Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-06-08

uOn believe one OF those bows
krows what it is to have pain or an
ache, sighed pale little fellow, whose
only practical legs were n pair of
wooden crutches leaning against the
wIndow-slll where he was lying.
1t was warm day, and party of
happy school fellows were on their wav
to the river for a row There was Ned
johnson, Will Fairfax, and True Ste
vens; and so full of nonsense and fun
were they that none of them noticed
the wlstful gaze of poor little Perry
Evans as he followed them with brown
eyes only, while they went laughing
down the lane.
Besides being lame Perry was lonely:
tor ne had no brothers and sisters, and
his mother had to 90 to work. SO he
found the summer days long and wear
lsome. Fortunately he had some talent
for making little toys and trihes. which
was an occupation, but often he was
not well enough to work; and to day
ne was mourning the loss of MS ONLY
tool OF Importance, al old knife which
had been so often sharpcned that it
had at last snapped in two.
Perhaps this was why his ewes were
so quick to detect something shining in
the road-something that True Stevens
ha! pulled out of his pocket with his
handkerchief, as he went laughing
along In his careless fashion, and had
left 1t lying there, to be crunched by
the first cart-whcel that passed.
Perry reached for his cruches and.
hobblcd ont to where this shining
object lay; and his heart gave a bound
OF delight rs he picked mp brand.
new knife with big and little blades.
hat beauty" he said to himself
as he turned itoverand over, and forth.
with drew ftom his pocket piece of
wood, a which he had been ineffectu.
ally hacking. The new knife cut tho
pine wood as if it had been cheese. and
IN less than 10 time Perry had the hulk
OF small schooner on the bench beside
him.
The morning was gone before he
knew i, and the bench was full of
chips, while Il feet of little boats stood
in tim array on the window sill bv the
time Perry remembered that his dinner
must be eaten.
He thought he was alone as he I'M
covered the plate of cold meat and
pic"d "hlch MS mothef hau lett Tor
HIM, and so would any one else have
thought had that person looked in the
neat and tidy place which was parlor,
bedroom and kitchen all in one; but,
all the same, he was not alone I'm
known to Perry, a strange guest was
beside him, one who comes unhidden to
many feast where wine sparkles and
fruit and flowers blush and glow. Sin
gular that he should take a poor little
cripple for his host when he can have
kings and cmpcrors for the choosing.
But here he was, close beside Perry,
whispering in the child's ear; and this
was what he said:
That knife Is yours. IT Is Just what
YOU need. 1t might have been twisted
into uselessness OF rusted and broken
before any ole saw il, had You not been
at the window. 1t was Just chance
that made yoa aware who dropped it;
and thai careless boy can buy as many
as he wants, while you suffer for the
need of one. How foolish you are to
think for q moment of returning it!
Take my advice; keep u. Say nothing
to ANYBODY about IT, and no one Will he
the wiser
Perry pushed his plate away, saying
to himself I'm not bit hungry;
guess I've worked too hard.
just then small brown wren began
twittcring on the maple tree, aud
sweet scent of hoaeysuckle was waited
~ rom the vine outside '''I' lerry rove"
',ho ,',i t,noovsn no u,os So much oIcno
H. ,t Ln hod aI,sarvod tba,, more close.
ia' h ,t t"dar tba hnrJnn If The wrcn's
t ~ ~" sao w 10 I've.
"6on,t DOM 10 it You know WHY.
vo,, D Imo y, u mhr w I've " "
~ Th Mi t;rod little fellow curled him.
so,f "r ~ r'' CIV his he'd and went 70 slecn
S Tta up no" "n "' ;n~ii;i,in dinner anept
wont AVA Tho wren flew 10 her nest
T Ten' u; r" ~ aftermoo , Nod and Viii
and i' Trn az, Who had not oniv rowed, but
"n,' W W. ,;a i, far norrs On tho r,vor
SWIM ano i,n,ur h ,oi ano IN tbo t;rod list
we're saun''t .ha. '' Inrs fou ' into wbon