The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-16
EVENING STORY.
A Big Brother for Bobbie.
BY BERTHA R. MCDONALD.

me saying SO, his sensible little mother /
is point very much in his favor"
Pm only his sister, Doctor Jami- |
son. But I'm all the mother, he has"
In his favor just the same, and 1 |
hope you're going to use the same
good judgment right thru lowell
to the time when you have to hand
him over to some other boys sister,"
Helen Forsythe flushed under the
doctors kindly words and arising
proffered him a ten-dollar bill in pay
ment of his fee.
Now, my dear Miss Forsythe," he
protested, refusing the bill, please
don't ask>me to take that money. To
begin with, L haven't done anything
for the child yet, and to end with, I'm
only an old bachelor who can't spend
his income, anyway"
The tears began to flow unbidden
down the girls face, and the good
doctor, to cover her embarrassment
as well as his own, almost showed
the pair out of the room. saying as
he slipped a paper upon which he
had been writing into the boys hand:
Il wish very much that you would
bring Bobbie in again-just that l
can keep an eye on him, don't you
know, and above all follow the direc-
tons I've given him-especially the
last one
When they arrived home Helen read
the directions, the last one of which
admonished, Take good care of
Boobies sister,
The next mornings parcel post
brought Bobbie two books, and In the
afternoon messenger left them
big basket of fruit. There was no
card in either package, but no writ
ten or printed word was necessary to
determine the giver. Again tears
filled Helen's eyes, but they were
happy tears.
Not since her father had died, leav-
ing them almost penniless, had any
one been so kind and thoughtful. and
delightful little thrills warmed her
heart as the doctors kindly face
visioned before her. Thoughts of his
bachelorhood and it's possibilities came
unbidden into her mind. but she baR1
ished them instantly.
Helen Forsythe," was her self-in-
flicted criticism. What an unmaiden-
ly thought! He's undoubtedly just as
nice to old married women!
But in spite of her resolve to be
truly sensible about the doctors kind
ness she found herself looking for
ward very eagerly to taking Bobbie to
see him again.
In a few days he telephoned that
he would be in their vicinity about
4:30 and would drop in to see them.
| The widest excitement prevailed in
| the little rooms where Miss Forsythe
made fancy blouses. Without know
| ing exactly why, Helen set about pre-
| pairing a dainty supper, and when
| Doctor Jamison arrived about o'clock
the air was filled with the delicious
odor of freshly made coffee.
what a cheerful little home!" ex-
| claimed the doctor. And how good
| that coffee smells!"
| will you stay and have a bite of
something with us?'
| "Aw please do" pleaded Bobbie,
| and Floyd Jamison stayed.
| After supper he read to the boy and
| played games with him, and, when
| he left, AMI uEced that as he had
chronic invalid in the neighborhood,
whom he was obliged to visit every
few days, he would look in on Bobbie
| at the same time.
| The day that Helen Forsythe came
| to a reaGzation that she was looking
| forward to these visits-not for Bob
bie's sake, but for her own-she re-
| solved to salve her conscience by in
sisting on paying for them. The note
asking for Doctor Jamisons bill
| brought a very decided reproof by re-
turn mail.
My dear little girl he wrote, eff
you could only realize how it cheers
my loneliness to do these small things
| occasionally for you and Bobbie you
| wouldn't hurt me by asking for a bill"
still believed he was actuated by pity.
and she had resented being pitied all
her life. The thought preyed upon
her mind until she could bear it no
longer, so she decided to leave the
neighborhood without letting the doc
tor know of her whereabouts.
Then one day the astonished little
brother with all their belongings was
literally torn up by the roots and
transplanted to another street. When
several days had passed with no visit
from his doctor friend, Bobbie began
to droop and pine.
ST wonder why he doesn't come,
sister?'' he said fretfully.
You must remember, dear heart,
that the big doctor man has loads
of patients besides US. He's probably
too busy to come"
But the last time he came he said
he wished he had a little brother like
me. and L told him I'd be his little
brother and he said all right, and
most likely he'd never be too busy
| to see his brother, would he?"
The poor little blouse maker was
torn with conflicting emotions. Her
| brother was all she had in this world
and trying to give him everything he
| wanted had long been a mania. with
her; but she could not bring herself to
be continually facing Janlison. realiz-
ing that it was the man and not the
professional for whom her heart beat
SO wildly.
She plunged deeper into her work
working late into the night again and
again doing extra blouses. that Bobbie
might not miss the delica cies with
| which the doctor had kept him sup.
piled. One afternoon while attending
, to the needs of two customers the
world suddenly grew black before hel
and she fell upon the floor in a swoon
| Call the doctor-Dr. Floyd Jami-
son." commanded one woman of the
other
An hour later, when Bobbie came in
| from play. Helen was lying on the
| couch. pale but smiling. and his doctor
friend was holding her hand
"Oh, sood-goodyi" exclaimed the
| delighted child; Il told sister yoJ
wouldn't be too busy to see your little
| brotheri"
: Never in the world, old chap, Ant