The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-23
JEANS LETTER.

| IHICh ~ NOu4u have COlutu ILo uGduS Oh
two pretty ladies; two great blue eyes
| that still tried to smile a little, though
! they had cried SO much; a jacket well
cut but falling to rags; a. girls shoe on
one foot, boys boot ON the other, both
shoe and boot too wide and too long,
turned at the toe and lacking in heels
behind-this was Jean.
Little Jean, so cold and hungry this
winter evening, who had eaten nothing
! since noon of the day before, and who
had finally decided to write to the Vir-
gin. And how, say you, did Jean, who
! no more knew how to write than he
knew how to read, arrange this letter?
Listen, for it is that which am going
to tell you.
Below there, in the quarter of the
Gallon, at the corner of the avenue
not far from the Esplanade, there was a
shop, in the days l tell Of, of a public
writer, for in those days also there were
so many claims and petitions to be made
to the government and so many people,
like Jean, that did not know how to
write.
And the writer that kept this shop was
an old soldier far on in years, a brave
man buta little testy, who was anything
but rich and had the additional misfor-
tune of not being sufficiently chopped to
pieces to secure admission to the Hotel
des Invalides.
Jean, without prying at all, had many
times seen him through the dingy glasses
of his little cubby hole smoking his pipe
and awaiting customers, and so today he
entered fearlessly with civil
''Good-day, monsieur. have come,
if you please, for you to write me let
ter"
"Ten sous, little one," Pere BONN re-
sponded, gazing over his spectacles at
the midget before him.
Jean had no cap, and was therefore
unable to lift it, but he said very po-
litely:
''Then excuse me!' and he turned to
reopen the door,
But, pleased with his manners, Pere
BONN stopped him.
Stay" said he; "tell me first, little
one, if you are the son of soldier"
''Oh, mol" said Jean, ''only mammals
son, and she's all alone"
81 see," said the writer, "and you
have not the ten sous?'
''No, no sous at ALL" said Jean.
"Nor thy mother either, It's plain to
be seen! And thy letter, little one-is
it to make the soup Gomez"
Eyes" said Jean, EXACTLY"
advance, then. Ten lines on a half
sheet. One is never too poor for thatr
And Pere BONN spread out his paper,
dipped his pen in the ink, and wrote at
the top of the page, in the beautiful
hand of the quartermaster that once he
had been:
PARIS, Jan. II, 1S3-.
Then line lower:
To Monsieur
"Well, go on" said he, chow do you
call him, baby"
"Who?" demanded Jean.
''Parbleu! the gentleman"
''What gentleman, monsieur"
"The one to make the soup come"
Jean this time comprehended.
But it isn't a gentleman" SAID he.
''Ah! bah! lady, them"
"Yes-no-that is
"Name of names! midget" Pere BONN
cried, don't You know whom you are .
going to write letter tor
"Oh, yes" said the child.
"Out with it, then, quick! 1 can't
wait all dayl"
But little Jean stood all red and con-
used. The fact is, it is not as easy as it
ooks to address ones self to public
writer's for correspondence of this kind,
put Jean was brave and presently an
wered softly:
at is to the Holy Virgin that wish
o send a letter"
Father BONN did not laugh, not at all;
le simply wiped and laid aside his pen
md took his pipe from his mouth.
"See you, midget" said he severely,
4 don't want to believe that you mock
n old man; besides, you are too small H
or me to trounce. Face about; march!
)ut you gol" II
Little Jean obeved and wonderingly 4
urned heel, or foot rather. since heel he
ad none; and, seeing him so submissive,
'ere BONN a second time reconsldered
nd regarded him more closely.
Name of names, OF namesf grum-
led he. ''out there Is misery in this
'aris! What do you call yourself, baby"
Jean"
Jean what"
Nothing-just Jean"
Pere BONN felt MS eyes sting, but he
My said;
And what DO you wish 10 say to the
Ioly Virgin
ITO tell her that mammals been asleep
nee four o'clock yesterday, and that
ant wake her up"
The heart Of the old soldier suddenly
God still. He feared 70 comprehend.
Ie demanded again;
But that soup you spoke OF while
CO..
Yes" said the child. II know had
speak Of II, you Sc, because manns
,efore going to sleep yesterday gave me
ne last piece Of bread :
And what did she eat, pray? :
Nothing for more than two days-sEe :
lways said she wasn't hungry. 2
And you tried 70 wake her, say you !
.ow:"
AS 1 always do-kissing her. q
did she brea the:~ :
Jean smiled, and that smile made him I
,eauufal. =
Il don't know said he Don't we I
lways breathe ?
D., L. Ne