Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-03-02

lHelt - hp citAue ~ stils ANsAttt -NAattN
does not let me have il TO waste, an
swered Carl soberlys
~Well, catch this stick, then llere IS
string tied to II and then you can
draw mp my horse. II is the only bev's
plaything | have. and every night VIXEN
the moon shines | will bring i over. il
yon like H.
~Oh. il Aunt Jane knew She weull bo
very angry. Such things make nae lazy,
she says. and must not have them You
know my big box uf things. Lena She
has put them away in the oid haln and
can never have then. again. said Carl,
eNcitedly catching at the stick time sfree
time. but missing il. though the window
was not 80 very high up in the low. OLD
fashioned house.
Don't talk quite so loui Garlic; she
may hear Won. There--now you've got
III Amt it pretty? Play with il all you
want to. aud I'll wait for you Roll the
wheels on your bed or she might hear
them rattle on the floor Ia leave il,
only il she found il she might whip
you. Does she ever whip you, CaIlier'
Every time I'm naughty, replied
Carl, disappearing inside 10 roll the shin
ing toy softly-over his hard bed I've
done itl Lena, he said in a subdued
tone. at is very pretty. Oh. il | could
keep iti Say, Lena, couldnt come and
stay with you, please2 | don't believe
Aunt Jane needs little boy; she don't
seem to love me at all
"ITush, Garlic, hush, or she will heart
cautioned Lena, as the childish voice
piped out loud in its eagerness "No, /
think she would not let you come.
Never mind, though, you'll soon be big
man, and will come to see you all the
moonlight nights. >
"It's such pretty horse, Lena, said
the child, leaning out at the window
but want to talk to you. Don't you
wish we could 60 back TO where we lived
once with papa? Did we ever have
mamma, like Jennie DAVIS, who comes
to work for Aunt Jane, wonder? Oh.
If you could only come here and let mo
touch your face, l.ena!H
There was sob in the boys voice, and
the sister looked up into the little face
which even from that height she could
plainly see was thinner and paler than
usual.
Are you sick, Carlie?" she asked
Il guess so. Ny head is sore, and
can't walk much, I'm so tired, but don't
stay abed, only nights. I'm tired and
sleepy now, but can't bear to have you go
away with the pretty plaything. How
long has it been since | came here, do
you know, Lena:"
"Two years. dear. II seems a good
while. don't il? FL be glad when we're
grown up and then Well 60 away and
live by ourselves.
"Oh, yes! That will be so good."
sighed the weary child, with half sob
of Joy.
The tin toy was lowered regretfully,
at Lena's suggestion; she knew the child
ought to be sleeping; beside, her own
bedtime was near.
She looked back many times as she
went down the short road and saw Carts
little form leaning half way cut the win
dow, watching her along the way to her
home, with longing eyes and heart.
The visit was repeated several times,
till at length, one night, Lena was not
greeted joyfully by her brothers face in
the old attic window. 1t was closed
tight, and there was no response TO the
gravel thrown against the glass as on
that first night.
Al. II Lena could have seen within!
Aud yet it would have been 800 cruel,
and it was mercy that she could not.
Even while she walked slowly and re-
luctantly down the road Carl was gasp
ing his last faint breath, aud on the
ground beneath the window lay his sis
ter's brightest, newest toy, glistening in
the moonlight, forgotten by her in her
disappointment because Of Carl's failure
TO appear.
Whyis it that TO such ignorant. ineffi-
cient beings as the Jane Hardy Of this
sketch delicate, beautiful children are so
often bequeathed. and made TO suffer
from birth till an early death treatment
which, while it may seem judicious and
wise. is nevertheless directly the contrary,
Deside being cruel and wicked
And yet, the sooner tis over, the
sooner to sleep. Carl is atrest and happy
at last. Mary S. Potter.