Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-12-25
JOHNNY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT.

half crying and half laughing. "lsn't ii
pitiful, Miss Cough ?"
Nurse Cough set down her pencil and
the memorandum and looked at the other
wonderingly. "A footballl" she reiter-
ated. "Then he doesn't realize ?"
mo, poor little fellow. Would you
give it to him, Miss Cough ?"
"What would the mother think ?" the
head nurse asked, and then nurse Blair
ceased all pretense and dabbed her hand
kerchlef against her eyes openly.
-"Lets ask DR.. Keith" she answered,
and that solved the difficulty for the time
being.
Johnny Ward was ten years old and was
been in the hospital for nearly five weeks,
ever since he was knocked down by the
bakers wagon while playing upon the
street almost in front of the hospital en-
trance. He was quite helpless below the
waist, and would always be so, said DR..
Keith, after the operation, unleSS-well,
mirocles had happened and such cases
had got we'll before. So he said nothing
to the pretty young mother who came
day after day, wistful and patient and al
ways hopeful. OF late she had begun TO
suspect that her only boy, her stay that
was to be in her later widowhood, would
never leave the building save in Wheel
ed chair. But she kept her fears to her
self, and nobody had had the heart to tell
her.
And Johnny wanted football for his
Christmas present
"Well," said DR.. Keith gruffly, "why
shouldn't he have one if he wants il ?
Isn't there enough money TO buy foot
ball ? Why, III buy him one myself.
What sort should he have? What are
they made Of ? It's long time since |
was boy myself" he added in self-ex-
cuse.
"Why, they're made OF pigskin, aren't
they, doctor ?" answered the nurse.
but you don't understand. How can
we LET him have a football and let his
mother see him with it, and him lying
there so helpless ? II would be inhu-
man, doctor"
"Hum I'll take the matter under con-
sideration," the doctor answered. But a
few minutes later he was asking the head
inferno, "Where would you go 10 buy
football ?" He put down the address in
his memorandum book, and the inferno
looked at him in wonder, for football and
DR.. Keith seemed somehow unassociable.
"Well, here's the football, nurse" he
said that evening, coming into the ward.
II was Christmas eve All the children
were supposed 10 be asleep. Here and
there an eve drowsily unclosed TO see if
Santa Claus had really come, but sleep
was stronger than expectation, and Nurse
Blair would see to it that no gifts went 10
the sleepleSs. DR.. Keith held out the
paper-wrapped globe. The clerk had
blown il up for him, and, not thinking of
having il debated again, he had carried it
thus for hall dozen blocks. "If you
think it best for him not TO have it, give
II TO someone else. Give him a Teddy
bear" he said.
"Why, boy that age doesn't want
Teddy BEARS" answered Nurse Blair
scornfully. She thought for long while
after the doctor had gone. AT last she
went softly TO Johnny's bed and hung the
football from the head. The little boys
eyes were closed and he was sleeping
soundly. The little helpless ieet made
tiny mountains under the bedcothes.
Nurse Blair turned away quickly.
Morning came; the ward awoke.
Sh-utS and cries of delight were heard.
The day nurses went from bed to bed,
unwrapping packages. Nurse Blair had
gone to her room, but she did not lie
down. She came back, tired but reso-
lutte, half hour before visiting time, and
went TO Johnny's side. He was playing
with the ball, bouncing il upon the sheets.
II had fallen down six times, and each
time the nurse nearest had picked il up
again and returned il.
Johnny" said Nurse Blair, "your
mamma will be here in few minutes
| now"
Eyes, ma a'am," answered Johnny.
"JohnnY, what are you going to do
with that football ?" asked Nurse Blair.
Johnny knew Immediately. "Pm 60
ing TO look at il and look at il and wish
hard 10 be well" he answered.
Johnny, when your mamma comes
she will see it and it will make her cry to
think of the time when her little boy was
strong and well. You don't want to
make her cry, do you, dear ?"
mo, ma'am," answered Johnny.
"Then, Johnny" said Nurse Blair, the
diplomat, suppose we put it away when
she comes and don't show it toher."
"Yes. ma'am," said Johnny. A tear
stole into his eye and overflowed. He
handed her the football. "Y-yes, m-ni-
ma'am." said Johnny, guIping. And
Just then the visitors came in.
Nurse Blair had taken the ball, but she
had no time to conceal it before the little
woman in black had come hurrying to the
bedside, and she stood holding if rather
foolishIy and self-consciously and could
not lace those searching eyes.
"I've brought him this-snd these"
said Mrs. Ward, holding out the box OF
bricks and the mechanical toy. "But
you-you've given him that?"
Nurse Blair stammered something, bu I
she could never remember what it was,
for the young widow had taken both her
hands in hers and was looking at her in
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