The Little Shut-In

His home was a dreary room in a basement; he was hopelessly crippled; his widowed mother was just able to keep their home together by steady work as a washerwoman; and he had no toys or other boys to play with. Despite his sickness and poverty the little shut-in was a cheery chap, and invented games of his own. His favorite one was weaving romances about the persons who passed his window. The window was below the level of the sidewalk, and all he could see of them was their feet. There were three pair of feet that stood out from the others. First, there were "the little feet." The boy liked to see them when they passed, for they were pretty and dainty, and he knew their owner must be a charming girl. Next appeared "the manly feet," which seemed to be irresistibly attracted to "the little feet." They soon were traveling side by side, day after day. It pleased the child, for he liked both of the friends he had never seen. Of a different caliber were "the cruel feet," well cared for, prosperous and arrogant. From the first the child did not like them. Then when he saw them kick an inoffensive dog, he gave them the name that he never forgot. One day, however, the child found that the romance of the "little feet" and the "manly feet" had been blighted. They went by the window as usual, but separately, and each seemed unhappy. The ordinary observer would hardly be able to learn how expressive feet are, but the child had nothing else to do, and he could tell. It made him very, very unhappy, but he was helpless and could do nothing. Then a new sorrow came into his life, for "little feet" passed one day, and "cruel feet" was with her. The child decided that helpless or not he must interfere, and he planned a way himself. "Little feet" passed the next morning, all alone. She found an obstruction in her way, and looked down. There she saw a crutch, with a note pinned on it. She read the note, addressed to "dear lady with the little feet," and learned that a "little shut in" wanted to see her. Peering in the window she perceived the boy, and good naturedly went into the house to talk to him. She gave him a rose, and read to him, but didn't know of his plan to bring "manly feet" back. The child was too shrewd for that. He waited with the rose in his hand, until "manly feet" came wearily by. Then he tossed the flower out into the street. Naturally it surprised "manly feet." He located the place from which it came, bent over, looked in, and saw the girl of his dreams. Also a crippled boy, a stranger who mysteriously beckoned him to enter. When his two friends confronted each other, the boy told them all about it, and begged the girl to keep away from "cruel feet." The child's story touched her, and anyway the quarrel with "manly feet" was a silly affair. The result was that they made up, to the joy of the little cripple. From his window now the child can often see "little feet" and "manly feet" as happy as he would wish them. There is one difference now. Formerly they would pass the house, now they enter it, for the child has a warm place in their hearts. - IMDb