Tip Top Weekly No. 118: Frank Merriwell, Engine Wiper — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| TIP TOP WEEKLY, | 38 fears. Then they invited him in to have supper with them. It happened that Frank had not eaten, having started in to study upon a certain part of an engine immediately after reaching his room and taking a sponge bath and changing his clothes, so he finally agreed to take supper with the little musicians, ' “You know what a good cook I am,’’ laughed the lame boy. : ‘*T should be the one to cook,” said the girl; “‘but I can’t see to dothat. I can help get supper ready, though.”’ . They went into the room ofcupied by the brother and sister. There were two small beds. in opposite corners of the room, which was rather large, one of them being curtained off with cheap cloth. Atone side of the room was a cup- board and a bench. There was a small cook stove in the room. ».-“Now,?? cried the boy, as he hopped about with his. crutch, ‘‘17ll show you what coffee and what biscuits I can make.”’ ‘‘And I will set the table,’’ declared little Nell. ‘‘T have a plan,” said Prank. “We will take the table into my room, for it will be hot in here after Jack. gets his cooking done. We'll eat in there.”’ This was agreed upon, and. Frank managed to move the table, with very little aid from the lame boy. Joe built the fire and prepared for work. He took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, washed face and Hands, and then got out the cake board. In a short time he was working in the flour, and the way he went at it proclaimed his skill. “Tf you will bring the dishes, Frank, I'l] set the table,’’ said little Nell. So Merry carried the dishes, what few there were, out through the short passage and into his room, where the blind girl, after the cloth was spread, stood by. the table and arranged them.. She seemed to do this work by instinct, for she could not have done it better had she been able ‘to see. “Oh, we will have such a lovely sup- per!’ she laughed, her sweet face glow- ing with pleasure. ‘‘It seems to me that knew you, Frank. we have much better times since we far happier. I ain so glad we found you!’ ‘‘And I am glad, Nellie?’ Merry de- clared. ‘‘It would have been lonely living here, and you have brightened my life like sunshine bursting through a cloud.” She came near him, her hands clasped, her sightless eyes turned upon his face, as if she could see. ‘J love to hear you talk,’’ she mur- ‘You have such a pleasant voice, . mured. and you say such beautiful things. Any one would know there was nothing bad in your heart just to hear you speak.’” “T hope there is nothing bad in my heart, Nellie,’ he said, with deep ear- nestness. ‘‘It is our duty to keep our hearts free from all evil, but sometimes I find it rlecessary to fight to do so.”’ “But you fight so. bravely I am sure you'll never be conquered.’’. - '’Phank you, dear little Nell,’’ he said, taking both her hands and looking down at her face. ‘‘Your confidence in me will help mein the battle of life. I am atthe foot of the ladder now, but some day I may mount to thetap. Ifil do, I shall not forget my little compan- ions of my days of misfortune.’’ ‘‘How good you are!’’? she murmured. “‘Oh, how I long to see your face!” ‘‘Some day, as true as it is possible, you shall!’ he cried. ‘‘I cannot believe you are fated to be blind forever. The money is coming in slowly, but it is com- ing. Pretty soon you will have enough to travel to New York, and have the great specialist treat you. >» “Ves, yes!?? she fluttered. ‘The money never came in so fast as it has since we met you. Jack sayseach night that the time is growing shorter and shorter. I can remember something about the way things look. I remember ‘the flowers, and I love them so much! They are like fairies, decked out in all their fancy dresses. Sometimes Jack, who knows how dearly I love them— sometimes he brings me home a few. Then I put them in water, and I sit by them, and smell them, and touch them, and whisper to them. It seems that they must hear and understand me.” GET A os emmeaelaiaadie OF WAR BADGES AND BUTTONS. I ain certain we are- ECOMICLO® SS (SO)