Evening star., 1907-08-31
A MODERN KNIGHT.

There were three of them and they were
all little, Barbara, Jack and Ted
"The big, big baby. the middling sized
baby, and the wee, wee baby" papa used tc
call them.
Barbara was five. and having been for
tunate enough to be the first baby. and
the only one for two years, she had con-
tracted the baby habit. and at the ad-
vanced age Of five shamelessly demanded
cuddling on the grounds of habit and be-
cause she was q girl
Jack started in by being a charming baby
but he was always a bit deliberate. and
before he had decided that he was really
the baby along came baby Ted. and the
opportunity was gone.
Ted. the wee, wee baby, assumed quite
awful airs, even Barbara stood aghast at
them; as for patient little Jack. he gave In
without a struggle-an outward struggle, !
He was the bravest little chap you ever
saw. With his great serious brown eyes
he took in the situation and accepted II
in the funniest, wisest way. He even tried
to pet and pacify Barbara and wondered
that she should expect papa to carry her
upstairs. or should ask mamma to rock ner
to sleep. He loved daddy and mommy TOO
well to bother them. and Ted took great
deal of their time.
Now. because Jack was such little gem
tleman, he had good many hard Things
to bear He was oftener asked 70 give
o,p." He never made a fuss. as Barbara
did so 1t was easier to ask him TO De un-
selfish. His turn for goodies came iast;
because, you know. Barbara was a sIl
and Ted a baby" Jack smiled Gown his ,iis
personal inclinations. took what came ms ms
way, and was loved by every one for ms ms
beautiful disposition. People loved him. out
they did not tell them so half often enough
80 how could he know2
Now when he was three terrible calam-
ity befell him. His mother was taken
hi. and it was decided that one OF the chli.
dren should be sent away to VISIT Aunt
Margaret .,.s 40
dismally at the mere idea that she shoulo
20, that Teddy Joined in and for an nour
there was scene. JACK stoou loohiis On,
silent and fearful. 1t ended as ne knew
II would end; he, the little middle one. hao
70 take what the others would not have and
go to Aunt Margaret.
Away he went away from the mother ne
adored. and the home that was so s"eetiy
familiar to his loyal childish heart.
Aunt Margaret saw the struggle on the
brave little face beside her: she had no
children and 50 perhaps had TIME 10 hoe,oe @
more the children of other mothers. Sne
was too wise to pretend TO puy 1aen
on the train she told him splendid stories
of heroes who were great because they
were unselfish and true-hearted ana Dy.
the time they reached their journey eno
Jack forgot much of his suffering ana pc
gan to wonder. If he tried very haro. II ne.
too. could be a hero some day! A knight
of little things?
Aunt Margarets home was very oeauti-
full, and stood among fine trees. surrounded
by yelvety lawns. His own city homo
was quite plain in comparison but JACK
stood sturGily up for his own possessions
1t amused Uncle Tom immensely, and he
joked and froEcked with Jack every even
ing when he came home, trying to make
him say that something in the new home
was superior to what Jack held sacred.
This was a great trial to the small heart
sick visitor. but he was too polite to say so.
One night when Aunt Margaret was put
ting him in bed she said:
See, what great fine bed for one little
boy to lie I'M"
Jack gulped. remembering his own tiny
crib.
.'Did-dd you ever notice my-my moth
er's bed?" he whispered. IT'S most a
mile big. It can hold daddy. mommy. Bar
bara. Ted and me mornings that mommy
feels well!'
You darling" cried Aunt Margaret,