Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-07-31

see how vell you can write" Thus
called n little sgnny-haired fellow of
seven years came forward and present
ed his slate from under his right arm,
and for the first time Amanda saw that
the boy had lost one arm above the ell
bow and the other at the wrist. Sew
eral sentences had been written on his
slate in beautiful round hand.
why, how could he do it!' Amanda
exclaimed, excitedly.
"Show Miss Amanda how it is that
you write" said the mother, fondly.
johnny carried his slate to the table,
and picking up his pencil with his lips,
pushed it under the wrist band and
wrote q line exceedingly well.
by and by" said the mother, 4
shall earn Johnny 2 pair of artificial
arms. DIR. Hall says he can have them
fitted beautifully. He knows young
man who was blown away from 4 can
non and lost both arms; but since he
got his new ones he has become n tele-
graph operator. We are going to make
an operator out of Johnny here"
johnny nodded in a matter of fact
way as If 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 a calm. CHEEKY
tone, without an atom Of emotion; and
then she told how he played marbles
and threw stones with his toes
Once outside the 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 Il railroad
track. Johnny was but a creeping
baby at the time of his accident One
day he managed to crawl unobserved
In front of passing locomotive. and
the mischief was done.
'The father is 4 great invalid" Mr..
Jinlum continued, ''aad the eldest boy
a cripple; yet the mother neverrepines,
but gladly supports them all by taking
in washing. doubt if there is hap
pier woman in town than She"
In the same block father and daugh-
ter made another call, and were asked
into a very pretty sitting-room- Mrs.
Arnold, tall and rather stately woman,
was not unknown to both the callers.
She greeted them with smiling grace.
Mr.. Jinl1um had called to leave parcel
of sewing. No sooner had they entered
the room than Il tall slender girl, fully
as tall as Amanda, came slowly and
tremulously forward, and laying her
emaciated arm over Amanda's shoulder,
said in uncertain, Gsping tones, like a
child of three or four years of age:
"Why-didu't - you - be - tall - as -
me?"
In health she must have been a girl
OF rare promise and beauty. The hair
clustered about her forehead in masses
of dark curls. But the muscles of her
face wore constantly twitching, her
gait was uneven and unsteady, and 1t
could be easily seen that the poor
young creature was mere wreck of
life and health. At the door Mrs Ar
mold remarked thai Georgiana was
growing steadily verse.
You saw the tall fender about the
stove?" she continued
Amanda nodded.
''She has fallen on tho stove once,
and SO we got the fender"
''Oh, can tell you" she continued,
''there are some things harder to bear
than death. She had six of those
dreadful spasms yesterday" All this
was said with gentle, fearless smile
or with firm lips closed, as if the con-
cealment of anguish had become a fixed
habit.
Mr.. Jinl1um drew his daughters arm
within his own and the two walked on
in silence.
Life at the farm soon took on n
somber hue. Little Willie grew
worse. The thoughts of the household
were centered upon him. Amanda gave
up her school. 1t seemed as if the
mother never left the bedside of her
sick boy.
Amanda had, along with the dull
pain at thought of losing the little
darling of the household, the intoler-
able sting of conscience. She had said
she would like to lose all the children
--and how dreadful the prospect of
losing even onei The wickedness of
her speech oppressed her. How
earnestly she prayed, as she looked
down on the pale face drawn with
suffering, that the baby's life might be
spared. She saw now how imaginary
had been most of her troubles.
A letter lay on the table, received
the night before by her father from
her Uncle George. Mrs Jinkum handed
it to her and she read it wonderingly:
DEAR BROTHER: Your and Lucy's letters
reached US last night together with your draft
for one hundred dollars. We had been a good
deal discouraged, having failed to get money
where We felt we had right to expect it, but
from you, with your large family and sickness,
we had expected nothing, and lol such gift.
The cyclone that left US without a home In
a moment did not wiring O tear from our eyes,
since our little ones were safe and unhurt. But
your letters so touched our hearts that we both
sat down and cried for Joy. We coul1n't help
it. We will accept the money as loan but not
as gift and only hope you have not too much
cramped yourself in sending 1t.
'You are the same dear fellow you were when
we owned our first iackknife and pocketbook
in company, and 1 can't tell you how much we
bless you. With lots Of love to you and yours.
am your ever affectionate brother,
GEORGE"
Amanda stood by the table realizing.
She had never thought of her plainly
dressed farmer father as hero. Now
she understood why the purchase of a
new carpet had been deferred. Now
she could guess the meaning of the
hints Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Arnold had
given of her mothers helpfulness.
Another week passed. The strain
upon the family was now almost great
er than they could bear.
Amanda had gone up to her chamber
but was unable to sleep. Her mother
softly entered her room.
''Mother?" Amanda whispered.
''Yes, dear"
Glow is Willie?'
''Better-a good deal, we think"
''Oh, 1 am so glad!' and she threw
her arms about her mothers neck, and
sobbed with JOY.
When she was calmer she said, as
her mother sat by her side: II have
been wicked girl. So discontented
and unhappy about such little, little
g
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