The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-11-18
LITTLE LAD.
The Part He Played In Bringing
Is Two Hearts Together.
BY NJ. LoulaE cuMMINs.

ny NJ LOUIE CUMMfNS.
Jean Lindsay passed down the long
hospital ward with firm, quiet step.
Tue blue gingham and ample white
Spron Of her nurses dress hung In
BOSE folds around the tall. gracious
figure. The spotIess bands at wrists
and neck only served to show up the
fine Wilderness OF her skin. Her snowy
cap rested on thick waves of bronze
hair.
Dexter Garst drew back into the cor
ridor and, watching her. wondered II
the time would ever come when be
could see her move thus toward him
and not and his whole being stirred to
its very center.
The day, nearly a year before. when
he had laid his heart at her feet was
like badly healed scar In the doctors
life. It had apparently passed out Of
her recollection.
She gave him her hand, with smile
OF good comradeship, and together
they made their usual morning round
of the ward. Near an empty cot at the
end she paused.
Little Lad is sitting up," she said
smiling with the triumph of one who
had won hard battle and led the way
outside.
BY q sunny window be sat IN his
wheel chair, little figure even for
eight years. IN the loose hospital suit
Of gray flannel. The doctor himself
had brought him there nearly three
months before, shapeless bundle. He
had been plucked from under a horses
hoofs in the street. No one seemed to
care to lay any special claim to him.
and yet he was undoubtedly the child
of refined parents.
For weeks Garst and Jean Lindsay
had fought with death for this one
small and apparently superauous life.
There were times when the doctor gave
up hope, and nothing but the strength
of inherent motherhood in the woman
seemed TO keep the child alive
How is the little lads" the doctor
would ask as be entered the ward
morning after morning, and Little
Lad" he became to every one In the
hospital
AS he took feeble hold on life again
his whole starved little heart went out
and laid hold on these two people. his
doctor and nurse, with a mightiness OF
love which almost hurt him at times.
He would lie In his cot and. watching
the doctor while be made his rounds,
think that he must be very like the
man. about whom Nurse Lindsay bad
told him. who once lived upon the
earth and healed all the sick people
and loved little children. Ii never oc-
CURED 10 him to associate the beauti-
full story with the name he had so Of
ten heard in basphemy in the street.
But he looked at his own doctor aud
felt that 1t must be true.
a light might suddenly have been
turned on inside the small body. so
swift was the radiance which flooded /
his face as Jean and her companion |
came in sight Garst sat down near |
the wheel chair and taking one small |
hand. beat it softly against bis broad
open palm.
Next week. he said, II am going to
run away into the country with Little I
Lad for few days before before | go +
abroad"
Jean Lindsay could not quite conceal +
the start his words gave her, but she
held her voice steady.
"Then the long contemplated course
at Bonn Is to be an accomplished fact,
after all, she said.
YES" The doctor did not raise his
eyes.
Little Lad had looked from one TO
the other in vague bewilderment
"But. first Of ALL" Garst went on,
Little Lad and | viii have perhaps a /
whole week at splendid place know !
OF. where there are tall pine trees and /
a big lake.
He was watching the boys face and
saw how the delight which bis words
called up became slowly clouded.
"Will she come too?' He motioned
with his hand toward the nurse.
Garst remained silent. The child
turned TO Jean.
"Wont you come. tooY' be pleaded
He read the negation IN her face
even before she slowly shook her head
and dung himself toward the doctor
make her come! Make her come,
toor' he begged passionately.
Jean stopped hurriedly and putting
back the damp hair from bis forehead,
kissed It,
"Fm afraid that would be quite I'M
possible. Little Lad" she said quietly
and moved away down the corridor
But even as she did so an intense
physical WEAKNESS seemed to have de-
scended upon her She felt sitting IN
the bright glare Of the morning sun
shine and. putting up her hand. push
ed The heavy hair back from her fore
head. When she had passed out Of
sight of the doctor and Little Lad she
turned and leaned against an open