CHAPTER XI[ToC]
THE ORPHAN
Just a little white-faced lad
Sitting on the "Shelter" floor;
Eyes which seemed so big and sad,
Watched me as I passed the door.
Turning back, I tried to win
From that sober face a smile
With some foolish, trifling thing,
Such as children's hearts beguile.
But the look which shot me through
Said as plain as speech could be:
"Life has been all right for you!
But it is no joke for me!
I'm not big enough to know—
And I wonder, wonder why
My dear 'Daddy' had to go
And my mother had to die!
"You've a father, I suppose?
And a mother—maybe—too?
You can laugh and joke at life?
It has been all right for you?
Spin your top, and wave your fan!
You've a home and folks who care
Laugh about it those who can!
Joke about it—those who dare
—But excuse me—if I'm glum
I can't bluff it off—like some!"
Then I sadly came away
And felt guilty, all the day!
Dr. Frederick Winters was a great believer in personal liberty for every one—except, of course, the members of his own family. For them he craved every good thing except this. He was kind, thoughtful, courteous, and generous—a beneficent despot.