Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-08-17
The Evening Story
THE LITTLE BROWN GUNNER.

in her W soft. cool one she fed him
n soup OF bits Of toast, and prom
lsed to help straighten out the box,
and see that the wounded men receive
cd attention. She was as good as her
word. and after the, tray had been TAX
en- away, Indians were assorted from
horses, and rough; riders from guns
and things. It was her smily eyes
that spied half OF the little brown
But before she could cover his twisted
body from sight the commander in
chief had discovered the disaster and
the little hand seemed almost to burn
her cool one. She saw his lips CULVER
but her smily eyes met his. blinking
bravely.
Hes the last one" said the boy
chokily.
Isn't 1T lucky he's in a hospital"
she answered cheerily, as her fingers
closed over the small boys wrist and
n noted with dread the rising tenn
perature.
The smily eyed nurse was the head
of the children's ward. This small boy
IA been brought in so crushed both
in body and spirit. that even the wee
spark Of hope Of saving his life vas
almost drowned by the WEAKNESS Of
his little soul. As she attended the
doctors who stitched and bandaged
the child's body. she was filled with
which he had had to fight his small
way, and a fierce desire to help him
live. She had given him the pleasant
est corner In the ward. and her smil-
ing eyes had been the first he had
locked into, on recovering conscious
ness. She had brought him this Won
Gerful array of soldiers and tents;
and nNarNy dow ~k@N> - f@-, ), ~
from her busy life to sit beside him
and hear news from the 'front.',
Occasionally he showed her glimpses
of his short, hard life in the city, but
at such times she always told him
stories Of green fields, baby cows and
horses. and she showed him a snap
shot of some small, inauisitive pigs,
hat lived on the farm she called
home"
The destruction of the last little
brown gunner had a decidedly de-
pressing effect. Not wen the news
that a dozen downy chicks all yell
low and black" had made their APP
pearance on the farm reused the little
chaps interest, and as his dark head
sank into the pillow she could almost
see him slipping away from her. She
motioned to an attendant. spoke a
few words. never taking her eyes
lIoll TIE llLlle White lace, nor per.
hitting the smile to die once from
their. gray depths.
1t was only a rev minutes before
the biggest doctor came hurrying in.
The boy felt his hand On his head,
but did not open his eyes.
II have a new patient Cor you,
DOCTOR" she said. cts an operation
and must be performed at once. There
{ was a dreadful battle this afternoon
and our only unner has been mortal.
ly wounded. So l. sent for You to
make him WELL" The boy opened his
eyes just a little and met her smil-
ing ones. I'VE want to take him
into the country with us in the spring.
Don't we?" she asked and her voice
mingled with the music that seemed
to be floating nearer and nearer
1t was a long time before he nodded
a tiny little bit. but at last a smile
came and played around the corners
OF his mouth. The. smile grew and
grew until it extended all over his
race, as smiles will sometimes when
one feels good inside.
He watched the doctor light a. wee
lamp and carefully melt. the broken
parts of the small soldier together.
How tenderly his 'eapable white An
gers pressed the hot lead into shape!
Ihen. with a shining instrument that
'isnt " been a. pin, he made the
outlines Of the brave little figure.
Somebody had paints, and a little of