Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-29

12-year-old chap WIN red ndli
and a "crossedp eye. And Will
lie Walkers father was just a poor car
penter, whose family lived in a simple
cottage with unpretentious surround
ings. Therefore, Willie, being q poor
boy and not of very pronounced good
looks, fell under the ridicule of most
of his fellows at school and about
the streets. Wherever Willie went he
was sure to hear some boys voice cal
cut to him, Hello, Bricktop," or
Hello. Sandy-pate.' or Hello, there,
Crooked Lamp!" And again some tor
mentor would yell out to him as he
went along, SAY, does the world look
on the bias to you, Sandy KIDD"
And Willie, being but a child, had
not lea med to turn a deaf ear to his
tormentors. In fact, he was very much
hurt by the epithets hurled at him and
was quite unhappy by being the object
of ridicule.
But in the town where Willie lived
were two brothers-Syd and Tom Jack
son-who felt the kindest sympathy for
the carpenters little cross-eyed son
and who braved the jeers of the other
boys to play with him. To be sure,
Willie was not entirely ostracised by
his fellows, but was so often made the
butt of their ridicule and coarse, pain
full personalities that he felt he had no
genuipe friends save sgd and Tom
Jackson, n often he refused to go on
a picnic-where he had been invited
by Sgd and Tom, knowing that some
Of the boys would surely. spoil his day
by poking fun at his red hair and
crooked eye. y"
One day Willie Was lying on the
grass under a tree, watching the clouds
floating overhead and wishing that
both his eyes were straight like other
boys eyes, when he heard a mans
voice call from the gate:
"Is this the home of William Walker.
c~arpenter?"
Willie quickly rose and replied that
it was, and that his father was Will
lam Walker, but was at his shop In
town busy with some work.
"Well. l can wait till he comes home
for dinner" said the man, coming in
through the gate. land while I'm wait
ing I'd like to speak with your mother"
Willie. called to his mother, who
came upon the porch, and as soon as
her eyes fell on the stranger she cried
out in a happy voice: ''Why, if it isn't
my dear brother Jim!' and in another
minute she was in the big mans arms
and crying for very joy over the meet
ing, which was SO unexpected.
And then Uncle Jim tool Willie in his
arms n really kissed his frowsy req
head, declaring hat he was a fine boy
and worthy of his relationship. But
That day, after dinner, Willie heard his
parents in earnest conversation with
his Uncle Jim and heard his uncle say:
"Of course 1t can be done as slick as a
ribbon and no harm done. And I've
got the money to pay for it, too" And
it turned out that it was Willie's
crossed eye of which they were speak
ing, and on the following day they took
him to the doctors office, and, after be-
ing there a little While, Willie came
away with two straight eyes. But, of
course, he couldn't use his eye that had
been operated on for some days, M
had to have it closely bandaged. But
when the bandage was at last removed
by the doctor Willie was the happiest
boy in town, for now he had two eyes
exactly alike and as fine and straight
as any other boys eyes, too. AS for his
red hair-bah, he didn't care a fig about
that. Uncle Jim declared it would grow
darker as Willie grew older and that
ii he lived long enough it would turn
as White as snow. And to all this Will
lie laughed heartily, for he was so
happy. No more would the boys laugh
at him and ask If he saw all things
bias. And, to cap the climax, good,
jolly Uncle Jim bought the finest pony
for Willie O ever saw and a saddle
and bride to go with it. or on it, |
should say.
Then you should have seen the way
all those ugly. tormenting boys did try
to get into Willie's good graces, for
they coveted a ride on the pony. Be-
sides, the report had been circulated
about town that Uncle Jim was a very
rich man (Which vas true) and that
he meant to give his nephew all sorts
of schooling and travel (Which was
true, also).
And to do Willie justice-for he was
net a bad boy at heart-he did not re-
sent the way the boys had treated him
in the past, but he never quite trusted
any of them, SAY Sydaand Tom. But
he treated even his feriner tormentors
With Kindness and made them feel
quite ashamed OF themselves. And to
this day they raeret haylng made fun