Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-04-09

MS am lNS place 10 steep.
"Mother's here" the hoy answered,
N a thick, husky voice.
There, you've took cold, now.
Where bouts s yer mother?'
why. here She had to be planted,
like you put bulb in the ground.
and up comes a lily. know all about
it,
40 yer?"
She told me
"Who?"
Mother"
Whose boy be you?"
You make me smile.-yuu do ask so
many questions, | belong TO mother
Just the same, but live at the home
for the friendless now. I've got
lathcr toe wish he'd come and get
me-
expect you've slept here all night"
said Ben responsibility
"Oh, is it morning."
ITO be sure it's"
The child gravely laid his lily on the
unmarked grave.
What set We out to act this way"
Ben desired to know.
What way?"
Running of n stayin out all
night"
"A man gave me this flower be
cause twas broke. said the child, but
it's just as pretty Folks is having
EN- on their graves for Easter, and |
wanted mother to have one, After |
got here, thought Id stay a little
while. with mother That's why act
so"
How'd you find the place.
oh, | remember things, and them
don't ask"
All the while he was gazing into the
child's eyes, screened by tumbled curly
hair, there was flowing in upon Ben
memories into which those eyes, that
tangled hair, the mouth, from which
some of the milk teeth had been shed,
the whole tenacious picture
seemed to fit.
Whats your nance" he asked,
"Why, Jack, of course"
Then in Ben's overweight mind,
the past and the present flowed to.
gether and mixed in a strange pc,
riod which bore no relation to time,
nor any other condition but that Of
little Curly-headed Jack within reach
Of his yearning arms. A large proper
ton of boys answer to the name of
Jack, but this Jack by that one more
sign, was his own,
My little SON" he cried. and
gathering the boy close he buried his
face upon him.
why. you must be father" said the
boy.
Whether Ben in the mistiness Of his
mind believed il, or whether from an
ungoverned will to have 1t SO, how
shall we say? but he answered, Il am.
am, little sonny, My own little
precious boy How cold you are.
You've took cold, laying here. Come
home with father, and get warm"
Ben got upon his feet with strength
and nimbleness which belonged to his
youth, and hurried on through the
walks to his cottage, bearing his pre-,
cious Easter gift But neither haste
nor hot blankets nor hot milk nor a
roaring fire could change the pinched,
blue look in the little face.
That night Ben prayed to his neigh
bors for help--he, who had never
asked word of them beforehand the
good creatures came, wondering to see
the grim sexton lowering over little
child like father-with the tender
ness Of a mother.
During days and nights he scarcely
moved from the bedside, for the child
did not loose its clinging hold upon
him. And when he declared he was
going to be pIanted-and bloom--Ben
implored him not to think of such a
thing. PLANT yerself right here, then,
my boy, and bloom where can see
ye." he said u can't let you go out Of
my sight again. jack"
And Jack. in pauses Of quick breath
ing, painted into Ben's ear that he
would like TO stay.
The mad little clock licked on, the
shadows Of the women went to and fro
on the wall and IA times Ben de.
manded OF the doctor, in menacing
tone Are you going to let this boy
die?" and got no reply, But the 18th
time the doctor answered No, you
cantankerous old torment he's going
to liye,'
Because Jack lived there was a new
aspect Of things at Peacedale GENE.
terry. Death still reigned, to be sure,
but with strong opposition Of life
The managers Of the home for the
friendless we're willing Ben should
keep the boy. and no other father ap-
peared. So. summer after summer
the hitherto silent encampment rang
with his challenging shouts. as he
charged with is army Of butterflies,
which almost outnumberd the graves.