The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-10-25


pretty box of chocolate drops or ne
would carry, by the handle placed be-
tween his teeth, a basket OF ripe
peaches Sometimes it would be a
picture book, but always on Saturday,
if on no other day, Bill wo uld take his
little neighbor something.
But it grieved Bill sorely when he
noticed that the summer sunshine and
the fresh air passing through the open
window failed 20 bring the roses to the
pale checks Of the crippled child, and
he almost wished he might somehow
get acquainted with the good aunt
and propose in some way to send
Millie to the seashore at his own ex-
pense- He spent many hours each day
IN turning over this idea in his mind.
but Bill was very reserved and disliked
to force his acquaintance upon
strangers
One Saturday in September Bill. as
usual, climbed pole No. III, taking
with him a basket of luscious pears
He had to stand at the extreme end OF
the longest cross-arm to be able to set
the basket in the window, and as he
lA45 4hAA4AG, l4O a4S LDl 4cCAADE 81
well as usual, said to him:
do you think you could reach over
and kiss me? You TO so good and kind
should ike to thank you, sir, and all
can give you IS a kiss"
Bill wanted to say something In re-
ply, but he couldn't do it-he felt too
''choky." He managed to lean over.
however-his feet on the cross-arm
and his hands upon the window-sill,
while his lank body spanned the space
between. He kissed the soft white
cheek OF the delicate child, while she
whispered in his ear:
Il s'pose you never hear on the
wires messages from the angels for
me?" she asked, childlike, but, oh, so
wistfully.
How the words did cut into Bills
heart. for he had grown strangely at
tached to his little friend He feared
that all too soon the angel of death
would carry a message to the helpless
little cripple-but he hoped not just
yet He gulped down the lump that
rose in his throat and answered as
pleasantly as possible
'Well, my dear, they hain't sent no
message TO you, not direct; but often
hear EN-, those blessed angels what
watch over all little children, and
they says to me: Bill, you must try
and make it pleasant for that there lit
tie Millie. She has tough time OF il
a-lyin' there so quiet and patient day
after day; so you must go up thai pole
= i I
cheer her up a bit And these blessed
angels tells me, you'll find you're
happy man, BIZ, II so be you car win
the love Of that there little gall"
''Ah, well, said the child, rs Bill
finished, I'm glad the angels think
about me, and if / could L would tell
them that you're very good to me. sir.
i do love you a great deal VIII you
kiss me again before you goP"
So once more Bill the Lineman kissed
the crippled girl and then descended
TO the sidewalk
The next day. it being Sunday. Bill
did not see Millie, but on Monday
morning, as usual, he climbed pole
number VA 1t was a bright, sun
shiny day in early autumn. but the
tenement house was on the east side of
the street, so that curtains, where they
had such luxuries, were never drawn
in the forenoon Up went Bill, eager
70 see the child, and he noticed before
he was halfway up that the window
was up TO its usual height, but there
was no pale little face 10 greet him
Perhaps Miles good aunt was
1t home? Well, Bill thought he would
take just a hasty glance to satisfy him
self, and then hurry down. He lis
tened for a moment but he heard 40
sound of footsteps or OF voices in the
quiet room So he peered through
the open window and there, only a few
feet back, he saw a small, white coffin
He was unable to see the face in the
casket, but Bill the Lineman, knew
only too well that a message from the
angels had come to Millie since he
kissed her on Saturday morning.
The truth flashed upon the Door fel-
low painfully enough and the shock
was SO severe that it was only force of
habit that enabled him to retain his
foothold on the cross-arm. He was
dazed for several minutes and could
not take his dimmed eyes from the lit
tie white coffin all alone in the quiet
ROOM He trembled with mental and
physical agitation and was weak as
woman when he commenced his de-
scent OF the tall pole.
1t was with much difficulty that he
struck the climbers into the hard ood,
to get a foothold, and his hands re-
fused to give him the support of their
usual firm grip. Half way down his
feeble strength completely failed him,
and he fell more than twenty feet 10
the stone sidewalk. 1nsensible, and
with broken leg poor Bill lay there,
while knot of idlers and passers-by
gathered about him ~ -. ]
.'Bill the Lineman-taken a tumble
at last" exclaimed the groceryman
from the corner, while Bills friend,
the policeman, telephoned fer the hos
pital ambulance. $50, e. !.
Bill the Lineman did not die, but he
was confined in the hospital for many
weeks The pain OF his bruises and
his fractured limb did not hurt him
nearly as much as did his grief when
he thought of the little child at the
tenement house window, and of the
small white coffin which he had seen.
He could not forget Millie and the kiss
with which she had thanked him
One day. when he was getting along
pretty well. Bills nurse said to him:
There's young woman would like
TO see you She says she's Miles
aunt and that you will know her by
that"
'.Mnlie's good aunt" murmured
Bill TO himself Yes" he added
aloud, 81 should like to see her.
nurse"
When, a moment later, '.Millie's
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