Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-09
The Spring
Medicine
Hoods ssrsaparlls is sold by druggists 81 six for
S. Prepared BY c. L HOOD CO.. Lowell. Mass.
100 Doses OneDollar
HIS LITTLE JOHNNIE.

| 1t was Terrible Hard to See Such Little
| Life Go Dat
| 1t was almost midnight when he came
slowly up the three flights of stairs lead
ing to the editorial rooms and knocked
| timidly al the door.
Come In" called out the editor with
out looking up from his writing.
He came in slowly, a TALL middle-aged
man, too thinly clad for such cold and
stormy night His wrist and hard bony
hands showed red and bare beneath the
! sleeves Of bis thin and ragged old coat.
| He had an honest but ignorant face and
an awkward, embarrassed air. He pulled
| off his old hat and held it in both his hands
| while he asked:
is it too late to get little notice put
into the paper tonight, mister?'
No; guess not, replied the reporter.
Got it written?"
No, hain't, /"
You'll find pad of paper and a pencil
on that table there"
He pointed to table near his own desk
and the man 1at down behind it. He took
the pencil between his stiffened fingers.
bit at the end of it while in meditation
drew the pad of paper towards him and be-
gan to write.
But he made slow and seemingly pain
full work of it, He crossed out a word
here and there, ard his mind trembled
strangely. Once be furtively drew his
ragged sleeve across his eye. Then he
turned to the editor and said in tone of
troubled hesitation and appeal:
''I-I-don't want to trouble you none,
sir, but LIANT used to writin' and
never could spell good. If you-you-had
tire to-to-write the notice for me
I'd try to pay you what you think it'd be
wuth.
Something in the mans tone and man
ner touched the editors heart and, busy as
he was, he said:
"l'll write it for you if there isn't too
much of it,
Only three or four lines, sir"
"Oh notice of a meeting, perhaps, or
something Of that sort. "
mo, sir; notice of a-a-" the man S
voice died away to a whisper, his chi.
dropped to his swelling chest. his whole
frame trembed as he said, "a notice of
a-death!'
Il am very sorry said the editor kind
ly and with genuine sympathy. what is
the name?'
&" Johnnie we never called him any
thing else. He was named John, after
me, but I'd rather have it printed John
ME-
When did he die?"
This evening, sir. 1t was very sudden,
and it comes harder on that account
though God knows it would be hard enough
it we d been expectin it. Such things:
never come easy to them that loves their
children. and H.
He held his faded old hat before his face
for moment.
How old was hep" asked the editor.
glancing with misty eyes at a photograph
in a little red plush frame on his desk
the photograph of handsome, bright
eyed little boy with thick curls and smil
ing face.
Pour years and six months to day
sir, and our only one. That makes il
seem still harder. His mothers bout
heart broken and I-I-well, it's terrible
hard to sit and watch little life like that
90 out and think of what the nome will be
without it. You got children. sir?''
The editor pointed toward the photo
graph and said:
This is my little boy.
lies a sweet-lookin' little Teller ]
hope he'll be spared to you. We've got
a good photograph of Johnnie. That's
one comfort. | wouldn't take a million
dollars for it now. Now, how much will
it be for writin' and printin' the no.
tice?''
Nothing at all
"No? Well, I'm a thousand times
obliged and I-I-hope nobody'll ever
have to write such notice for you bout
that little boy of yours.
He wiped bis eyes with a handkerchief
wet with his tears and went down the
stairs as slowly as he had come up and
back to his poor, little desolate home, to
walk softly with b-wed head in the pres
ence of death, and Try to comfort his bruis
ed heart with the thought that the dear lit
tie boy had gone to join the hosts of
heaven