The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-05-24
A PAUPER BOY HERO.
The Little Story Of Two Babes in
the Wood

He was a little pauper boy being re-
turned TO the State that must maintain
him. be sat very quiet in his seat.
thinking Of his grandmother, who had
died in the little village that was send
ing him away. He thought Of her
grave on the hillside burying ground.
where wild roses and raspberry bushes
elung about the stones; where the bees
hummed In the sunshine. the birds
sang in the naples. and the long grass
in the soft summer breeze blew across
the graves like pals He remembered
a hOrny-handed farmer, who had
passed HIM on his sad journey 70 the
depot with one Of the selectmen Of the
town, and the farmer had patted his
head. saying kindly. Take this i've
cents, bub; keep it and you'll never
want money. for you'll allus have it."
He pOndered over this arithmetical
problem until his brain was tired.
When he drank from the rusty tin cup
he thought of the rollieking brown
brook that ran through the village,
and wondered il the children playing
on its banks would remember him.
No one tried To talk to him for he
was such - small, quiet child he was
not noticed No one saw the pathetic
little face grow pale o. the shadows
come in his bright dark eyes lie
dreamed the second night Of his jour
ney that with his grandmother he was
walking on a long bridge and a great
steamship breathing dense. black
smoke came crashing down upon them.
He awoke with little cry and found
himself lying on the ground under the
stars. There had been an accident TO
the train and some kind man had lifted
the unconscious child out Of a window.
A light flashed close 10 his face.
"lt's the little chap shipped to Wis
consin. said brakeman, holding his
light lower. che is dead. think. and
better or no doubt. poor little fellow"
After long blank the child came
back to life with those words ringing
in his ears; dead and better of. >"
There were thick woods near. and close
to him wounded people lying on
blankets Affair." of was a lurid light
where one Of the wrecked cars was
burning. He wondered what had hap
pened; in terror he staggered 10 his
feet aud with the blind instinct Of a
sleep walker stumbled into the forest
When the wounded people were carried
away he was forgotten. He was all
alone in the world, there was no one
TO miss him.
In a cool. grassy hollow hidden by
tall green ferns he slept until late the
next dav. lie wondered then If he
were dead. he seemed deserted by
every one. and he had no idea how he
came into the woods lie saw his little
basket near him. noted ms clothes were
burned and dusty. He listened aud the
ripple Of brook came TO him. lie
went to it and bathed his head and the
wound in his forehead that began to
smart. There was little rustic in the
alder brushes. and there acrOss the
brook. looking at him with beaming
face. was a little. golden-haired child.
Her blue eyes were red with tears. her
pretty white gown dirty and torn, her
blue sash trailing on the ground.
Harry. my Harry" she cried.
stretching out her little arms. "come
get baby. baby never wun of no more"
He went across the brook carrying
his basket. She was very hungry and
his generous heart rejoiced that he had
eaten little all the journey and had
chung tight to his basket through his
trials. From her confused talk he
learned she had been lost in the woods
the day before and slept all night at
the foot Of a tree. She saw he was not
Harry. but stroked his face with her
loving hand. saving: ''Ou hurted. poor
other Harry? Mamma make GU well. "
His senses coming to him with this new
charge. he took her by the hand and
set out to find somebody.
He was not afraid in the woods. for
he and his grandmother had slept
many a night under the stars. To-
wards dark he saw on side path a
pair Of shining eyes, round globes of
fire. He was carrying the child. and
he kept bravely on. saving the prayer
his grandmother had taught him. The
luminous eyes disappeared quickly.
and he knew il was only a harmless
little fox. When he could 90 no fur
Their he laid the child down. covering
her with his jacket. and watched until
no fell aSlpen bv her side
So quaint and pretty a pair might
have been those two sweet babes left
in the depths Of a forest by a cruel
uncle. and after wandering. finding a
serene sleep.and leafy shroud brought
by ''the minor poets Of the air. the
little woodland birds.
In the afternoon his basket was
empty, but he gathered the dead ripe
raspberries and the shining blackber-
ries under their sheltering vines. They
passed some COWS that day. mild
solemn creatures. who looked at them
curiously but did not stir. though enc
little calf ran in terror. making the
baby laugh merrily. They came to
deserted log hut that night where the
men in a deserted sugar camp had
lived. and here he made the child a bed
Of fir boughs. They were hungry and
thirsty. The brooks were dry in the
depths Of the forest, the only water the
spring away back by the ferns The
grass was dead and sere, the flowers
wilted and withered. The air was
close and hot and the boy. whose arms
were weary carrying his little charge.
stood in the open door Of the hut look
ing at the velvet blackness Of the sky.
where, like diamonds. a few stars
peeped out over the tree tops Sud-
denly along the grass-grOwn road by
the hut he heard the sound Of gallop-
brave boy. and II you like you can live
here always. with mother for your
mother and the rest Of us relations"
The sick boy smiled happily. and.
with his hand in that friendly one. fell
into a healthful slumber that meant re-
cOvery.
That bit Of drift In the river Of life |
had found happy and secure harbor
Yet he deserved il, that little pauper
boy with the soul Of 4 hero.-P1tieHos
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