Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-11
home at night with a cheerful heart.

but one chilly FEBRUARY morning, as
Bobby stood in his accustomed place,
he saw the young man come across the
street alone. There was a troubled
look on his face, and he passed Bobby
without even a glance.
vague fear rose in the boys heart,
and nothing was able to dispel it; his
other customers missed the CHEEKY sal
utation with which he usually greeted
them, and more than one looked Curl
ously at the childish face with its pre-
occupied expression.
The long day dragged YEARLY by,
and at night Bobby watched eagerly
for the familiar brown ulster. At last
it appeared, but the sight brought no
comfort to Bobby, for, as in the morn
ing, the wearer hurried by without a
look or word.
That night when Bobby entered the
room Maggie Immediately noticed that
something was troubling him, but she
could obtain no information, for he
said never word, feeling that to put
his dread into words was to make the
| realization more possible.
The next day passed in the same
| manner; Bobby was at his post earl
| Ter than usual, and stood there the
| whole day, only to see the young man
| pass alone, with the troubled express
| sion a little more marked than on the
preceding day.
| On the third day Bobby could endure
| it no longer, as the young man crossed
| the street some one stepped directly
| into the path. He looked down i'm
| patiently, but his face changed as he
recognized the boy.
| What is it?" he asked quickly, but
not unkindly.
THE lady, sir" Bobby said, faint
ly, isn't she coming any more?",
| Il hope so, said the young man,
gravely, but not just now. She is
sick, you see, and the doctors say it
will be long time at least before she
can come again"
| BooDy turned away; the dread in
his heart had been put into words, and
the direct knowledge, although he had
longed for it, was almost more than
| he could bear.
| Slowly the days passed. Bobby did
not dare speak to the young man
again, yet he watched his face eagerly
as he passed, and read no hope.
At last, just a week from the morn
ing when he had first heard the sad
news, as Bobby stood at his post, he
saw the young man coming across the
street, with face SO white and set
| and stamped with terrible sorrow that
for moment BobDy's heart stood still.
Then as the young man came close to
him he stepped forward involutarily,
and laid his hand on the brown sleeve.
The young man turned sharply, al
most fiereely, at the touch, but as he
looked down into the little face raised
| to his. his own softened.
| The boy spoke no word, but the 9TH
er read the question in the eager, anx-
ious eyes, and said in a low, choked
voice; She died this morning. | am
going back in an hour
Bobby's hand dropped from the
| young mans arm; for a moment he
stood still, dazed by the words he had
just heard. Then, regardless of his un-
| sold papers, he turned and went slow
| ly back to the old tenement he had
left but half an hour before.
Maggie started with surprise as he
| came in but one glance at his grief
| stricken face told her the whole story.
The lady, Bobby" she gasped. rs
| She
She's dead" said Bobby, dropping
| into the nearest chair and laying his
head on the old table, the young man
| told me. I'll never see her again and
| can't do anything for her" and the
little figure was shaken by heavy sobs
! Maggie stood silently beside him for
some moments; then, suddenly turning
she went into the second of the two
| little rooms.
When she returned she carried the
old can in which they had planted the
| carnation. 1t now held sturdy plant
and bearing itself proudly aloft on its
slender stem was a beautiful blossom.
See, Bobby" she said, laying her
hand on the bowed head I've been
keeping 1t for surprise for you, but
| you shall have il for the lady. Per-
haps the young man can take it to
her.
Bobby looked up; motionless he gaz-
ed at the flower; then sprang quickly
to his feet HE said he'd be back in
an hour l shall have just time.' he
| exclaimed.
Carefully and tenderly the earnation
| was cut from its stalk and wrapped in
| white paper. Then, only stopping to
kiss Maggie in a way that told the
gratitude he could not speak. Bobby
| bounded down the stairs and raced
|