The morning times., 1896-06-14
Helen'S q
Reserve
q Forces
BY s.MGRAHAM.

/
~ don't want anything Fragrant
Your cat is mewing to come in; lie looks
for you everywhere"
He can run, he's happy enough"
Mrs. Stevens sent over to ask ir you'd
/ ike glass OF lemon jelly with youl
supper"
II don't want any supper"
TON brought hoine some fine straw
berries this morning.
| ~ don't like Strawberries"
You used to like them"
Everything is different now."
May and Agnes inquire for you every
day, they must think it strange that you
| refuse to see them"
II cant help 1t, mamma, don't wish to
see anybody"
.You would feel better IL the curtains
were up so that the sunshine could stream
| in; it Is beautiful day."
You may feel sunshine; l don't, when
can't go out and enjoy it, A stifled Sob
| came from the depths of the pillows.
80, Helen, don't cry any more, you will
bring back your headache
"One or two more aches don't count.
| am ddoomed to suffer-"
| Mrs. Arnold turned away with heavy
| sigh and left the room. IL was week
| now since Helen was injured. Her father
| had given her a bicycle on her seven
| teenth birthday; he had meant that she
| should not ride by herself until she had
| taken a few lessons, but he hal been busy,
and she was So eager to try that she forgot
his injunctions and went out one morn
ing for n little spin.'' She and the
pretty wheel were brought home in an
express wagon; the bicycle was uniniured,
but her knee hal been badly sprained; the
doctor found IL necessary to put IL in a
plaster cast which she must wear six
weeks. u seemed To the active girl like
sentence OF imprisonment for life. Half
OF June and July! to be shut ont from all
the su".rner pleasures: not to go down.
satirs, ~ hobblc about on crutches from
the bed to the sofa, from the sofa to the
easy chair AMI back tn the bed again! Sew
eral da a~s had passed. She had lain in the
darken,d room lamenting her miserable
lot. The whole household had exhausted it,
self in trying la serve her: the neighbors
had been kind and sympathetic, but no.
body could do anything to please her.
Let her alone" said the doctor, who
could be gruff and caustic. Shell come
out Of that state. Don't coidle her so. Go
about your business and let her see that
the whole universe isn't bound up in one
sprained knee.
was reserved for Master Tom, a free
spoken youth of twleve, to be the first
to arouse Helen from her unhappy frame
OF mind. He had entered her room TO bring
a letter aud had stumbled and fallen over
a fOotstool
II say, Helen,' he cried Indignantly,
as he arose and rubbed his elbow, want
US all to get hurt and laid up, don't
you? You're running this thing into the
ground, curtains down, everybody tiptoe-
ing about with long face and you act
ing as though you were the only sick
person in town, fussing and fretting and
not making the best OF things"
There isn't any BEST" moaned the
girl.
fully, ''you night have hurt both knees
and dislocated a shoulder and broken eight
or ten ribs. and we might be dreadful poor
and have hard work to pay your doctors
bill. / mentioned that to father at break
fast; he said he didu't mind the bill, but he
did wish you had more common sense and
consideration for other people than to act
as you do, he hadn't supposed you were SO
s'premely selfish. didn't, either; none OF
us ever suspected It,"
"Did papa talk like that about me?"
asked Helen with considerable energy.
Not those very words. but those are
the ideas. Some boys get hurt sight
worse at football, often they have a con-
coction of the brain, but they don't act
like perfect-that is, they don't act awful
silly, they Just bear it, boys are made
that way, il is their nature TO. Even if
was n girl I'd be ashamed to make
mamma trot up and down stairs trying
to get things for you that you won't have,
until she thinks her feet will drop off,
Nothing tastes just right for you. l
s'pose the cook will give notice. Father
said if you weren't disabled he'd like to
shake you on account of your notions"
Helen gasped for breath.
My father said that about me-"
Not Just that, maybe, but that's the
impression your only father gave us about
his only precious daughter, who makes the
house seem like tomb Nobody has
drawn free breath since you got hurt
You would feel ready for a tomb if
you couldn't run about for six weeks
said she in a hollow voice.
six weeks isn't all'' shouted Tom,
''you needn't think that is the end. The
doctor told father you could walk only
a little then, there wouldn't be much
strength in your knee, you could go few
steps here and there around the place,
but you'll not be as good as new for u
long time
Helen sat straight up in bed and fixed
her eyes on her brother.
Tom, you are 81 yng this to plague me;
I think you are very unkiDd."
mo, honest Injun; that's what he said; |
sprains are bad, folks don't die, but they |
stay lame if they are careless
Then. he won'tlet me ride six weeks?'" |
'Ride? h'm!'' shifted the hoy; ..you'n |
ride no more this year and you won't go on |
any more prowls for weeds and stones, |
and you won't go boating nor nothing this |
maybe you can saunter round the |
yard Il little. and if you take care OF your
self, go TO scbo oil in September, but don't |
be too sure Of that. for You might have to |
stay out till New Years.
In spite of the gloom of the chamber. !
Tom could see his sisters eyes flash; he
felt that he had approached the danger |
line. and he began TO edge away from the
bed.
You are the cruelest boy i ever knew
Leave my room at oncel There's one
thing sure, you won't get hurt falling
from your bicycle; papa will never give
you one; he said he wouldn't so long as
you are conditioned in arithmetic and his
tory and have to stayin the same class next
year,
Tom felt this thrust keenly. but he ral-
lied.
We'll. your head may be all right, but
your heart isn't what it ought to be when I
you can't think of anybody but yourself"
Leave this room Immediately" ccni-
nanded the invalid.
II Will. I will. It's not such a cheerful
place that anybody wants to linger there"
"Go"
Tom clattered down the stairs. three at
time.
whats this?" said his father who was
II tue hall below. talking with Mrs. rnol!;
seems TO me 1 heard loud voices"
''Oh- ] was only giving Sis a few home
ruths." said Tom, in an off hand manner
Il told her she was no end selfish to treat
rs like this; she ought to think little OF
the family. and not be pig. and you'd
ike to shake her,
why. Tom," cried his mother, "you
honldn't have spoken so to your poor sis
fr."