The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-12-25

mornins' an sum afternoons, but II
don't axe SO rery, daddy, not so rery.
the docktur he sez ez uh woulden leg
don no how ter axe. wish he'd wun.
Eff yer amt peggin' l1ud yer KUN an
smooth my har an gimme uh drink,
Jest wun drink? l CESS they don't
never lelebrate hear coz they all AXE
so, only my leg don't hurt so Gerry daddy.
frum Sonny"
Pete could not see the last words. He
took off his glasses slowly. Then he
sat very still for a long time thinking.
AT last the slow smile began to creep
over Pete's careworn face and he
brought his hand down on his knee as
he said aloud:
'Yes, thet'n be the way. Then Son.
ny 'ull hev uh chance, sure"
While Pete was slowly spelling out
Sonny's words. DIR. Gilbert sat in his
Office reading the following letter:
CHICAGO, Ill.-Dear Brother: Your
welcome letter came to me last week.
| thunl1 you for your continued inter.
est in my hospital work, and l am
make it the means of interesting your
children in trying to brighten a little
some lives less happy than their OWL
Your former patient, little Sonny, now
sits up part of the day, and gets about
the ward in wheel chair.
He suffers constant pain, but is very
patient and uncomplaining. We can
all learn a lesson in patience and un-
selfishneSs from Sonny. The doctors
expect to amputate his leg next week.
If he rallies, as we hope he will, a
sight of daddy" as he calls him.
would do our brave little patient much
good. leave you to tell his father of
Sonny 's.condition. Yours, with love,
ELIZABETH G. PORTER.
A few days before Christmas two
doctors stood talking in low tones be-
side Sonuy's bed at the hospital The
amputation had taken place some
weeks before. The child was asleep
now. When Sonny opened hisswistful
blue eyes there stood his kind friend,
DR.. Gilbert. Very glad Sonny was to
see him. The doctor said cheerfully:
"Weu, Sonny, how are you to-day,
and what are you going to do to have
a good time on Christmas?"
Sonny said longingly: 81 'ud Ike
ter hev daddy an celebrate, 'ud like
ter ever So"
Long before light on Christmas
morning a man with his arms full of
bundles stood at the door of the hos
pital
Sonny had turned his hot pillow over
and over again on Christmas eve and
laid his tired little head down with a
homesick longing ''ter see daddy an
kelebrate."
When Sonny opened his eyes as the
light OF Christmas day walked in
through the window, there in chair
by the bedside was, well, what do you
suppose?
1t was a brand new little wooden
leg that ''llud never larn how ter AXE"
as Sonny joyfully said. That was not
all. Between the toes of the wooden
foot some one had put some firecrackers
Sonny laughed, rubbed his eyes, and
said: ''Oh! Oh! If only daddy kud
see. Just then there was a noise at the
foot of the bed. Up popped another
Christmas present t 1t was daddy.
You may be sure daddy and Sonny
''lele brated' to their hearts content
The nurse wrapped Sonny in blank.
cts and rut him in a wheel chair. SoE-
ny, with shining eyes, his wooden leg
clasped tightly in his thin little arms,
and lap full of firecrackers was
wheeled to sunny window by daddy's
own hands.
Daddy fastened the frecrackers to
the end of long stick so that Sonny
could shoot them off himself
After awhile DR.. Gilbert came with
his sister on his arm, to watch the
''kelabratin."
AS Pete smiled and gently slnoothed
back Sonny's hair. he whispered to the
doctor that ''mebbe Sonny kud git his
chance now"
And Pete pointed to the wooden leg
that Sonny still held fast in his arms
JENNY FAIRMAN SMITH.