St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-07-16


"wateh out thcrey' he exclaimed, 90:
I CROPPED my way in the darkness !.
THAT there ninth stairs broken and:
yer'll have to climb over It." !:
I counted eight stairs and climbed:
over the ninth, and with eyes now more
accustomed to the darkness I followed
Wolfe. who was siding up the stairway
some distance in advance.
Two. three, four flights. At last We
were at the top of the house where
Wolfe and his "'doption" lived. and
Wolfe. drawing himself up with an air
of dignity. announced: This 10 wherl
live. See?"
Hooked and I saw a miserable.
dirty room, a chair, . wooden stool so
tiny that it seemed ~ il a strong draft
Of air would blow It up the chimney. .
table and In one corner Of the room, =
bed.
"'Sthat you. Wolfie2" came in =
sharp, childish treble from the corner.
Eyes, Joey. it's me and I've brunc
the doctor lady to make your back
we'll"
On the bed lay poor little emaciatci
form with a mass of tumbled. curly hair
thrown back on the pillow and big
black eyes that looked bigger and
blacker from the purple shadows undef
them.
my back won't never be WELL" sail
the child. turning his head YEARLY on
on the pillow, but IL don't ache 50 bad
now nor it did"
"I.et me sec." said. passing my hand
over the pathctically thin little back.
"How did it happen" I asked of VOL
fie, who. perched on the stool. was re-
garding me with q look of elfish intelH-
gcnce.
Eyer see his mother was drunk nd
she pushed him downstairs. nd that's
how it happened. I got pushed down.
stairs myself onct. It didn't make 30
much difference on me COS I'm tough.
but kinder felt for Joey. and that's
why l 'dopted him,-see?"
where is his mother. now?' asked.
Wolfe jerked his thumb outward
with an expressive nod that probably
would have conveyed information 10
the initiated, but left me rs much In
the dark as to her whereabouts rs BE-
fore.
Joey amt goin' to die. is hep" nc
asked. in an eager whisper. drawing
me over to the window.
''Oh, NO. hope he isn't" replied. as
encouragirgly rs could.
BE yer talisin' about me?" sounded
in Joey's shrill voice from the corner .
81 was showing the doctor lady yer
garding,' said Wolfe, recovering his
Gang Jroid.
This yere, yer see, is a g'raniurS."
raising his voice that Joey might hear
him. land that yere is what folks call
heartsease, lcastwisc Z was afore the
top got broke OF" he corrected. poiJzs-
ing to a hcadlcss and withcrcd stalk. in
. broken flower pot. Joey ne sets a
heap Of store by his garding and it does
look purity with the sun a-shinin :on
It."
mentally wondered how the sun
could manage to shine through th:ose
dirty window panes, but Wolfe went ON
pleasantly: "Bein' a rear tenement
we has . heap Of sun nd that's savin'
On coal Is well rs bein' better for he
health"
"How would you like to have Joey
60 away for few weeks. Wolfie:" l
asked. tentatively.
"Yer amt goin' to take Joey away
from me. is yer?" said Wolfe, his eyes
dlating with apprehension.
mo. no, not for long," assured him.
"only for . few weeks where he will
have q clean. soft bed and plenty Of
good food, and maybe get strong and
we'll"
And me not see him?' asked Wolfe.
piteously.
"You shall come to the hospital every
week and $50 hS,:. promised.
kin I. certain :surc? But hospitals
is where they cut folks up and sell :em.
amt it?' he asked. srspiciously.
.'Oh NO. Indeed, hospitals are wpere
they try to make sick people well. and
they would take the very best care in
the world of Joey"
"Well, s'pose he kin &c" he SAID. re-
nectively; ''but it'll be mighty Lonesome
thout yer, Joey" rubbing his ragged
sleeve across his eyes.
Il amt like other kids, yer know:
s'pose it's on account Of my havin'fof .
crooked back and . lame leg. The
boys they kinder jibe me nd I jibe en-
back; nd Joey's he's all ] hev to be
fond of. Yer likes me, too. don't yer.
Joey?' he said. burying his head beside
Joey's wan little face.
"You bet-' responded Joey. will. cor
dial affection. and. after leaving sleep
ing draught for Joey, went away leav-
ing them curlcd mp together like two
Kittens on the hard, straw bed.
A few days later, Joey was spugly
eusconced in a clean little bed at the
children's hospital. The comfort and
cleanliness of it all was . great sur
prise to HIM and it was some time be-
| fore he became accustomed to it.
my. il Wolfe were hcre!' he would
say, passing his hand over the snowy
coverlet with pleased wonder. Bit the
pain in his back would soon MAXI. him
forget even Wolfe and the clean cover
let ...s ,s4as
Every day Wolfe came to inquire for
Joey. When IL was known that Joey
was Wolfie's adoption" he was allowed
TO come into the ward whenever he
came, for it was only n question of time,
and . very short time that joey would
stay. In spite Of all that care ana skill
could do the pain in the poor littl! hack
grew worse and worse, and 9oey's
strength grew less and less aSlc to
bear IL.
But his face never failed to brighten
when Wolfe came. and Wolfe would
sit for hours by the bed stroking Joey's
fingers and talking to him In . Grooming
voice. Sometimes Joev would fall