The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-05-04
YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN.


| ''Why were you so surprised because I
kept my promise!' | asked him a few
days later when we were out nutting
| together.
"oh: cause lis folks don't often--at
"Nhy. my dear, who ever breaks !;
| premise to yOu:'
Mamma papa and the maids.' He
WAS bending over a promising heap of
leaves. II always remember such
things. If | ask papa to bring me any
pre- sent he never remembers it, and there
was that time that mamma broke her
premise about Mr. Finnigan"
Evidently, the Finnigan affair had cut
deep.
What w:s that, Tcdiy:" asked
"Oh. nothing much.' He was bending
ever the leaves, bis sunny curls under
the red Tam o Shanttr cap shining in
the Afternoon glow. could not soc h s
face. but | heard the culver in the brave
voice.
"LraSt, it wasn't much to anyone but
me. Mr.. Finrigan was our plumber. He
was the hcautifulcSt man | ever saw. We
used to talk nearly all day while he was
liking car bathroom. He didn't mind
havln" me around all the time. He used
to have IL hoy like me-. he said: but he
| died. Sc Mr.. Finnigan and | used to
talk about him and-othcr things
IL
the tt nttr voice now
Il never had such fun BEFORE" h.
won't on. "Alr. Finnigan and l used to
eat our lunch together under the tree by
the horse and wagon. | gave Mr.. Fin
n'Ean some of my grapes and cake, and
ne gave me some bread and sausage. lie
had Lovely things in his pail He told
| splendid stories. too. One day he asked
ne hrw l would like. to live with him
and ride around in the wagon. told
laughed when l told her, and said that
If | went; | must take only my old
clothes. But l didn't care I said T.,
come and see her sometimes, and when
could Ia take her riding in the cart.
Next day Mr.. Finn=an got through
before | knew it, so | hurried to pack
my bag. Mamma said that she would
keep Mr.. FinnSan until l came. She
promised. or l wouldn't have gone for
my clothes.
Il pretty nearly died l hurried so. !
got my trousers on wrong. and | couldn't
find my old hat. ans! my shoe strings
acted awfully queer but at last l was
ready: When | went downstairs
locked out. and Mr.. Finnigan was
| gone
20 Teddy" I cried, my eyes filling
YES. Gone" No words of mine ca,
CYPRESS the sorrow in that little voice
Wv hen | asked mamma about it she had
forgotten, and she laughed because
cried"
on" 1t was all that I could say.
And so the winter passed Again and
again | longed t." ask my boy how he
ret about my face. hut l waited.
At the years end. during which Teddy
ana studied read. played and walked
together was told that my services
were NJ" longer needed. In the autumn
my pupil was to go to fashionable
boys school
ut parting | grew desperate. "Tcddv.'
| said. holding his restless hands in
mlne. tell me truly. lad,lic what did
YOU see III my face that first day thai
YOU did not like?"
then said, in his strange. slow fnshi"n. .'
You - had - the same - lonlN;n-
Nt'nr-fa'cr-that-Mr. Fmnigan-had.
thi nght-i --WAS-gcing to - love-you
'lid-nct-want-to,"
lou .lrllng. | cried with a happy
n'art. IN. was anyone ever NOR,
81. ssed than Mr.. Finnigan and 1? It
was emily after l had left that I rcmcm.
|~Errrd that had not asked Teddy if he
loved me- WY - i'
Dear little fellow. He was not to pr
to the fashionable school that autnmn
neither ne ever will is an open cues
thn. During the summer. in enc of his
oailng climbs. he fell and injured hi>
~ nc. They Wrotc me- that the littlp
t'rS'e*s feet were not able to run. All
day ne sat in his wheel chair but was
parent and sunny-temperel. BY and by
i letter came from Teddy himself
dear scrawl. 1t settled all nv doubts
upon one subject. This was the letter.
cannot write as good as 7 usn,} +,
when You were here.
My hands get tired easier than who,
| You were here > a
wish you were here to read TO mo like
| You used to read, '>>
wish you were here to tell me bedtime
stories Ike YOU used to tell.
Mr; F'inn!gan comes every day oni
wheels me in my chair,
Mamma got him for me.
| Mamma is better than she, was who,
you were here. l told her about Won mn
now YOU never forgot promises, specially
| to bows.
! tod Mr. Finngan about Won. TOO
LIE wants 10 know YOU, he saws.
II think lot about your face, an,
! nights l dream about it,
l won d not say that thing now. Yo,
EncW-ahcut hot liking the look On yc;,,
| face.
| wish l could sec you every day like
L used to see you.
When I'm a man I'm going to be witt
you always like l used to be- Yours truly
| Teddy.
| Christian Reg ster.