Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-09-05
jack.


hardened little chap rs he is"
THAT is the kind that need to go"
"But what if 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.
Gle is tough one" said the superin-
tendent to himself, watching Jack as he
half carelcSsly, half wilfully tripped up
one or two smaller boys in the rush which
came when they were leaving the steam
boat in order to take the cars.
"He don't look like the right sort, " said
one or two farmers.
"If they were the right sort they
wouldn't need our help" said pleasant
faced woman who sat in 4 spring wagon.
"Put him in here, please. Come, my
boy, will you go home with me?"
Jack climbed into the wagon, but made
little answer to the kindly attempts to
draw him into conversation. His eyes
were never raised toward her rs he rode
along in dogged silence, and Mrs. Lynn
began to conclude that she had taken hold
of 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, chickens, ducks, geese and cats, and
lying under tree in rapt admiration Of i
pert iav which chattered above him, and
almost suvvvvdvtl iu ooa,<ing it to light OH
his finger.
"Come with me, and I'll show you
something more" said Mrs. Lynn, the
next morning after breakfast. She put a
pail Of salt into his hand, and they walk
ed up little glen, then up a steep hill,
when she called:
"Nan, nan, nan, nan, nan, ran-comc,
nan, come, nan come, my pret.ies; come,
my prctties."
A quiet little pattering was heard, and
down along the path which led higher up
Jack saw coming line of soft-looking
white things.
"What's 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 further"
Higher up they went to where sunny
pasture sloped more gently down the other
side, and there were hundreds of the
pretty creatures nippjng the short grass
or lying under the trees. They looked at
the stranger with shy, gentle eyes, but
gathered near ;s Mrs. Lynn repeated her
call.
Jack laughed and whooped and 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 coaxng 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 ut
them. They were large and clear and soft
as he laid his hands lovingly OH the heads
of some half-grown lambs, and presently
tenderly lifted one which seemed Il little
lame.
"You NAV take that one to the house, if
you like" said Mrs. Lynn, "and l, will
bind up its poor foot"
4 l. I'll :.
to the flock he 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 OIL the breezy hillside, perhaps
taking in the beauties Of valley and stream
and woodland which lay below, but find
ing his fill of enjoyment in the sheep. lie
was little seen at the house, seeming not
to care for any human society, but he took
long walks at his will, from which he
once brought home bird with a broken
wing, and again stray starved kitten,
both of which he carefully tended.
clear him." said Mrs. Lynn, one day,
when she had gone out into tie meadow
where her husband was at work. II be-
leve he knows every sheep there"
Jacks voice came ringing down the hill.
"IIihO. hiho! hiho. hiho-o-o-o-o-o-,
my beauties. Come, Daisy face, come,
Cloud-white. come, my Trigsy-toes and
IIippety-hop and HobbldehOy. IIilIa,
hiila, no. my Hop-anG-skip and old Jump
fhn-frn,.e' Como with rnr nntfsr-nniicr