Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-11

an expression OF repulsion. In one moment, felt
strong enough to stand the strain Of my illness
| the loss OF my worldly prospects, the cnange from
my Old appearance TO my present deios .a ~
| death. All the physical torments had gone
| through were as nothing to the mental anguish
last came consolation in the thought Of my child;
only TO be succeeded by still more narrowing
anxiety. Would she, too, turn from ne?
| sions OF childhood and dreaded what might be
the effect on her young mind OF my distorted
form with what eagerness yet with =, what nat Iea a
ment TO come, and still was tempted to defer 1t.
You, sir perhaps enter little into my feelings
changed love In the depths OF her clear bright
| eyes and heard her whisper Poor papa, Use SO
6oS hove yTu so sp sf ive s9anseo COO
| ''When got sufficiently well TO use my crutches
| easily, went over to the house. They were very
| kind. OF course was real good to them, but
they made place for me to help keep account of
| stock / could write better then than now; my
| joints have stinened up since. The pay was very
| small compared with what had been receiving,
and IL was necessary for me TO find cheaper home
and practice strict economy. My w1fes father
made her a small allowance, but he had opposed
the marriage, and was not inclined to be liberal,
| now that IL had turned out as badly as he had
prophcsied. She grew restless and diScontented
| under our changed circumstances, and cannot
wonder at It,
$50 far my misfortunes had been beyond my
control, but there came time when my own
i
occasionally suffered drove me to seek relief I'm
stimulants. My head had grown weak, and very
from se and gns
| ton. But there came moments when my agony
grew TOO great for my resolve. One night when
returned home found my wife had gone, taking
Jane with her. A letter was left Informing me
she had returned to her fathers house; that my
dssipatlon rendered her life unendurable and
tnat she was ABOUT TO obtain separation on that
| ground.
That blow was crushing. was weak, i'll,
neart-DrOken, and had no force to resist And even
III mad tried, what could have done. was too
poor TO hire able lawyers and she had wealth and
influence at her command. But to lose the right,
the power, to see my child, to feel her tiny warm
arms around my neck to hear her sweet, liSping
words was awful Then came the thought that
| it was best for her, after all. Away from me she
would have every comfort and enjoyment How
little could give her, and at any moment that
| little might be swept away. SO 1 let her go, and
made no effort to stay my wife's course.
.'They did not keep me long at the house after
my Wfe LETT me. suppose it was her fathers
| doing. They gave me a small sum, and said they
regretted 1t was longer possible to find employ
ment for me-
''That was more than two years ago. How 1
nave managed TO live since, you know. But they
nave not parted me entirely from my child. 1
have seeh Jane many times since, and thank GOd
she does not forget me. She does not shrink from
me, she still loves me!
''Her nurse once lived with me- and is grateful
| for some trifling kindness. She contrives that
Shall sac Jane at intervals, Tor few moments
only. and we have to be very careful for II 1T
known, she would be discharged. The last time l
saw Jane asked her what She wanted for Christ
| mas, and she said "a DOLL She always saws my
presents are the prettieSt She gets am to see her
Tomorrow, and then she will tell me how she likes
ina, mat aoll, III TOOK me nearly six months TO save
that money, and / have often gone hungry and
cold TO add to IL Bit but you see sir got her the
! best doll they had. after all"
He stopped with look of almost triumph on his
lace. Evidently he expected me TO say something,
but Tor 4 moment or two was powereS; To do So
Ordinary expressions OF sympathy seemed so weak
ana OUT ol place. Al last / murmured something
Which nih to ,i,,f hon
was TO me- and sought relief by plunging into a
business proposition.
on some little busineSs-say newspapers and sta
tOnery, with possibly cigars and tobacco or some
thing OF that kind?' / wasn't very sure what COM
| binatiOns small storekeepers make, so l ended
rather weakly.
Il have often thought of that, sir, but where
could get the capital? You have seen how little
can save in half year."
Come to my office the day after tomorrow, and
we VIII talk IL over. / think can promise to find
dependent, you can regard the advance as a loan
| TO be repaid at your convenience"
"You are more than good and kind, Mr. Roberts
a VIII weie3 leo On how eagerly anything that will
"Then let us go now. will get pen and ink at
the counter, and put the address on your parcel
"One moment sir want you to do me another
favor. You are perhaps going to make man of
me again. Meet me tomorrow and see my child
wish you to see the one thing that has kept the
| last spark OF pride alive in my bruised soul.
hesltated, for had my own family who would
an9 alter sending ths o oa nnay hGH
| LETT crane with promise to meet him at IL the
| next morning.
! When at that hour, 1 turned into an uptown
street. found him already there
we shall not keep you long, sir. That is, If her
nurse can slip her out as she expected, why, see,
there she comes nOw!"
He pointed to the corner, and, propelled by his
crutches set on h1ther, at a pace faster than
could walk; The child ran quickly towards him,
crying loudly enough for me to hear.
Papa, on, my dear papa
A moment later he pressed her to his breast, It
was a strange sight to see that fair. nreI1V ex.
quisitely dressed child and the poorIycafi crinnIe
whom the ordinary passer-by would have Thought
a beggar, holding each other in that close en-
brace. There seemed nothing in common between
| them, and yet now that his features were pIOri
ned by a moment OF intense happiness, could
trace likeness.
The child carried under one arm the blue satin
| doll, and as came close tothem heard her say:
Thank you so much for the lovely doll"
"Then you knew 1t came from men
"Oh, yes. had two other dolls and. oh. such
lots OF things, but nothing so lovely as this So
knew 1t came from you" w
am sure that then Crane was more than renaid
| for all the sacrifices he had made TO get it,
He took her by the hand and led her to me-
saying:
Jane want you to know this gentleman, who
| Is very kind TO me-" WV
She looked at me fearlessly, put out her little
.If you are kind to my poor papa, shall love
you very much.'
For very brief while father and daughter spoke
/ 'ObCIhOi. lhOu tuc SAID gently out firmly
| she must take her charge back Mrs Crane she
explained, had gone out In the carriage and might
| be back at any moment"
| With many last kiss and good-by they parted
| Crane stood watching his child as the nurse led
| her across the street. When in the middle OF the
| roadway, Jane slipped from her nurse and turned
| round, moving back a pace or two to hold up her
| doll and try to make 1t kiss its hand. At that
| moment rapidly driven brougham turned the
4 corner. The child heard the noise but In her
| hurry 10 run, slipped and fell. The horses were
almost upon her when Crane who seemed to use
| his crutches as leaping poles, cleared with one
| bound an almost incredible distance His crutches
/ dropped behind him as he alghted by the side OF
/ the child and rolled with her out OF danger The
carriage passed on quite ten yards further before
/ the coachman could stop his horses The nurse
| took Jane from her fathers arms.
| ''She's not hurt bit, sir"
| INo, papa I'm only little muddy
had by this time picked up the crutches and
/ given them TO Crane.
lady put her head from the carriage window
and asked why they had stopped.
| 'Came near running over child, ma'am who
| mad fallen down And II you please. ma am am
afraid it's Miss Jane" said the fOOtInan who had
got down and come 10 the door,
| 'Jane?' she cried, ''et me out Why didn't Won
say at Once?"
She passed quickly to the child who stood nv
her nurse, brushing the dirt and snow from her
little mantle
.Are you hurt, my darling?n
| 'Not bit, not even tiny bit, mamma
| ''She would have been maam,u said the foot.
| man, ''but Tor the chap saved her. He did de
| wonderful jump, and such poor looking thing
too" Ao
'sWhere is he?"
1 Gle skinned away rno,aro &c ,oon 49,.