Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-01-02
ENOCHS LOSS AND GAIN.

way-two weeks of intense delight to
almost every chick and child in the
West end-but still little Enoch was
unsatisfed. He had never had kite
of his own. 1t is true Tommy Boland
had let him hold his string once when
his kite was up, but only for minute
while he Enlisted" for another boy,
''and twarn't like yer avn, yer very
own" Enoch had said.
His hearts desire was to possess a
kite of his own. He knew Tommy
would lift it for him, and he liked to
contemplate the Joy he would have in
sitting on his rock, holding his own
kite pulling against the wind.
Enoch was fond OF the common, any
how. 1t seemed to him that it was his
big house, with green and yellow
and brown carpet on the floor, and q
big blue ceiling away up high-higher
even than his kite would 60 if he had
one.
Enoch lived on the pike with Gran
nv Winship, the vegetable woman.
Why he lived there he never knew.
He sometimes thought he remembered
than the commons-with flowers and
pictures, and some one, so beautiful,
dressed all in white. who used to come
TO his bedside and kiss him, but it was
a very vague memory, and he seldom
thought Of Ii, save when he WIS alone.
He was alone on the commons a great
deal. In the early morn he would sit
on his big gray stone by the water
cress stream and poke with his little
crutch into the soft mud, making little
wells for the water TO fill, and in the
evening, when the boys were out, he
watched them at their play.
He had helped GrsaRy to gather the
vegetables one morning. and she had
let him ride with her in the little cart
as far as the common. She gave him
large fiat basket OF beans, which he
was to take to Mrs. Thomas on Broad
street, and then await her coming on
the common. Enoch had hardly taken
his seat on his stone when two young
ladies with their color boxes and stools
came by, going TO make an early morn
ing sketch.
They stopped and spoke to the little
boy, and one Of them said:
"Why, isn't this water-cress here ?"
"Yessum," said Enoch, land mighty
sweet an good 1t is, too. don't eat
nothin' else for lunch some days.
"Well, then, you must get very hun
cry, my little man." said one OF the
artists.
"Oh, how 1 wish Mrs. Stewart had
some OF the cress," said the other.
"She is so fond of it. l wonder why
some one doesn't get it and sell it"
Would anybody buy it?' inquired
Enoch eagerly.
"Oh, yes" said tho girls, and then
they showed him how to pick and wash
it.
Enoch knew that Granny went to
Mrs. Stewards, and conceiving a sud-
den purpose, he picked and washed
enough cress TO fill the basket. When
Granny came he told her what he had,
and she very willingly carried him
with her to Mrs. Stewards.
He was very proud OF the dime he
got for his basket OF sweet crosses,
and Granny said:
"Well. as that's the first money you
ever made you can spend it as you
please. I'll be bound it goes for
candy"
mo, it won't, Granny; you'll see,"
said Enoch.
He was up betimes the next morn
ing, and at the little store on West
End avenue before the door was open.
1t was dirty. dusty little shop enough,
but 1t was perfectly gorgeous in Enoch's
eyes, because behind the hy-specked
glass in the little show window he had
seen rows and rows OF kites, green and
- IL
and shape and form; kites with tails
and kites without.
Presently. rs Enoch was beginning
TO wonder If perhaps the man had
moved away, the man came out him
self and took down the shutters. II
wants err kite, mister" said Enoch,
hobbling into the store. 81 want the
blue one with white wings"
Enoch waited anxiously till Tommy
Boland came by the common on his re-
turn from market. He felt that he
could not wait till the afternoon,
when other boys would be out
Tommy was glad enough to 'h'ist"
the kite for him, and when the tail
was properly adjusted and the beauti-
full paper sails were swelling nicely in
the breeze, Enoch took the string and
sat down to enjoy his possession. He
watched the children pass by on their
way to school and almost forgot TO en-
Wy them their ability to go. He could
SCARCELY discern the outlines OF his
kite against the blue above, but She's
all right" he said "she's err pullin'
steddy, an she's mine-my very own"
He kept very still on his rock lest
he should disturb his kite, but IL SEEM
ed to him he was following 1t, and
that 1t was leading him away-up
above the Vanderbilt "horns," above
the new West End church spire even
up to place where there were birds,
aud flowers. and pictures, and music,
and
'Mebbe," he said to himself, "mebbe
the beautiful lady will come an kiss
me like she did so many, many years
ago. before 1 knew Granny or any
thing"
Suddenly he felt jerk, a snap-the
stiff string hung limp aud loose in his
hand.
"Lordy, she's broke loose" cried the
poor little boy.
We got up an followed on beneath
the kite as 1t futtered and twisted in
sho hraaza floating ovar acrooo The