The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-01-10

linen ne cnangeu MS tone ana cried,
with eager, boyish pride:
"Made so cents to-day, mother!
Old gentleman gave me back the
change!
'Oh. crickley. how my head hurts!''
then he ran his hands up through his
perspirat,on moistened hair.
Feel like I'd been clipped over the
head with a club"
He tried to get up, but was to weak
and he tell back exhausted.
You must try to keep quiet, Rob-
bie!" urged his mother. ppm afraid
you'll make your fever worse"
She placed q damp cloth upon his
throbblng brow, and, little later, he
passed again into q troubled sleep.
The poor woman was worn out by
long hours of watching and anxiety.
She sank into chair, buried her face
in her hands and gave way to flood
of silent tears.
It was Il sad and touching picture.
The room was small and poorly furn.
ished. A faded carpet, made OF rags,
covered the floor; and the half-open
cupboard revealed but q slender stock
OF eatables.
Hrs. Hilton's husband had died
three years before, leaving her with
two children to support in a world
where charity is truly very cold.
Robbie, the elder OF the two, was a
puny cripple from his birth; but for
two full years he had assisted her
manfully. Now he lay stricken with
a dangerous fever. The earnings OF
her needle had sadly dropped away,
for she could do little work while
watching with her sick one.
Later in the day the doctor came.
The little "newsy" was sleeping
quietly, and his breathing seemed less
spasmodic and irregular than it had
been.
1.-THE crisis ispast," the doctor said,
when he had finished his examinar
ton. "Yoar boy will get we'll"
Grateful tears sprang to Mrs. Hill.
tons eyes, as she breathed to God q
silent prayer Of thanksgiving. "And
now" the doctor said, II am sure he
will recover. There is one thing
I must insist upon. If you
wish your boy to grow strong and
ruddy, you must take him to the
country. Let him grow up amid the
beautiful surroundings of country
life, and he will be hearty and robust.
His constitution is fragile, and I
doubt if he will live to manhood I'M
less what l urge is done.
mo need to explain your circum-
stances, madame. know you could
not do this unassisted. Feeling sure
that the crisis in the case would be
reached to-day, I took the liberty OF
speaking to some excellent ladies of
my acquaintance, and asked what
they could do if your boy took turn
for the better, as felt sure he would. 4"
'In a word then, there is a little
cottage and q little plat ofground two
miles from M, which you can
have rent free as long as you care to
remain there. l believe you could do
something in the vegetable and poul-
try lines, aud no doubt you will also
be able to earn considerable
amount with your needle"
The proposition had come so sud-
denly that Mrs. Hilton could do no
more than tender her heartfelt
thanks and ask for little time in
which to think it over.
"You are too sensible q woman to
do otherwise than accept" the doctor
said. anyway, I shall proceed with
the arrangements and will be much
disappointed should you decline to 20.
Think of the health OF your boy,
madam. Nothing should stand in
the way of that"
If there was one weak point in Mrs.
Hilton's nature it was her love for
her children, and the doctor knew it..
The proposition was accepted and
ten days later the fitting took place.
There was not much to move. A
few treasured articles of furniture, the
family bible and the old album, to-
gether with their clothes ard bedding.
Robbie was convalescent; and al
though still very weak, he bore the
journey uncomplainingly.
"Would like to tell the old gentle
man good-bye!" was the only wish to
which he gave expression.
The freshness aud fragrance offspring
lay upon the earth like q heaven-sent
benediction. The lark, with his strip
ed Jockey cap, his necktie OF black
and his cleaning yellow vest, tip toed
the fields and poured out his heart in
liquid melody. The blue birds, with
many a flirt and futter, were weaving
nests in the hollow stumps, and the
robin wooed his mate in the apple
tree boughs. A hundred modest flow
ers peeped cautiously forth from sun
ny places, as if half inclined to shrink
into their earthly homes should the
wind begin to buster at them.
Such visions OF lovliness as were
stretched about that quiet country
place, Robbie had never even dream
ed Of in his widest flights OF fancy,
and his pale cheeks were all aglow as
he poured out questions in a ceaseless
flood. His raptures furnished much
amusement to the staid old farmer
who drove them from the village. A
sea OF crinkling green, spotted with
color like dabbled palette. and mir
med with the blue OF the sky and a