Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-09-19
self, because they reminded him of his
old home in the Berkshire Hills.

self. because they reminded him of his
old home in the Berkshire Hills.
The lineman was now anxious to
see who the new tenant might be. but
his, curiosity in that direction was
doomed to disappointment Never, in
all the many times that Bill after
wards climbed the tall telegraph pole.
did he once see through the window
the owner of the hands that scrubbed
the floor and cleaned the glass and
placed the flower box upon the win
dow-siH.
But before very long he did see
face at the windoy-such a wee, wan
little face it was, too-so pale and yet
so pleasing-the face of little girl,
perhaps seven or eight years old. Bill
saw that she was cripple. lying upon
an adjustable invalid's chair, and. as
the lineman turned his head from the
white face with its large. sad eyes,
something fell from his brown and
roughened cheek to the sidewalk be-
low, where it made wet spot about
as big as twenty-five-cent piece.
For the sight of the crippled child
awakened memories in the heart and
mind of Bill the Lineman that were
more bitter than sweet and always
very sad.
Ten years before, when Bill was
strapping young fellow in Western
Massachusetts, he had married one of
the prettiest girls in the village. Bill
was proud of his girl wife and loved
her very dearly. He was a happy
fellow indeed when there came to his
home baby girl and his love for the
tiny thing was second only to his af-
lection for tho baby's mother. Soon
after the little one came Bill moved
to the city. where he had obtained
employment, and then all his bad luck
came to him.
His wife, who had been so neat a
housewife, gradually changed into a
slatternly gadabout She read cheap
story papers and went to the matinees
at the third-rate theaters, while her
home and her child, as well as poor
Bill, were altogether neglected. Bill
was beside himself with grief, and had
it not been for the baby, which he
watched. tended and played with all
through his leisure hours, possibly he
might have done something reckless.
One day while Bill was at work the
careless wife and mother, engrossed
in dime novel, dropped the baby
; from her lap, and the little one was
} hopelessly crippled by the fall. When
} Bill came home and learned the truth
he cried like child with grief He
!; fretted all the night, and in the morn
ing remained away from his work
that he might hold the baby, laid upon
a pillow, in his arms. Often the tears
would roll down his cheeks, but he
never once scolded or reproached his
, wife.
At last, overcome with remorse and
unable to endure the sight of her hus-
bands grief and her child's pain, the
girl (she was but twenty put on her
hat and went out, to return no more
to her home.
For six years the poor fellow tender
ly cared for his baby, but when the
little girl was seven years old she
died. and Bill was left without any
comfort at Ill.
The lineman had been alone for
three years when he beheld the face
of the little child at the crooked win
dow-a face that opened old scars. but
which none the less swelled Bill
tender heart with kindly sentiments
toward the little cripple.
Before he went down he nodded
cheerily to the girl, and it sent a
thrill of pleasure through the big fell
low when the wan face answered his
greeting by faint smile. For many
: days Bill nodded from the cross-arms
to his little neighbor, and he felt as
though they were really getting quite
well acquainted.
} Soon the spring time came, and one
warm. sunny day the lower sash OF
the crooked window was thrown up,
while the child leaned forward as il
, to inhale and enjoy to the full the
sweet balmy air of the May morning.
Then the acquaintance of Bill and the
small, pale-faced cripple was begun in
J earnest
That's good" said the lineman,
; after nodding as usual. You want
t some of this fresh air to bring back
f the roses to those lily-white cheeks.
How does my little neighbor feel to-
) day?"
r At first the child only smiled. as shy
children will. in response to her
? strange friends remarks and inquir.
, les. but before very long this bashful.
3 ness wore away and then the girl chat
9 ted freely to the big man on the lofty
3 pole.
, Down in the street the people ani
4 tie teams hurried to and fro, bu
= forty feet above them Bill the Line
| Al