Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-16
Bright Stories by Members of the Club
DAMS REWARD.

], was "a busy dnv t.: the telegraph
oh!ce. and ban Richardson had been
kept busy on his wheel all morning.
Dan VAS Tho swiftest messenger boy
! OF all. and possibly. the most a,nbi-
| t!ous Probably this came from the
/ fhct that he had tired mother at
| home. who tried 70 make living
b. sew ing. and a crippled sister OF
| II. who patiently endured her con
! hneincni. Dan ana Alice were great
! chums. and the latter greatly aG-
/ 'nired hcr biz brother. as che called
! HIM. although he MAS only TWO years
! her senior.
! Dams last telegram bcfor. he went
| 20 lunch that morning was for Judge
/ Parker. the most prominent citizen
/ OF the town. Dan had often passed
| The big white mansion. wishing ,hat
! som: dag h" could build the same
/ hind OF home for his mother and
/ Alice. And SO this morning he hur-
/ ricI 10 the boulevard on which the
! house was located. guiding his wheel
! ''Hong inc deHs" traffic ihai always
/ gathered ut the noon hour.
/ D!sm3untinr his wheel. Dan hur-
/ red along the gravc!cd walkway
! tina, led 10 tho old colonial entrance
! pt the mansion. As he passed tho
4 shruhbcrE mat WAS planted nlon!
| IA: walk he heard Il childish voice,
! SAYING. "Oh. father. II Margaret
| doesn'' want 10 play with mo, sh.
! doesn't have to; and May had 10 so
I 90 tn" country Tor tuc summer
I don't like any OF them. wish
/ had something 20 dol"
| Curiosity gained control Of Dan. 50
| hc parted the shrubbcry There.
/ around :, doll table. which Was Sc,
/ with food, waiting TO be eaten. wcre
/ numerous dolls. and Ia tho center
NAG little g!.! o! perhaps 10. Her
/ golden cur!s hung down TO her waist
/ and her blue eyes and rosy mouth
/ suggested "a very sIucy nature
| ban looked At her for :. moment.
thc:! wondered what kind OF a child
( ms was. Here. she had everything
/ 'hat money could buy. Tor Judge
/ Parker was very wealthy: and still
/ she was Disseminated and frcitiuE
! because she had no ono to play with.
/ While his Alice lay aIon. on her bed
in tn. dark. poorly ventilated room
in the poorer part OF the city.
Nevertheless. Dan delivered the
| telegram and hurried back To the
! spot wher. he had seen the child,
! hoping She was still there. lie found
| her ia the same position, only part
! Of the food had been eaten. and the
dolls lay around in much confusion.
Tnis time the little girl heard tho
! slight noise Dan made in parting the
bushes.
Who are you?" She demanded
sharply. How dare YOU stare at
me in tina; way. Do you want TO
| know wnu am? am Gwendo!yn,
| Judge Parker's daughter"
Il don't want TO know who you
are" came Dams answer. but do
want TO know why you aren't salts
fed with all these nice things II
my little sister had them. She would
| be very happy"
! Your sister must not be much If
| She is happy when she has no one
10 play with"
You could content yourself with
your toys. My sister has not even
that much"
Your sister must be very impor-
t"ut Please zen me- about her. II
do love to hear about important peo-
pie" added the l!;,le girl. sauciiy.
| Dan Thought II not much use Il, tell
| this child about his Alice. but. any
way, H. began:
! Ny sisters name is Alice. and she
- AL the world 20 me. She is not
! i!hc you In many ways for she is,
Tcry poor and Aas no dolls to play
with. and besides she cannot walk
| i;ut she is always happy. and CON
tents herself with lying in bed alone
nearly all day. Sometimes She reads
eur few books. but that is very sell
! dom for she had rather lie still ana
listen 10 the children running and
playing outside. Every one loves |
Alice. for she ia good and Kind. and
| especially to mother and me.
She tells Us shc is useless and in |
our way, but she is not. for some
times mother and get discouraged |
and she will always cheer us mp. Fer |
tao iirs, few days after the auiomo-
bile ran over her. she would just lie |
N the bed. crying because she could |
not walk. Eat after Il waiIc She got |
used TO it, and now ali she will say |
TO anything about her iamcncss in. |
4 pity the other little children who
cannot walk. Oh, but. then. | must
hurry back and have my lunch.''
And with this. Dan turned away |
and started To 80.
Walt minute!' cried the little
girl; II want to see ycur Alice" she
added with Il sob.
Dan turned around This once saucy |
girl now begging to see his Alice.
lie dian't know Of anything to say |
but. I'm afraid YOU won't be able
to see my Alice. She lives long
way from here"
THAT doesn't matter" quickly as
sured the little girl. Il want tt, see |
her so bad"
"I'll try TO arrange IT," answered |
Dan, badly wanting his dinner. And |
before the little girl could say any
thing moro he was gone.
Several days later Dan passed the
Parker mansion. Little Gwendolyn |
was on the lawn. and seeing him she |
told him to come there.
Il have been wanting to sec YOU