The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-08-24

word"
"Do you think he wouldn't2" ques,
toned Steve, halt convinced
why, OF course" answered Phil,
"drag it up any way. 1t will look
patriotic to see it there, even il we
don't fire it of"
can right" agreed tie boys, eve
a do that much" and soon they
were digging with all their strength in
the sand.
1t did not take long TO resurrect it
from the grave in which the authori.
ties had ordered it buried several
years before, considering it unsafe.
The Cannon was about three feet long
and very rusty from its long sojourn
on the river bank, With shouts of
triumph the three boys dragged it up
to the playground, the other boys
gathering around in admiration.
What are you to do with it,
Phll?" came from all sides. You
daren't set it of" shouted some one.
I'D like TO know why l can't" said
Phil, with a toss OF his head, you
Just wait and see."
"No, no." urged some OF the more
conscientious ones, "the doctor said
we must not"
But Phil with a few plausible
excuses soon won them over, and the
cannon vas putin position andloaded.
"Just watch Alfy," whispered the
boys, won't ne jump and run when
the old thing goes OFF, and, more
intent on watching him than the
cannon, the match was applied.
Stand back, boys!" cried Phil,
oxcitedly, shes going Off"
The boys retreated to a safe dis
tance, all excepting Ally, who, with
had drawn dangerously near. A mo-
ment of breathless suspense and then
a d~eafening explosion, loud enough to
satisfy any boy. And with the
report, pieces of iron went flying
through the air, for the old cannon
had seen it's last Fourth, and gone TO
pieces in a burst OF patriotism.
After the noise there was q dead
silence, for. if the truth were told, the
boys were all very much frightened,
and then came q pitiful moan.
Its Ally Alty's hurt" exclaim.
ed some one, and in a moment Phil
was by his side, and had the little
fellow in his arms.
run for DR.. Richmond he cried,
hoarsely, II am afraid he is deadl5
Ally was taken to the house, and
tenderly laid on a bed, and a
surgeon was hastily summoned. The
boys gathered III the playground;
not a word was spoken. Phil threw
himself on his face under a tree, and
no one dared speak TO him, not even
Fred. 1t seemed an age until DIR.
Richmond came out of the house, and
walked toward the boys. His lace
was very white a. he said gravely:
"Alfy is not dead, boys, but his leg is
so badly injured the surgeons tear it
will be necessary to take it off,
Phil buried his face iii mis- hands
and groaned alond, and some Of the
smaller boys began to cry.
''Since the fruits of your disobedi-
ence have proved so terrible contin-
ued the doctor, sit is useless for me
to say anything further
The day dragged to a weary end,
and soon after the early tea Phil
made his appearance in the doctors
study.
"Dr. Richmond he began, hesita-
tingly, ''do you think they would let
me help take ARE OF Allyn am sure
! could if you would only let me try"
''But ! thought you were trying for
the junior prize" said thu doctor,
land if you do not take these exaEa.
nations you will stand no show At
all"
Phil swallowed a big lump in his
throat and iagtered;
~ don't care anything about the
prize now. ! would rather take care
OF Ably than win a dozen OF them"
The doctor knew that he had rot
said it wIthoat q struggle, for he bad
worked very hard for the prize, but
he thought the lessons learned bye
Aify's osusEda would prove more val
liable to him than years of learning
SO he gave his consent, and Phil took
his place as Alfy's head nurse.
IL was some weeks before it WAS de-
Glued that the poor little crushed
limb could be saved. During the
time Phil felt the suspense was more
than he could bear, and when the sur
geons told him AIfv was safe, bis graft
itude knew no bounds.
After what seemed to the boys q
long time OF waiting, they were admit
ted, one by one, to have q peep at
the little fellow. They had much to
tell him OF the last balkAor cricket
match, or how CharlevEhad been
thrown twice by the black colt, and
Steve was nearly drowned the week
before.
Ally would listen 18th d smile. but
when they had gone he would lay his
thin hand on Phips cheek, saying;
.You suit me best of all, Phil.
What rejoicing there was when Ally
Was able to have Phil carry him out
TO the playgreGnd once more, The
boys had been whispering among
themselves for a week or more, and
several mysterious letters had gone
back and forth to the city. The night
before d large package Was cerrisd up
to the doctors study By Fred and
Steve.
When Ally made his appearance IN
PhiPs arms, what a shout went up
f-rta Aha krwAf Thar7f aHUaNoaH ~