The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1894-10-05
YOUNG FOLKS.
IT Tho Kid who Gut the Rope.

Tho Kid Who Gut the Rope.
Did YOU syersin hammock SIT,
AMI hold yOur lady love. SSss2,ra
Ana think no one was watching
save the little stars above? ~ - e.
DIG you ever ask this question, ~
',s . 81 tlaritngs can hope %
Have her brother cut the rope? r.. <.s.,,s
MS Il feeling ne'er forgotten > $:If
Ills II moment full Of pain,
And yen wonder who the ,~>e.~~,~s. it.
Gould have cat that rope In twain,
AMH YOU 20 not care rip now,
rN Whether fna a %pa tn1ng lets you hope,"
-~~ Detroit Free Press.
-si;...s.,, Harold Won tho Game. 81 70;
4 proud, stern man was Mr.. Mcleod.
rarely seem to smile. and rated unpopular
had made his money. In his family he
was feared, and his little boy had grown
to he 10 years old without knowing whit
it was to have his father kiss him-a
light slip of a boy with u, handsome face.
The father knew the lad was handsome
like himself, and he bOastel of it in his
secret heart, and also of the fact that the
never word Of this TO the boy -n0t a
look Or 4 nod to show that his father was
noting his little triumphs and saying il
word Of praise for them. For one such
nod or u word the boy would have gone
down on his knees and wept for hapli-
ness. That day they We're eating the
noon hour meal i'll the usual silence, when
Mr.. Mcleod spoke with sudden sharp
ness.
Harold" he said. IA little while ago i
looked out of the window and saw you
running from another boy Don't you
ever let me see or hear Of such a thing as
that again."
'He-he was a good deal bigger boy
than me. papa" pleaded the little fellow,
II don't care if he wis., cried the
father. his face reddening angrily. Il
want to see no boy of mime finch and
turn tail and fly like Il coward. Better
be beaten to jelly than show the white
feather. despise Il coward
Then he put on his hat and went back
to the Office, and the hard, set look and
the angry flush sat upon his countenance
SO that the clerks knew it was better not
to be near him. BY and by II man with
pale face and painting breath rushed INTO
the office and called out: MIR. Mcleod
there's been an accident up at the base
ball ground and your BOY ISIS hurt
They've just carried him home''
Not answering. the proud merchant
took down his hat. The clerks noticed
that the flush was gone from his face
AMI he made one uncertain step as he
went through the door. Otherwise he
was the same cold. unmoved man they
had always known. On the little bed in
his chamber room lay the boy. breath
ing lightly. In one hand that rested on
the white coverlid he held Il battered
baseball
II fear it is fatal" the doctor had said
in answer to the fathers inquiry. "A
severe blow on the heart
The handsome face was white. the eyes
closed. Presently they opened and rested
upon the merchant 4 little smile slipped
into the boy = countenance.
IL didn't finch. papa' he said faint
ly.
'.What--what was it. Harold:'' the
father said, with Il sob in his voice.
Don't look 50 white and still like that,
my boy-tell your father about it,
You see. papa.'' the boy family all
swered. "we-we was playing the gram
mar school nine, ever 50 much bigger
fellows than us, and it was their last
innings. and we was one ahead, and the
bases We're full, with two out was
PLAYING short stop. you-you know
No, he did not know. Grown hard aud
cold at his desk. he understood nothing
Of the bit of graphic description the faint
lips We're giving utterance to.
And them the childish voice went or.
"tllAn their heaviest batter, an awfully big
fellow. papa, struck grounder right
right at me. couldn't get my hands on
it. but you see, if it got by ME it meant
we lost the game-and / remembered
what-what you said. papa. about not
fnching. YOU know, and II jumped
right down Oh my knees and let it hit-hit
me-and then the third base got the ball
and put the runner out. and-:lnd every
body cheered, papa, and said I saved the
the -
The poor. proud merchant groaned heav-
lily. His wife had never seen him in
agony before, and it frightened her, but
such things pass away. The battered old
baseball lies OH the sitting room mantel
and gazes at it long and earnestly. Then
his hand trembles. He puts the old base
ball down and goes back to his Office
ROckland Gazette