The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-28
RESTORATION
BY Beatrice Colbnrn.

night and went out.
OF course he failed In his business
What was the proper move Tor iat
a. make ncxt, and because his part
ner, who had lost all in speculation
shot himself upon the morning o
discovery did not put Stokes OF
his feet again.
So as the years passed John STOKES
laid aside his youthful ambition Ike
an out-grown coat and opened
small periodical shop in a suburban
town
Times, one cent. No, sir, we
don't keep that brand OF cigar. Your
papers will be here this afternoon,
Mr. Bill"
Sometimes you would wonder III
you could have heard the sharp, MO-
| tallic click OF Stokes toncs) whether
they were uttered BY the God-giysn
voice of man. The intonatson was
ever the same and the words came
with the even precision OF clock
| work.
Every night at six Stokes emptied
| the contents of the cash drawer into
/ a tin box which he hid underneath a
pile of newspapers, then eXtinghish-
ing the light he locked his shop door
and turned homeward
Home to him consisted Of a back
room two flights up in Mrs, Grub
bins lodging house, which said room
IA ~ ~ 4
and old-fashioned table as ugly rs
sin itself
Stokes would then with stolid sill
ence fry his scraps OF bacon, MUNICH
a bakers roll and after doing mp
the solitary dish sit by the window
and commune with his pipe until bed
time. over his tlint-like features
there would pass no shadow OF aX-
preston, but when the seance was
a long one, as on hot Summer even
ings, he would occasionally for var
iety remove his pipe to utter an un-
emotional hump"
Mrs. Grubbins accused her back
room lodger OF being queer, and
conhded to the charming Widow
Pinkcheeks (who with her little tiock,
occupied the two front chambers) |
that there was something missing in |
his makeup just what, she couldn't |
say
John Stokes trusted no man
from his word to his penny.
One day when Stokes was we'll |
along in years, for the first time in 4
his remembrance. he lay in bed from
dawn until dusk, saw tie sun when /
1t first peeped into the little rooll and /
watched it's setting rays crimson the
dingy back windows Of aeishbor-
ing house.
Mrs. Grub5ins was too basy to
maze personal call upon the invalid,
but twice sent heI daughter witn Il
bowl of ill-sMeiiing srlel
Toward night as Stokes lay look
ing out toward the darkening sky. he
seemed to be thinking inteutly ami
did not hear the door open. sal
denly child stood before him. II
was the Widow Pinkcheeks youngest
daughter ana she carried in her dim
Piled hands third bowl OF Cruel
Very carefully she deposited the
precious burden beside the bet, THEN
paused and clasloi her hands be-
hind her
"Well,' he said ana one could al
most fancy the word clicked like
metallic Well?"
Hazel Pinkcheel.s steps 81 nearer.
unabashed W her reception
Il had birfday today. Is free
years old
"Hump," was Mr.. stokes COM
nent
Yes" continued Miss Pinkchceks.
1nclasplng her hands and twisting 4
;url around one plump finger AN
has free dollies an pin viz blue
Mr.. Stokes returned her gaze wiz
old Indifference.
Isn't YOU lonesome" was Hazel's {
iext remark. Receiving no answer. I
'he continued. "Muzse- SAYS yoI's
iHtNA piu illD7 otu nun 10 LiIr
rhe hand on the blanket twitched.
Yes, Muzzer says you's old. an yoa's I
Door. too, isn't yoa? when die"
,abbled on the little voice rs do
ng to tate Sally Ann that's my new
lolly-'long too.
Suddenly Nj. Pinschceks seemed
o b. inspired for she clapped her
lands and trippel toward the door !
,alling In a shriil treble:
us tumming wife back. old man.
site back"
Presently there sounded the latter
II little feet and the brown-eyed
baby entered Straight mp TO the bed
he went with dctcrmined step.
Dare. poor old man. is bot you
to teop YOU tumpny-"
INTO Stokes arms tumbied something
loft and black.
Its my Dinah, be dooI to her
won't you. man? The little hand
ought Stokes fingers. pressing some
hing into them spasmoiicaily as
hough the sacrifice was an effort. ,
An here's a penny. / saved Il all
myself"
the soft footballs died in the dis