The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-20
p BRAVE GIRL.
by ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS.
AUTHOR OF ,IE GATES ATARI, "sEALRD
TUBs,' Etc. ETC,

| the patients feel-0h, there is sorrow ic
miles around Almost every house
afflicted with yours, Hall the people i
the town are mouInegs too. You don
know me-Letty Blayns. It doesn't mai
ter, But thought I'd dare to come I
tell you. Most people liks their doCtor
but oh we loved ours. There was neye
any one like him, There was no end +
his unselfshness-nor his tenderness
nor his patienCe-Rnd when you wer
nervous he was as gentle as 4 he hRI
been q sick girl himself-and every
body pleased him, and eyeryhod,
owed him, and nobody knows whs
to do now he Is gone-suCh
man your father wssl There, I'll go now
Might kiss your | love you bscaus
you are my doctors daughter, Thaul
you shall remember that! won
trouble you any more, On, you poor
poor thingl :, -, Oh, We none OF u
ever thought Of i'll We never though
our Doctor could die!"
Lotto had but half cried her cry out be
hind the wood'pie when steps again dis
turbsd her,
"Are people not allowed even to be mis-
cradle in peace" she thought,
But, turning, she saw that 1t was hel
brother, Slam looked pale and forlorn
Her heart went out to meet the boy Il
whom, she remembere6, she had mo-
been any too DEVOTED In these hard days
lie was not so old as she, She must take
care Of him now, Had she been tOrSetfu
because he was only Slam
"What is It, dearP" she said gently.
II haven't any particular place to be-
said Slam. Nobody wants follow round
after funerals"
"Oome and cit by me-" said his sister
II shall be glad 10 have you. You haven't
get cut, or-hurt-in any now way have
yo4P There hasn't anything happened
to you, has there2"
"Whst do you take mo fort" asked
Slam reprovingy, ~ haven't done q
thing, but hammer my finger nail, since
father died, And S'reeuy bound it up
| was helping Jake and Wake about that
curtain to make two bedrOom8 for al
those cousins in the little corner east
1t don't ache so much as 1t might.
hate that cousin that says we might 60
West"
"IhGt isn't q cousin, said Lotto, "Thatl
Uncle Peter.O
as it," asked Slam, with an air OF In,
difference. NJ thought 1t was a sort o.
cousin. I'd like to ace the whole pack
Of 'em leave US to manage our own at
tairs,"
"They mean to DO kind, Slam. It's oil
right you know suppose w0 ought t
bs thankful and all that, and we've
got 70 manage our own GASi,s fast
enough"
81 s'pose shall have to do IT." said
SLAM, with Rn important air, whiting
looth.picks out Of pine kindliugs while he
talked, "lm the man Of the house now
When you stop getting banged up and
out to pieces and drowned and all that
dear-why,yes, sometime. You will DO the
man OF the house ultimately, OF course,
replied Lotto, lnusingly. She WINS thinking
OF many things that had butnOw occurred
to her.
"UltimatelyP" This word was rather
beyond Slam. "But father wasn't the
man OF the house ultimately. II hi
wasn't you needn't expect 1t oil me. I've
got 10 he the real thing. Say, Lotto, how
do you like tho cousin with the red wig
lie asked me II | said my prayers ever!
night"
"Dld heP"
"Yep; n no told me to be good boy
too. You SEQ II | don't be even with him
put pins in his boots, but you needn'
"Why, Slam At such time as this I
ooh, | didn't do 1t until father was on
OF the house." Raid Slam, with the tear
starting in bis big, bright boys eyes, :"
didn't show any disrespect TO my father
You needn't worry. l waited till ate
the funeral. ! did 1t because | WASH
happy. II father hadn't died l wouldn'
have done 1t. was 80 unhappy Eel
better 10 see that cousin gQuirm when HI
got them on. WANTED to put pepper OF
Aunt Ginger's luncheon when she wen
away. But she was only q woman 80
thought wouldn't"
"I3ut Slam, they're all very good to Us,
urged Lotto, smiling despite herself. 1
was her first smile since the trouble
slam returned It. Tho boy and girl look
ed into each others eyes, and laughed {
little and 80 felt better. Lotto wondered
| II her father would like to see them laugh
and concluded that he would.
"see here, Lotol"
"Well, Stamp
"When the whole cabcodle Is gone
only like Uncle John; wouldn't mint
Uncle John-but when the lot Ia packet
OF, what 10 going TO become Of usP"
II don't know, slam.n
ave amt rich, are WEI"
"Not rich. Almost poor"
"Wasn't father riChY'
"Not rich only always busy"
"0hl patients, s'pose. l Away
hated 'em-Coming round Christmas, ant
stormy nights, and taking our fathe
lently.
"Whats going to be done7" he asket
after silence: when you and me ant
mother get to ourselves In peace, what
goin' to be done with me2"
1--WE haven't decided yet, Slam"
| ~ suppose" said Slam loitily, punch
ing the saTdust with his toothpiCk, I"
suppose shall have to educate You'll"
Finding that Lotto made no reply to thi
selfsacfihCing remark, Slam snapped hi
jack.kniie together, and said S'reeny hat
promised him hot biscuit at II and h
guessed heed go and SEQ about It. Gus
| you don't worry, sis." no said grandly, a
he walked away. "You're only o girl
GirlSshouldn't worry about business. II
attend to things"
kiss me, Slam" said Lotto, laughin
through her tears. The two fstherles
children exchanged o short, iurtiye, bu
iorlofn and troubled kiss-the boy half a
II he were ashamed Of 1t and the girl as
nhn ihnnnht Il WarA heat for thu hnv.-nnI