The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-05-04
Little Francois Cure.

Little Francois Cure.
The child, pale and feeble lay stretched OH his
little white bed and with eyes dated by fever looked
before hlm with the strange ntentness of the sick
who perceive what the healthy cannot see
His mother, anxious and grief-stricken, stood at
the foot of the bed biting her lips to keep herself
from crying, and looking sadly al the havoc
wrought by the illness the poor, thin face OF
the little boy. The father honest artisan strore
hard 10 restrain his burning tears
Day dawned clear and bright beautiful June
morning forcing lis rays of light into the narrow
chamber In the Rue des Abbesses where little Fran
co.'s, of Jasques and Madeleine Legrand, lay
dying He years old; less than three weeks
ago he had been rosy and lively. bllthe as sparrow
but fever had seized him and they brought him
home from school with heavy head and hot hands
Since then he had lain IN his bed and. sometimes
looking the weIl-polished little shoes carefully
placed IN corner by his mother. he would cry out
in his delirium: you may throw them away Lit
tie Francois VIII never put his shoes again! He
VIII 60 no more to school-never any more
do you want anything, Francois" asked his
mother
NO; nothing
I'VE must draw him out of this" said the doc
tor; this stUpor makes uneasy. Y GU are his
father and mother and should know him well. Find
out What VIII revive him, and bring him back TO
earth" and with this he went away.
Jacques Legrand brought Francois pictures, gilt
soldiers shadow puzzles he cut them out, put them
on the bed and made them dance before the little
ones wandering eyes trying to make him laugh or
even smile. though himself feeling ike cry
ing
Would You Ike little pistol, some marbles or
a crossbowg"
no" repeated the little voice; and to every
thing they said-to the dancing jack and balloons
they promised him-he replied mo, no."
''Then what do you want, Francois p asked his
mother: 'there Is surely something you would ike.
Tel mother" and she whispered into his if
ii were a secret
At last little Francois sat up in bed and stretched
out his arms, saying IN wistful. yet Imperative
voice 81 want Boum-BOump
On the fathers rough face a smile both
happy and astonished, Ike the smile of a convict
who sees before him faint hope Of release.
Boum-Bouml How well he remembered that
matinee on Easter Monday, when he had taken
Francois TO the circus He could still hear the
boys outburst of JOY and his amused laughter when
the clown, in spangles of gold, with huge, many
colored sparkling butterfly wings his back, cut
few capers in the ring. trlpped up performer.
or threw up to the chandelier soft felt hats
which he caught adroitly on his head, where they
formed a pyramid. and who. at each trick each
piece of buffoonery. uttered the same cry, accom-
panied by the rumble of the orchestra-'Boum-
Boumw
Each time he performed the audience burst out
into applause, and Francois laughed heartily. So
wanted to see.
That evening Legrand bought his son iointed
clown covered with spangles
The boy looked at the toy, glittering on the
white eounterpane, then said, sadly: It's not
Boum-Boum ] do want to see Boum-Boumi"
Ahl If only Jacques could have wrapped him up
and carried him away to the circus, there to show
him the clown dancing under the bright lights! lie
did better however-he went TO the circus, asked
for the clowns address, and with legs trembling
from nervousness, entered the house of the artist
in Montmartre.
Il have come to ask most unusual thing. |
beg your pardon sir, but it is for my little boys
sake Such dear little chap. sir; always top of
his class. except in sums. But he is dreamer, and
proof of that is"
Jacques stammered and hesitaed; then, sum
ming his courage, said boldly:
"The truth is that he wants to see you. sir; he
thinks only of you, as of star which he wants to
have"
When he had finished the father was pale and
his brow wet He did not dare to look at the clown,
who was standing with his eyes fixed on the work
man
awhere do you live?" asked BoumBoum,
80 orite near! In the Rue des Addresses
Come along then. Your boy wants to see
Bourn- Boum? Well he is going to see him.
When the door opened before the clown jacques
Jeerand cried ioyously to his son:
"Now you'll be happy Francois Look! here
is Boum- Boum"
The child looked up with glad face. He raised
himself on his mothers arm and turned his head
toward the two men, looked for moment at the
gentleman beside his father and searched the kind
face which smiled at him, but which he did not
iiV Bnt vben,thev said. This is Boum- Boum," he
fell back slowly and sadly the pillow, with fixed
eyes staring beyond him.
NO" said the boy, in diseonsoate voice no
this is not BOum-Boum.
The clown standing beside the little bed, looked
down gravely and with infinite tenderness al