little psttering was heard and down
along the path which led higher up Jack saw
coming line of soft looking white things.
Whats their names ?" he cried, in great
interest.
sheep. There are great many more up
over the top of the hill but they don't know
me very well, so they don't come. We must
go farther"
Higher up they went to where sunny pas
ture sloped more gently down the other side,
and there were hundreds of the pretty crea-
lures nipping the short grass or lying under
the trees. They looked at the stranger with
shy, gentle eyes, but gathered near as Mrs
Lynn repeated her call
Jack laughed and whooped rolled on the
ground in the excess of his delight, at first
frightening them away. But he was soon in
among them, winning them by his coaxing
tones to taste the salt he held out to them.
The boys face seemed transformed as Mrs
Lynn got her first full glance at his eyes, and
wondered at them. They were large and
clear and soft as he laid his hands lovingly on
the heads of some half-grOwn lambs, and
presently tenderly lifted one which seemed
little lame.
you may take that ono to the house, II
you like, said Mrs. Lynn, "snd will bind
up its poor foot"
He did so, and when he carried 1t back to
the flock be remained all day, only going to
the house when called to dinner by the sound
of the conch shell. And every day afterward
the most of his time WAS spent on the breezy
hillside, perhaps taking in the beauties of the
valley and stream and woodland which lay be.
low, but finding his fill of enjoyment iu his
sheep. He was little seen at the house. SEEM
ing not to care for any human society, but
he took long walks at his will, from which he
once brought home a bird with a broken
wing, and again stray starved kitten, both
of which he carefully tended,
Hear him !" said Mrs. Lynn, one day,
when she had gone out into the. meadow
whore her husband was at work. IT believe
he knows every sheep there"
Jacks voice came ringing down the hill.
"Hiho! hiho hihoi hiho.o-o.o-o-o my
beauties Come, Daisy-face, come Cloud
white, come, my Tripsy-toes and Hippety-
hop and Hobbeldehoy. Hilla, hilla, hoI my
HOP. .and.skip and old Jump-the-fence Come
with yer patter patter and yer wiggle waggle,
my Beauties oh Where be you, Flax and
Flinders and Foam2 Come here, my Jolly
boys, and kick up yer heels on the grass in
the mo-o-o-rning."
HE gets off some such rigmarole whenever
| he goes near them" she said land I'm sure
every sheep knows him."
Jack stayed for a month among his fleecy
| darlings, and when the time came for saying
goodbye to them nobody was near to hear
| him say it. He allowed Mrs. Lynn to shake
his hand as he stepped on board the train
which was to bear him back to his home, or
rather to his homelessness, but with little re-
sponse to her kind fsrewells.
She had tried so faithfully 10 impress him
with the idea that there are plenty in this
wide world whose hearts the dear Lord has
| filled with the tenderest pity and love toward
those whose paths seem laid in shadowed
places, that she felt keenly disappointed in
fearing she might have entirely failed. How
ever, she remembered with comfort that, Just
rs the last car was passing the platform from
| which she watched 1t, she had indistinotly
caught sight of boys face whose softened
eyes seemed to fill with tears az he strained
his eyes to gain last glance at her, and she
believed in her heart it was Jacks face.
ITS no use trying to got the matter right
| ed, >" said Farmer Lynn to his wife, speaking
in great vexation. This man Green's a tricky
knNve. Ever since the day his sheep broke
into my field and got mixed up with my flock
| the fellow has been claiming some twenty or
| 80 of my best AtwOOds and Ootswolds, and
now hos going to law TO make me give them
up"
"woll, il you're right, won't that be best
for you p
Not with such man as that. He's ready
to swear the sheep are his, and there's the
trouble. I'm morally sure know my sheep,
but when it comes to being pinned right down
to swear to each ono among so many, 1 can't
do it,"
She shook her head.
No, you couldn't; sheep are too much
! alike, and you would run the risk of making
mistake. When is the trial to be ?"
Next Thursday week"
For the next few days Mrs. Lynn went
about with a very sober face. She took two
or three rides to the village, actually had an
interview with Mr.. Lynn's lawyer, wrote sew
eral letters, and ono day the whole neighbor-
| hood was alarmed by messenger inquiring
his way with telegram for Mrs. Lynn, it be-
ing the first thing of such an exciting nature
that ever happened in the township.
But after that everything went on very quiz
city until the morning of the day set for the
trial.
well, said Mr. Lynn, 81 s'poso Green'll
bo out here this afternoon to swear my sheep
are his The lawyers are coming, too"
Tho afternoon came, and with 1t came
Green, the lawyers, and half the township be-
sides
They came looked over the ground, saw
the Aocks feeding in adjoining folds, and how,
the fence breaking, they had become mingled.