Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-07-28
JACK
Mary A11afre.

4 l.
determined he should like me. I
felt that life would be an absolute fail
are if l did not win his love and conf
dence. l found myself weighing crit
ically my advantages, and growing
more and more doubtful of my chances
of success when l recalled his EXPIRES
sion of remoteness and Indifference.
To win him became passion. / never
went into the locality where there was
a possibility of seeing him without
using my hand-mirror carefully, ex-
aiming my gloves critically and adj
justing my veil with unusual care. l
was never positive that he saw me when
I saw him; certainly no glance from
his sharp black eyes met mine. Would
I ever desire the friendship of any hui
man being as l did the friendship OF
that dirty. ragged bog? He was more
ragged and dirty than any boy of the
neighborhood. He was extremely
plain. 1t is doubtful if even in baby
hood he had possessed the winning
gift of beauty, even in his eyes. His
round, bullet head was too small for his
stunted body, and the hair was like
black wire, it was so stiff and coarse.
His clothes he kept on by Il liberal use
of string; the dirt that covered him
was impersonal, so 10 spaak-it was
coal dust.
Those DAYS were blanks when / failed
to see the stunted little figure. For
reason / did not anaiyZe, / never asked
questions about him, feeling sure that
If he was told had asked there would
be one more barrier to overcome before
that happy future day when Jack and
/ should be friends. The other boys
were friends established in the house.
Spring came, and the windows of
the boys clubroom were OPEN AS
passed the window where the boys
were singing, l saw the top of IA
miliar cap. Ny heart beat and trem-
bled as l went to the door and forced
myself to look in the other direction
from the ragged, lonely little figure
leaning against the railing How could
1 face him and ask him without show
ing how anxious ] was to have him
Just then boy who was under sus-
pension from the club for bad be-
havior came down the street and hur-
ried to plead his cause. The singing
went on, and the figure standing with
its back toward me was motionless.
The boy pleading in his own behalf
for a remission of the sentence that
barred him from the clubroom never
knew that he was being used as lever
TO reach the boy whD was softly whist
ling at the railing.
DO you know that boy?' 1 asked
him, very softly.
'.Um." was the reply.
"You may come in to-day; ask him
If he would like to come IN with you.
Trembling as did not in the white
house, and far more anxious to win a
look of recognition from the boy when
he entered the room then 1 had been to
win the glance of the president, went
indoors The boy never glanced at
me; he did not know 1 was in the room
His ewes were fastened on the dainty
woman at the piano.
NO wonder" l half murmured as
looked at her, and a great wave OF
jealousy swept over me, the first had
ever known. I was to learn many
things about myself through that
small boy.
After a time the boys went into the
yard to play, and Jack followed. He
sat down on a bench and watched
them. / talked with the other boys
but my thoughts were with the one on
the bench. At last, by great effort
of will, l sat on the further end of the
same bench. Not even then was
-vouchsafed a glance.
There was border of flowers on
either side of the yard. 1t had been
the resource for discipline for every
-offense committed against the ethics
of this oasis in the desert kingdom OF
The tenement-house child life. Many
physical encounters, that promised tO
end in bruises, between tiny male and
female pugilists had been prevented
by calling attention to the fact that
the flowers needed watering. I'm
mediately the principals forgot their
grievances in the larger interest
brought to their attention. \ ten
rdency to good manners had been
created by giving or withholding the
privilege of watering or wedding the
24-inch wide garden. 1t came like an
inspiration.
jack" in as Indifferent tone as
could command, ARE you afraid OF
worms?"
Nav" was the response, ida amt
inuthin' to be 'fcerd Of"
"I am" declared, meekly.
Jack glanced at me with such q look