The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-12-18

nine on the green in front OF the shop.
Sonny's nine consisted OF small
Sonny and an imaginary eight.
For Pete smiled at the rough chill
dren of his rougher neighbO but
Sonny played alone
When Sonny was six Pete laid down
his tools one morning and called him
from his play.
Then he shut she door of the shop
behind them, and led wondering Sonny
mp the street
Pete told the teaeher when they got
TO the school house that: ''SOnny's nav
didn't git no chance, an he never i1ud
seem ter get nh chance hisself an 50 he
wanted Sonny ter get uh chance sure"
The teacher looked down at small
Sonny and smiled. Sonny listened and
wondered as he looked up at daddy and
the teacher.
At the end of some weeks at the
school house Pete, who sat mending a
chiId's shoe one day, paused with up
lifted hand as the small owner Of the
shoe told him that Sonny lxud larn
thet air Feadin' like chain iiEhtnin', -
Sonny did not play with the bits of
red leather now Night after night
while dad was pegEin'," Sonny sat
near with the s'readin' books that
Pete regarded with such awe.
So the days went on, Pegging days
for Pete as he worked and thought
| of Sonny's chance in a groPing way
| Capering days for Sonny filed with
happiness, red ball and the new
''readin' books"
When Sonny was eight years old he
| pranced into the shop one day in carly
| spring where Pete sat at work.
Pete looked up and smiled at Sonny
and Sonny smiled back at Pete
Then Sonny put his wonderful readin'
| book, away and picked up the red
leather ball.
| A few minutes later he had marsh
aled his baseball nine on the green
! ''where dad kin see u.s." he said
As Pete pegged away he heard the
shouts and commands to the imaginary
eight. The game progressed to a fever
heat of excitement.
Sonny, with upturned, eager blne
eyes and flying feet, was speeding
| across the green to catch the ball
| was frozen into the ground He fell
| with heavy thud.
The sudden silence outside caused
| Pete to look up from his work. Then
| he hastily laid down the unfinished
shoe.
Soon he was STOPPING over Sonny,
| who lay with closed eyes and the red
ball held fast in one small hand
At last Sonny slowly opened his eyes
| and looked into the face so near his
own.
He tried to smile a little as he
said: ''Suthin' cracked in here, daddy.
I heerd it crack Jest here pointing to
| his hip.
! For answer Pete smoothed back
| SOnny's hair gently and said: Dad
| dy'l fix it for ye, Sonny. Daddy'n nix
/ tiff he kin"
Sonny smiled family again and
! closed his eyes
Pete carried the child into the house.
/ Very carefully he laid him down on the
| bed ia the ''livinR' room. Then he
! hurried up the street to see about
Sonny's chance.
Pete walked on till he came to
| sign that was taking a swing in the
| spring breeze while it told the public
| that this was the office of one 5. P.
! Gilbert, NJ. d.
/ There was no one in the office, so
/ Pete sat down patiently to wait.
On the table lay an open telegram
! 1t was dated Chicago, and read;
| To DR. ). =. Gilbert: Come at once
Maurice is dying.
DIR. Gilbert, coming in from one of
his patients, had picked up the tel
| egram. When he had read it he said:
Poor sister! must go to her"
So he had gone that day to Chicago.
! When DIR. Gilbert reached his sisters
home he found that there was no hope
for the boys life.
The child died.
The next day the doctor returned to
his patients
He found scrawled on his order slate:
'Kum ter suny at Pete Peeuliars-"
The doctor inquired the way anc
went
Soon he was following Pete through
the shop to the bed in the corner.
Sonny smiled up at them as he lay with
| white face and patient eyes
| SoIny's smile was so like Pete's.
The doctor looked grave when he
heard Pete's story.
After long weeks OF patient uncOm-
planning little Sonny and pegging
Pete, the doctor said the child could
try to use his leg.
Then Pete smiled more hopefully.
/ He began to sit up nights working
| away at something made of wood and
/ leather.
They were clumsy little crutches that
Pete made for Sonny. But Pete had
| said gently as he smoothed SOnny's hair:
''Daddy'n fix 'em fer ye," and Sonny
had smiled and waited
So to Sonny they were ali that a pair
OF crutchss eOuid be
1t was on Christmas eve that Pete
! put the last touches to them. So the
I Pete's, for Sonny and Pete were fond
| of ''lzelebratin" as they always called
| it at Christmas time
The widow said: That's Jest like
them PecooIyurs- Who ever heerd tell
! of '.lzile bratin'' at Krissmus an havin'
ire-craclEers too PeeOOiyur by name
an nstur ! say"
For two years the sound of Soanv's
voice and Sonny's Crutches could be
| heard sometimes in the school, but
more often at Pete's-
| Pete had been busy lately making q
/ pair Of boots for DR.. Gilbert
| Pete had conhded to Sonny tibet he
/ vuz goin' ter maxi EN- mighty good
an lastin'." For the doctor would
take no pay
So when Pete had finished the boots
and tied them together, Sonny slung
1 them scross his shoulders and went on
slowly on his erutehes to carry them
hs 4 surprise 70 the doctor
The doctor looked shouEhfuily into