The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-11

VINO would eTpeCt 10 nave 0il my time
but l finally yielded, and after seHdini
the doll by . messenger boy, | left Crane
with promise to meet him At II the mex
morning.
| When at that hour, turned into an
uptown street, found him already there,
1--WE shall not keep you long, sir. That
Is, II her nurse Csn slip cut "a she ex-
pec!ed. Why, see, there she comes nov u
He pointed to the corner, and propelled
by his CruEChes set of thllhar, at a pace
faster than | could walk. This child ran
quickly towards him, crying loudly
enough for me to hear,
"Papa, oh, my dear papan
A moment later he pressed her to his
breast, 1t was q strange eight to see that
fair, pretty, exquisltely dressed child, and
the POorly-Clsd cripple, whom the Ordl-
nary pssssr-by would have thought q beg
gar, holding each other in that close em.
brace. There seemed nothing In common
between them, and yet, now that his Tea.
lures were gloriiled by a moment Of in.
tense happiness, could trace q likeness.
Ths child carried under one arm the
blue satin doll, and as came close TO them
| heard her say;
"Thauk you SO much for the lovely
doll"
"Then you knew II came from me-"
"Oh, yes. had two other dolls, and
oh, such lots Of things, hut nothing 80
lovely as this, So l knew it came from
you"
| anu sure that then Crane was more
than repaid for all the sacrifices he had
made TO get 1t,
He took her by the hand and led her to
me, saying;
"Jsne, want you to know this gentle.
man, who Ia very kind to me-"
She looked at me feaTleRsly, put out her
little hand, and Eaid'
MI you are kind to my poor papa, | |
shall love you very much"
For q very brief while father and
daughter spoke together, Then tho nurse
said gently but firmly she must take har |
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 pace OF two, 10 hold up her
doll and try 10 make 1t kiss her hand, At
that moment rapidly driven broughRm
turned the corner. The child heard the
noise, but IN her hurry to run, slipped and
tell, 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
crutchea dropped behind him as he
Rlighted by the side OF the child and
rolled with her out Of danger, The car.
rage passed on quite ten yards further
before the coHChman could stop his
horses. The nurse took Jane from her
lather's arms.
"She's not hurt bit, sir"
"No, papa, I'm only little muddy"
l had by this time picked Vp the
,rutphes and given them to Crane,
A lady put her head from the carriage
window, and asked why they had
Itopped,
"Came near running over a child, {
nR'Sm, who had fallen down. And, Ii IL
rou please ma'am, am afraid vs. Mics
Jane" said tho iootmRn who had go! |.
lown and come tn the door. Is
"Janer" she cried, ''let me out. Why
lidn't you soy go at once p Ii
She passed quickly TO the child who /
jtood by hor nurse, brushing the dirt and
NOW from her little mantle.
"Are you hurt, my dar!ingP'
"Nota bit, not even a tiny bit, mamma"
"Sho would have been, ma'sm," said
he fOOtman, "but for the chap as saved
Ter. He did do wonderful jump, and
Iueh poor.looking thing, too"
"WbeIe is heT
"He skipped away, ma'lm, as soon as
10 cav Miss Jane wasn't hurt"
did not misl Crane till then. II was
rue no had disappeared.
slam CORY he went away" said the
mother, Gs abe lifted her daughter into
he Cariiage. ~ should have liked to
AVE given him something"