Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-17


| fared up at our touch
| What do you mean" called a voice, gru1
| and scolding, "by leaving these lamps unti
nearly o'clock?' Then, as he saw thai
Walter wasn't large, What are you doing
| here anyway?-what do the gas people mean
! by entrusting this business to a boy-Ill
report a. once-it's an outrage"
/ IF you please" said Walter, as he
clutched me hard and leaned to keep iron.
falling, my father
! What do | care for your father" inter
rupted the man; you skip ahead there lively
and get the rest of the lamps to shining.
Well see about you and your father in the
morning The idea of a man paying taxes
for lights and then getting out in such
scrape as this! Hurry your boots, and don't
crawl along there like snailr
Forward we drove, made the greatest pos
sible effort, got the lamps ignited at last
and down on his face, in a drift, went my
chum, exhausted and sick at heart And l.
that he had held so nobly up in spite of all
his previous falls, was stabbed in the snow
head first, for half my length. When h.
arose at last and attempted to light me
anew, I'm ashamed to say l drowned the
only match that lived in the gale. and so
went home, a cold and cheerless weight in
his weary hands
Myrtle was waiting as we stumbled through
the door, and concerned no little, bless her
hedTt' on, waiter, sne cfleu, as snC
placed me quickly in my corner, you are
nearly"
"sh-sh-sh," he whispered, don't LEI
father know. Tm-Im all right-in a min
ute"
Myrtle is that Walter?" called the fathe
family.
yes. oh, yes" she replied, going at once
to the door of the room, hes back; he's
getting off his things"
rs he all right Its a terrible storm ="
"All right, father" said the lad, with the
steadiest voice he could muster, mot so bad
outside as you would suppose"
I'm glad. | was worried" said the
father; and l heard him turn and sigh very
heavily.
Soon I was trying to dry myself in the
silent darkness, for Walter sleepily ate the
msal that Myrtle had kept, and then he
staggered TO bed. He had to be up at an
early hour to get the lamps put out on time
in the morning.
DISMISSED.
Now it nearly makes me hot In the head
without any fame to tell what happened
next. A man came along at noon to say
that complaints had been made, that they
couldn't leave the work in the hands of n
boy and that a man would take the route
that very evening. Then he fetched me away |
to the companys office, and left all them |
staring and stunned.
OF course / wasn't there so / don't know
ashamed and indignant, In the corner of the |
office for time | beheld the door oDen and
Myrtle and jolly Dutch shoemaker,
who lived around the corner, appeared. He
led her right straight up to desk where
man was sitting.
VIE gehs," said he. removing his hat in
a funny fashion. "leedle Myrdle like to
speak nit der gomp'ny."
"No beggars today" said the man, and !
know got furious.
oaiJ |
Tahers name is Edward Morgan, lamp
lighter No. AZ, and"
You'll have to see the-here Stanton, is
iome one to see you" felt like applying
ny lamp to the nose OF this person.
Mr.. Stanton now came forward and lis
ened more kindly to all that Myrtle had to
ay.
~ am very sorry. my child" he said, at
he end of her story-to which I was ach-
ng to add what / knew, but the superln
endents rules are very strict don't see
What we can do now to help you. Good
lay"
A FRIEND IN NEED.
The door had opened again as he spoke,
o admit a pale little creature, who seemed
o be a child herself so short was the
jumped little body the painfully crooked
Jack OF which was quite apparent. beneath
he rich and heavy fur that bundled her
Oftly up TO the ears.
Good day, sir" whispered Myrtle. as the
eaf1 Welled up IN heF eyes ana sne turned
o go. Hans. Hans. help me-" she family
allied, while her white trembling hand
cached out with helpless little motion to
he anxious shoemaker.
He had started, but the child who had
ONE was ahead. What is it?--what is II,
title girl?" she cried. and she pressed the
old outstretched fingers to the fur on her
eek.
II am blind" said Myrtle I believe I
orgot to tell you that she was blind"
Hans. Hans, will take me home" The