The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-07-16
JACK.


hardened little chap as he isl
"That is the kind that need to 60"
"But what if nobody'll take him?"
"Then I'll bring him back"
So said the superintend of one of
the earliest companies Of children sent
out by the freshair fund, and SO it
come that Jack joined the eager little
crowd drawn from ally and Stun of
the great city.
ale is Il tough one,' said the super
intendcnt to himself, watching Jack as
he half carrl"ssly trippcd up one or
two smaller boys in the rush which
came when they were leaving the steam
boat in order to take the ears.
"He don't look the right Sort" said
one Or two farmers.
"1f they were the rig lit sort they
wouldn't need our help" said q pleas
ant-fucel woman who sat in spring
wagon. 'Put him in here, please.
Come, my boy, will you so home with
me?'
Jack climbed into the wagon, but
made little answer to the kindly at-
trmpts to draw him into convcrsat ion.
Us h. rode along in logged silence, and
Mrs. Lynn began to conclude that she
had taken hold OF q very hard case in
deed.
But it was quickly seen that there
were some things which Jack loved.
Before nj sht he had made friends with
horses, COWS, chickens, ducks, geese
and eats, and lying under a tree in
rapt admiration OF Il pert jay which
chartered above him, had almost sue
crrded in co;lxilg ii to light on his fin
ger.
"Come with nc and I'll show you
something MORE said Mrs. Lynn the
next morning after brea kiust She put
q pail OF salt into his hand, and then
walked up Il little glen, then up astecp
hill, when she called:
"Nln, nan, nan, nan, nan, nan
come, nan, come, nan; cor WY pref
ties; come, come, my prertleS."
A quiet little pattering was heard,
and down along the path which led
higher up Jack saw coming line OF
soft looking white things.
"Whut'S their nameS?' he cried in
great interest.
''Shecp. There are great many
more up over the top of the hin, but
they don't know me very we'll, so they
don't come. We must go further"
.5her up they went to where a sun
ny pasture sloped more gently down
the other side, and there were hum
dreds OF the pretty creatures nipping
the short grass or lying under tibet trees.
They looked ut the strangers with shy,
gentle eyes, but adhered near as Mrs
Lynn repeated her call.
Jack laughed and whooped and roll
led on the ground III the excess of
his delight, at first frightening them
away. But he was soon in among
them, winning them by his coax
ing tones to taste the salt he
held out to them. The boy s face Scent
ed transformed as Mrs. Lynn got her
first full glanceat his eyes, and wonder
ed ut 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 q little lame.
You may take hat one to the house,
if you like,' said Mrs. Lynn, "and l
will bind up it's poorioot."
He did so, and when he carried it back
+l,, Honl, 1,o all <l,,,
going to the house when called to din
ner by the sound OF the conch-shcll.
And every day afterward the most OF
the time was spent on the breezy hill
side, perhaps taking in the beauties
OF valley and stream and woodland
which lay below, but finding his till OF
enjoyment in the sheep. lie was lit
tie 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 a bird
with q broken wing, and again q stray
starved kitten, both OF which he care
fully tended.
CLEAR him." said Mrs Lynn, one
day, when she had gone out into the
meadow where her husband was ut
work. l believe he knows every sheep
there"
Jacks voice came ringing down the
hill.
"Hiho! hiho! hiho! hiho-o-o-o! my
beauties! Come, daisy face; come
Cloudwhite; come my Tripsy-toes and
Hippety-Hop and Hobbledyhoy. Hill
Ia. hilla no! my Hop-and-skip and
old-Jump-the-Fenc Come with yer
patter-patter and yer wiggle-waggle
my beauties, oh! Where be you, Flax
and Flineers and Foam? Come here,
my Jolly boys, and kick up your heels
on the grass in the mo-o-o-rning."
"He gets off some such rigmarole
whenever he goes near them, she said;
"andIm sure every sheep knows him. y
Jack staid for a month among his
heecy darlings, and when the time
came for saying goOd-bye to them, no.
body 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, OF
rather to his homelessncSs, but with
little response to her kind farewells:
She had tried SO faithfully to i'm.
press him with the idea that there arc
plenty IN TINS wife world whose hearts
the dear Lord has filled with the ten.
derest pity and love toward those
whose paths seemed laid in Swallowed
places, that she felt kecnly disappoint,
ed in fearing she might have Entirely
failed. However, she remembered with
comfort that, just as the last car was
passing the platform from which she
watched it, she had indistinctly caught
sight OF q boys face whose softcncd
eyes seemed filled with tears as he
strained his eyes to gain last glance
at her, and she believed in her heart il
Vas Jacks face:
nIt is no use trying to get the matter
righted," said farmer Lynn to his wife
speaking in great vexatiom: 'Thi'
IL e1,oo,, I,ro1-o m ,>,1, or