The Opelousas courier., 1889-04-13
1]f9Fg~IE BOW-LEGS.
How He Repaid the Doctor for Hi
Kindness.

It certainly was a dreadful day for
the middle of March, the sleet was be-
ing driven in clouds along the streets
by a keen east wind, and roads and
pavements were deep in slush. Nurse
Grant paused just within the threshold
of a small house in Old Road, Stepney,
to unfurl her umbrella and gather up
her skirts. 81 will call again this
evening, Mrs. Evans; but I think the
danger is past for the present, and you
need not be uneasy"
"Thank you, nuss, I'm sure. Please
God. Things will 60 better now"
''Well, I really think she is around
the corner; but be sure she takes
plenty OF nourishment. Good morn
ing
"Oh. nuss, / nearly forgot, SO I did!
Will you just call at No. 9 and see Lit
tie 8ow-legsyg" a
The nurse nodded; she was alre k,dy
out in the street, and the wind wSuld
have drowned any verbal reply. Her
black vail was blown across her face,
her umbrella creaked with the strain
upon it, and nurse gave a little shiver
as she hurried along, pushed on by the
wind as by unseen hands. When she
reached No. 9, she gave a sharp, double
rap at the knocker, and then watched
a grating in the pavement to the left.
A face appeared below it presently,
and nurse nodded; a moment later the
!, door swung open, and nurse dived into
the welcome shelter.
Very dark down stairs to-day. isn't
1T, Miss Moses?"
1T is SO, nurse; but I'm glad all the
rooms are let
I'D rather have one upstairs room
unlet, I think. and get more light and
air. | wonder / don't have you for a
patient, living in a cellar like that"
and nurse shook her head severely and
began to climb the stairs. On the sec
ond landing she opened a door and an
tered a low room Lit by one small dirty
window. There was a bed in one cor
ner of the room, and a large table COW
cred with crockery, sewing materials,
papers, ETC., stood in the middle. The
walls were hung with ~bird-cages OF
every description, some wretched little
wooden things, others nice, large
breeding-cages, and all occupied by
birds, who were iuttering and singing,
and filing the room with noise. Sew
eral strings were stretched across the
ceiling, from which damp garments
were hung; and diving under these.
nurse reached the fireplace, before
which a small boy Vas sitting. He haze
o heard her enter because of the
birds; but directly he saw her he Gat
up from the floor, and seizing various
rags, threw them over the cages from
which the loudest songs were thrilling,
and then pushed forwlrd a chair and
said: "sit down" H was q boy o.
about seven, with a weQ-shaped head
and clear, pale compilations; IN his
face was a grave expression, as of one
weighed down by weary experiences
HE is very i'll, nurse. Do you thinl
he can liver He is to be my very owl
II he does;'' and he held up a wretched
looking canary he had been cuddlins
under his coat.
1T looks very i'll, Jim. Has j
caught cold?n
II b'lieve so. He used to sing beau
tiful, better nor all the others put to
gether, and now I think he'll die"
II hope not. But you didn't SEN
for me to see the canary, did you?"
mo, nurse The boy paused an,
covered up his bird. Il want to go t
the 'orspitaL"
I'm afraid. dear boy, they can't d
any thing for you there
oh yes, they can; they q do mos
any thing. Do take me-
.sBut, JIM ii would be . horrid OF
GRAFTON, and you would have to stay j
bed for weeks
Il don't care, ! don't care for muffin
SO as to be like other boys. Now,
can't run, but / tumbles down, an
they shouts after me eyerywher'
There goes Little Bow-legsfn Ii
l,oy's voice quivered, and nurse locke
distressed.
Just then the door opened, and
woman came in with a black bundle
her arms. BLESS me, nurse, is th,
youp Sure you are good to that bo,
dunno what he would 90 Without I'll
books you lend him, for he can't pls
like other boys
rs that work, Mrs. MILAN? Ho
are you getting onpn
The woman unpinned the black bu
dle and threw it on the bed. "Flann
trousers, nurse. A nice Job to do in
muck of d room like this. They Dir
sprinkle dirty water ouer every thing
Better than no work; md the Dir
paid the DOCTORS bill last year"
That's true toe. IIow's Bet
Evansan
she IS much better to-day. ADD
this boy ct yours. Mrs. MILAN; he ga
he wants to go to the hospital to see
they 9 straightea his l.ga. What
gou wishps