The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-04-12
Nellie's Blue Eye.
BY HARRIET CARYL cox.

~ Va Al II WA.
Robert Brayton, millionaire, sat in
his private Office for moment alone
The morning had been a busy one, and
his visitors ola peculiarly trying kind;
and now they were gone he breathed
"A sigh Of relief, sigh that sounded
exactly like that of any ordinary indi-
vidual.
Harry Temple. clerk and private
secretary, sat in the outer office, wear
lily opening the pile of letters the post
man had just left on his desk. He had
sorted them in piles-the business let
tcrs in one pile, circulars, etc, IN a
second, private letters in the third,
while the fourth held what lie terme1 /
the "crank letters"
The business letters were opened
first, and more work given the young
typewriter. who sat gazing ont of the
window. Those requiring Mr.. Bray
tons personal attention were merely
glanced through, in order to ascertain
their nature.
Finally, he reached the crank pile.
1t was larger-shaa a,s3psl, but of the
same nature. There were numerous
demands for endowments for old la.
dies homes, unheard-of missions and
numberless odd societies, and the us.
ual number Of requests for situations,
advice, etc.
One ambitious young man wanted
to borrow twenty five dollars, that he
might be married at once, and show
the city swell whom he had cut out
how things were donein Jersey.
A young girl far out in the country
wanted his old ncckties If they weren't
too soiled. She was making a crazy
quilt for the fall cattle show. Alrea
dy she had bits of silk from several
noted persons; wouldn't he please
oblige her?
1t was the old story over again, and
one after another they were thrown
into the yawning waste basket.
The last envelope bore d child's
handwriting. The address had begun
boldly and with care; but it was too
long, and the last name was crowded
and the letters ran uphill.
Halfc curiously young Temple tore ii
open. Children were not common as
correspondents, and Mr.. Brayton had
a warm spot in his heart for chill
dren.
The paper was highly scented by a
mixture of cheap cologne and soap; Ia
the upper left-hand corner was EN-
bossed a landscape Of the most impos
sible color and perspective. 1t read:
please, Mr.. Brayton, won't you hel[
me buy Nellie Fowler a new eye
Maybe you don't know who she swell
she is girl who got hurt when the
men blasted the road she was near,
and they didn't see her and a biz
piece of rock hit her in the eye, anC
then she couldn't see, and the doctor
he said it must come out, and so he
cut it out and now she hasn't got but
one eye and it looks bad. She used tt
be real pretty and we called her curley
Lock cause her hair is curley, but il
makes you kind % sick when you set
that crate hole in her face, and sht
keeps a rag tied over II mostly, ant
she cries great deal, cause she look.
SO hOmely, and the dr.. He says sht
ought to have Glass eye, but thel
don t make them here, and she's tOt
poor anyway cause her fathers dead
and her mothers sick. i've kind o
adopted her and want to get her ar
eye awful. Say, won't you help me
You can address me
JOHNNIE LEE, ESQ.
| p. Saint this paper pretty.
bought II to the Post Office and cOSl
five cents"
Harry Temple leaned back in hi.
chair and gave low whistle. Th'
typewriter looked up from her pile o
letters and smiled; but Harry wa
busy re-reading the letter.
Just after the noon hour when Mr.
Brayton returned to bis Office, he wa
given his mail, and as he proceeded I,
open IL, he noticed that young Templ
fingered.
"What Is it?' he asked.
"Here Is a letter." hesltatingly re
piled the young man, (which l don
know whether you wish to see o
not !" and he turned IL over In hi
hand.
! zone OF your famous 'crank let