The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-12-23

this lounge, and at night some of the
men from the next house come in and
move me back. Every one is very kline"
" Pretty tiresome staying here all the
time alone?''
20! no; for I have Nell here part of
the time. and when she's away and I
don't feel like reading can watch for
her to come home"
IS Humph! Is she the one that goes
round selling papers, like boy.
The boy turned quickly and said.
earnestly: "Please don't speak so about
Nell, She does look like boy. but she
didn't have anything to wear so nice
and warm as my coat and hat. and she
won't get anything either till the doctor
is paid and am well. o! sir, you should
not speak so about Nell"
"Selling papers is not fit work for
girl"
"Do you think I'd let her do it if I
could help it? Don't know how the
boys laugh and make fun of her? But
she don't mind that half so much as she
would to stay here and do nothing, and
l couldn't lie so quit. as the doctor says,
if she looked unhappy. And SO 1 let her
60, but mean to make it up to her
some day.
Humph! You think so now; but the
some day may never come. What kind
of Observation-Disclosures story are you
reading?'
He held out his hand for the book,
and, as Tom gave it to him, he said,
gently:
"It's not Observation-Disclosures story.
The book belonged to my father"
Eli! Well, who's your father?
Didn't he read blood-and thunder sto-
RESP
"My fathers name was Thomas
Wheeler, sir; and / don't think he ever
read blood thunder stories"
But the old gentleman scarcely heard
what the boy said. He was looking as
if spell-bound at the fy-leaf of the book,
on which was written: Thomas Wheel
er, Pittsburgh, Penn"
Thomas Wheeler, Pittsburgh!' re-
peated the old gentleman.
!" didn't say Pittsburgh. sir" said
Tom; " but" seeing at what the old
gentleman was looking, "we did live
there"
"And he was your father?' said the
old gentleman, slowly and thoughtfully,
still examining the name in the book.
+" Yes, sir; he was my father"
Humph!'' said the old gentleman,
looking up at the boy now. Anything
wrong or unusual about him, about his
you know?''
"No, sir,'' said the boy, wondering
ly. Nothing wrong. He looked diff
ferent from other people because he had
lost one of his arms lost in the war"
But the old gentleman had risen be-
fore Tom had finished, and was on his
way to the door. He turned, as he
reached it, and, before opening it, said:
"Who did you say was your doctor?''
81 didn't say; but he's Doctor Reed
er, just round the corner"
stJust round the corner, yes. You
need not tell the girl I've been here"
Before Tom could say anything the
old gentleman was gone; and he turned
his head and said thoughtfully:
"A strange old gentleman.
Tom would have thought him stran-
ger still could he have followed him to
DR.. Reeder's Office and witnessed the
interview that took place.
II am truly glad to see you, Mr.. Wes-
ton," said the Doctor, shaking the old
gentleman by the hand.
.sWell, we'll, Reeder! Yes, it's some
time since we met; but Pm in haste
now, and I've come to see about that
boy with the broken leg"
(which boyf''
ssThe one round the corner. He's in
the wrong box"
''TomP Has anything happened to
him?'
Eyes. he's got into the wrong box.
I want him moved just as soon as you
can conveniently spare the time"
''Where do you want HIM takenP"
asked the doctor, who knew something
of the old gentleman and his peculiari-
ties. and understood pretty well how to
manage him.
ITO my own house, if you please"
"And what about the girl?''
"Well, I think the boy would rather
stay where he is with her than 60 away
without her. and if it had not been for
her should never have found See
here. do you know anything of the
girls family or antecedents.
Nothing. I have tried every way
to discover her mothers friends, and
have followed up every clue could get;
but in vain"
$50 much the better. There won't
be any one to interfere with my adopt
ing her."
"Do you mean to adopt the boy,
too?'
I'D be brute if I didn't do all in
my power for Thomas Wheeler's child"
"You knew the father, thenP'
"See here, Reeder, my youngest boy
was in the army during the war; and,
once when his life was in danger and
he knew it not, Thomas Wheeler did.
My boy was saved and is now . wealthy
Californian; while Thomas Wheeler
went for the rest of his life with but one
arm. And that's his boy with the
broken leg, and Nell's the girl that's
;rying to pay his doctors bill"
DR.. Reeder said nothing for q mo-
nent; but before they parted he had
heard about his friends finding Tom
thu r,;rl ond buoxu oov,1a<h;c-