The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-04-11

v:ti 1alneu Deus There were faces on some Of The
r. NV Du' olners were empty Away ar the end
CT the long ward he could hear children TALKING and
laughing quietly about the fire anu
presently a little boy on crutcbes oo,a J, ~
"'I0I ana seeing little Steve calle,i ont.
say, Sister, here's DOT awaken
men a sweet faced nun with white teeth came
III ilo Ooor ny MN and smiled at him and asked him
no" ne 1elt, and fed him something delicious ont
OF little flowery cup with long spout.
GU are going on very nicelvo she cold .sord r
you re very good little boy, perhaps you'll be able
to see your friend on Sunday
My friend, misSI'
Yes, your friend who brought Won here
3 VI course 1t could only be Mrs. Brady, though
Steve wondered how she came +o be obo,,+ Viz, h
met with the accident. "''"' "''eii N'
Micky wasn't hurt, was he miss 2" he asked any
iously. 'i-l'0 ne 'SNeu AK
"Mlcky" The nun looked puzzled for an in
slant, then she seemed to understand .sOb T ro
member-the child you got hurt in irving ~ save
No. he wasn't hurt. He's all right believe. Now
don you talk any more, dear but sleep if Won can"
W 18th little intervals of pain and rest from pain
Steve got round the week till Sunday came. There
was no Inflammation and Dr. Heys thought that
the little chap in 22T bed might certainly see his
friend II the latter was quiet and stayed only
short time
When the visitors came tiptoeing down the ward
amid shrieks of delighted recognition from many
little beds. Stoves heart fell. There was no Mrs
BRADY She had forgotten him. But who was this
big man with the country freshness on his checks
and the mild blue eyes with the great bunch IF
wall flowers and daffodls and the obvious eggs tied
un IN red and white cotton handkerchief who
walked softly to the chair by Steve's bed and took
up his place there. Steve felt dreadful certain
~ that 1t was all mistake and the visitor not for
him: but the mild, serious eyes had no doubt in
their gaze.
The Sister told me | might come and sec how
YOU was" he said in a voice subdued to the soft
est key possible though it was naturally big voice
to match the big man.
But | never saw you before" said Steve weak
w. Isn't 1t another boy you want!'
Il want the boy my Dobbin knocked down in the
Dover road last Monday, Not as he'd ever ave
done 1t, but that he didn't see you nor the little
shaver as was the cause of it all"
oh" said Steve, cts very good of you to
come"
Stoves friend came many Sundays before Steve
was able TO get on clutches and hop about the ward
His hip had been broken. and he hardly ever to
walk without lameness the most the kind doctor
hoped for that he would not be very lame as ne
grew stronger. Steve wouldn't have minded very
much if he had been told that he was to be an IN
mate of the hospital for life. In fact, he would
have liked it. He liked the doctor, he liked the
nurses, he liked thesother sick children. Above ALL
he liked John Graingers visits on Sunday. and
these, no doubt would cease when presently Steve
went back to Greek street.
John Granger did not seem to get tired of COM
ing the weeks grew to months. Sunday after
Sunday he sat by Stoves bed in the ward or BY the
open window. when summer at length arrived. and
Steve was able to sit in basket chair and look out
on the courtyard with the few beds of hardy flow
ers in its shabby turf. In those visits it was WON
derful how much the boy came to know about the
man. All the simple, quiet life, with its and its
sorrows he came to read like book. He knew that
John Granger had lost his wife and son. and was
lonely without them forever He knew the house
with its green porch. standing back from the road
where John Granger lived There were stocks and
wall flowers under the windows: the windows had
green outside shutters There was little kitchen
and bed room and a parlor, and all day while
Ohm Granger away, rusty, his old collie, lay
in the shelter of the porch and guarded his
ters property. In the parlor there was an old man
and woman. in a shell house, one of whom came out
for fine weather, the other, with umbrella. for
wet. There was fine glass ball with little house
in it. and when you shook it the storm ragged
inside it. There were Scripture pieces on the wall
in sampler stitch, and the most beautiful fruit in
wax under glass shade on the table. Outside there
was hedge of sweetbriar and there were beehives
under roof of thatch on stoop by the house
wall. Beyond were the fields where John Granger
earned his living by growing flowers fruit and veg
etables Yesterday it might be daffodils today as
paragus lettuce and young peas tomorrow straw
berries.
John was an epitome of the seasons as they
came He had begun by bringing violets and DAT
fodils; then came anemones and little sprays of Ill
les of the valley One Sunday there was bunch Of
Towering May, big as Christmas tree. Now this
last Sunday of all, there were roses.
This day Steve presented very different
poet from the dirty and ragged boy who had come
in the day of the accident. He supposed they had
burnt his old clothes Anyhow, it was pleasure
to find himself in a clean linen smock with knick
erbockers underneath and stout shoes and gray
WOODEN stockings even if he had to share them with
Paddy Brady presently.
";Tis the last Sunday I'll be comm to see ZEE
here" said John Granger.
eyes" said Steve and in spite of him big tear
escaped down his cheeks Life wouldn't be more
tolerable in Greek street now that he was lame.