The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-01
stylisha Amy Prince does and why

| ooo "a oO AAAIhy OiiiukOlt ally WAYl
| (which OF them would you DO glad
to DO rid OF, Amanda?" asked hor
"All Of thomi" snapped tho eldest
daughter
"My dear" said Mrs. Jinkuim In a
mild tone, you know how sicl. Willie
has been, and havo allowed tho rest
| to play hero to savo disturbing him.
The house generally looks much moro
orderly than 1t does to-day"
I'D like to know when it ever looked
any BETTER" cried tho girl savagely.
The cruelty Of these words to tho
worn mother proved tho last drop in
her trimming cup of trial, and five
minutes later Mr.. Jipleum found his
wife sobbing in her own room.
"Why, Lucyl what Is the mattor7''
he asked. Presently sho told him how
tho too frequent keen thrust from thor
eldest child had wounded her soul
After this the two talked over tho I'M
happy change in their once confronted
daughter. II had hoped that Aman-
da's discontcntmcnt would soon van
ish," said her father, "but must con-
fess hcr mood seems to DO settling into
n confirmed habit OF mind"
''It Is because sho has never yot
learned how to count up her blessings"
said her mother.
Some days after this, Mr.. Jfnkum in
v1tcd Amanda to a public concert with
him They started early, for ho had
On GRAND or two to do. Amanda was
very much pleased to go with her
father to public entertainments, he
treated her SO much like an equal
They walked from tho .cozy farm
house and into tho village near by,
talking pleasantly of tho coming con-
cert Turning from the principal bush
ness street, Mr.. Jinlxum knocked at
the door OF u small house. 1t was
opened by q plcasant-faced woman
with heavy baby on her left arm.
''Oh, good evening, Mr.. Jinlsum,r sho
said checrily. Como right in I sup
pose this Is your daughter. You arc
we'll You look worry WELL" sho added
politely to Amanda
After the callers had taken some
proffered chairs and there had boon q
few moments of general conversation,
Mr.. Jinllum made known his business
which related to tho doing of some Of
tho family washing Tho business dis
patched. Mr. Jinlsum asked:
"And how Is your husband to-day?''
"Oh, l think he Is trifle stronger"
From this point, Mr.. Jinkum, by his
kindly manner, induced tho washer
woman to talk somewhat freely of hor
household. She spoke of her thankful
ness that sho was ablo to earn q COM
Portable living at tho tub for tho fami-
~. Each succeeding week brought her
moro work. And then baby was the
best baby In tho world; there really
never WIS such a baby! And then
Johnny was improving in his studies
cvcry dayl
Come here, Johnny" she called,
'-and let Mr.. Jinkum and Miss Amanda
SEQ how veil You can write.n Thus
called little sunny-haired follow Of
seven years came forward and present
Cd his slate from under his right arm,
and for the first time Amanda saw that
the boy had lost one arm above the el-
bow and the other at tho wrist. Sew
cral sentences had been written on his
slate In q beautiful round hand
why, how could he do. itl" Amando
exclaimed, cxcitcdly.
'Show Miss Amanda how It is thnA
you writo," said the mother, fondly.
Johnny carried his slate to the table,
and picking up his pencil with his lips,
pushed 1t under tho wrist band and
wrote line exceedingly we'll.
''Iy and by" said the mother, II
shall earn Johnny pair of artificial
arms. DIR. Hall says he can have them
fitted beautifully. lie knows young
man who was blown away from can
non and lost both arms; but since he
got his new ones he has become tele-
graph operator. Wo arc going to make
an operator out of Johnny here"
Johnny nodded In Il matter of fact
way as II that business were already
Settled.
20, yes; Johnny will make his mark
In the world, if he hasn't any hands,"
said Mrs. Brown, in calm, cheery
tone, without an atom of emotion; and
then she told how he played marbles
and threw stonos with his toes.
Oncc outside tho house Amanda
fastened to ask her father how Johnny
Brown had met with his bad fortune.
Her father told her that the family
had once lived close beside railroad
track. Johnny was but creeping
baby at the time of his accident. One
day he managed to crawl unobscrvcd
in front of a passing locomotive, and
the mischief was done.
"rhc father is u great invalid" Mr..
Jinllum continued, land tho eldest boy
cripple; yet the mother never rcpines,
but gladly supports them all by taking
in washing. doubt if there is hap
| pier woman In town than sho."
In the same block father and dauoh-
ter made another call, and wcro asked