Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-06-14
BOUlI-BOUM.

There lay the child, pale as death, in
his narrow, white bed. His eyes, ex-
banded by fever, looked straight ahead
with that strange fixed stare of the sick
who already see things the living ig-
more.
At the foot of the bed sat themother
following anxiously the progress of i'll
ness on the emaciated face of the boy
and biting her fingers to repress her
sObs. The father, an honest workman,
was keeping back the tears that hung
scaIding on his redeemed eyelids.
Day was breaking sweet and clear
on that pleasant spring morning, and
the light was stealing into the narrow
room in the Rue DIES ADDRESSES. where
little Francois, the child of jacques
Legrand and Madeleine, his wife, lay
dying.
He was only Z. White, rosy, and
happy; quick and gay as a sparrow
poor little fellOW-only three weeks be-
fore. But then he caught the fever,
and one afternoon they brought him
home from school, his head aching and
his little hands feverish. Since then he
had been in bed, and deliriOus at times,
,.
There were his shoes. His mother had
put them on a shelf i'll Il corner. Some
times he would say: Throw them
away. Little Francois will never want
his shoes again. Francois never will
put them on. Francois never will 90
to school again-neyer, never"
Then the boys father would say:
"Will you keep still?" and the mother,
pale and wasted, would hide her head
not hear her crying.
That night the child was no longer
out of his mind, but the doctor was
much worried, because for the last two
days he had shown q strange depres-
sion, just as if, at years of age, he
was already tired of life. Francois
seemed so listless, and would let his
head drop. He refused all food. The
smile on his poor, thin lips had fled.
The eyes were haggard, and still there
was that sad look, that sought some
thing far, far away-what?
something up there, perhaps!" the
mother thought, as she tTembled.
He refused his tea, his broth, his sir
up and water. He would take moth
ing.
"What would you like tohave, Fran
cois?"
Nothing"
But something must be DONE" said
the doctor. Il am afraid of that
torpid state. You, the father, the moth
er, you ought to know about your
child. Try to find something, no mat
ter what, which may bring back to
earth this little soul which is flying
away to another world" And then the
doctor left.
Try to find something's
Yes; of course. If anybody knew
what their Francois cared for it was
the father and mother. How he used
to delight in robbing the hedges of their
bloom of a Sunday and bringing them
back to Paris by the armful. perched
on his fathers shoulders. He 10 ed to
see Punch and Judy on the Champs
Elvsee from inside the rope with the
little rich children. Jacques Legrand
bought leaden soldiers for Francois and
picture ones on paper sheets Of gaily-
colOred soldiers, cut them out, made
them dance on the bed, and pretended
to laugh, but the tears were in his
eyes.
Look, look. Here we 90! It's
general. Don't you remember? Watch
out now A big, big, general. Don't
you know? The very one we saw once.
He was on parade. Now, | will tell
YOU what l will 10. Just you take a
good pull of this nice tea and / will buy
You general with a real blue uniform
and golden epaulets. Does Francois
want his general?n
No" replied the child in that short,
scant, metallic voice which fever pro-
duces.
..All right. We won't say general
any more, but a true-fOr-true pistol.
That's what we want, and marbles,
crOss-bow."
NO was the reply, quick, and al
most cruel,
No matter what it was, balloons,
jumping-jacks, the father and mother
offered, the answer was always the
same: s'No-no-noi"
What, my poor little man, do you
want?" asked the mother. There
must be something, and tell it to me,
Your mother" and she bent over the
pillow. and whispered all this in his
ear, cunningly, like secret. Then the
child sat up for a moment, stretched