The Iola register., 1888-06-08
A PATHETIC INCIDENT.
The Story Told by a Busy News
paper Reporter.

paper Reporter.
There are many incidents in the busy
life of the reporter. pursuing his rounds
from day to day. under the countless
checkered lights and shadows of
great city, which. were they to find
admission to the columns of his paper.
could not but excite wonder or incre-
dulity. or. it may be, would stir gen.
erous pity in hose hearts the least at
tuned to sympathy with sorrow or mis-
fortune.
But such incidents. such threads of
human experience. Of whatever char
acter. seldom find place in the col
umns of great daily. The grim exi-
gencies of trade and commerce, the
stay of the ceaseless flux and reflux of
passion. of greed, of mean ambition.
and its part in the woes and wants of
every day existence, seem not only to
have enslaved the common attention,
but to have usurped the sympathies of
the common heart as we'll; and, indeed.
one is sometimes half forced to believe
that luen, in that turmoil called living,
have. somehow. forgotten life.
The other day chanced to be near
one of the depots when the sharp ring
ing of bell attracted me to the curb.
where found crowd gathered about
an ambulance. On learning that an
old man had been hurt out on the
road, half the crowd remarked: ..was
that all. only an old man." and went
about their business; and then the other
half. all but few of US. remarked that
''it was too bad'-and went likewise
After long wait out came four
roadmen bearing a stretcher between
them. on which lay-oh. so CHASTITY
pale-an old man with long white hair.
His eyes were half closed, and he might
have been dead outright. so calm
seemed his rest there on the stretcher.
Then the hanging door was slammed
with bang and wicked click and
the driver whipped up his horse and
drove pcll-mell down the street, ring
ing his bell as he went The crowd
looked on in wonder at the business
like proceeding. then dispersed without
word.
Il fell to my lot the next day to 90
mp to the hospital TO learn of the un-
fortunate's condition. A pale-faced
sister, clad in solemn black. ushered
me upstairs to small room at one end
OF the hall. She then left me. and /
entered the chamber alone. finding it in
charge of another of the sis:erhood,
who. was seated beside the patients
small cot, bathing his head while he
apparently slept The old mans un-
steady breathing made me shudder-
why l scarcely knew The sister mo-
toned me to a seat near the foot of the
bed. witch l had scarcely taken before
the old man, disturbed perhaps by even
SO slight a noise. rolled over feebly
once or twice and then opened his
eyes
He looked about in a dazed way for
moment and presently asked in
faint yet distinctly audible tone:
''Where is jenny" and then he added:
Il thought Jenny was here, but guess
81 guess-it must have been dream
On saying this he became silent. and
his face took on Al expression of deep
thought A few moments later he was
muttering, half to himself and half to
the sister: ''Yes. it was only a dream,
it was only dream; and still l wish
that it had been = dream always; oh.
God. that it had been dream. always,
always" and down his face there
streamed u flood of cold. inarticulate
tears
The gooS woman was much affected
by this brief recital. and spoke sooth-
ingly to him. and asked him TO tell of
his troubles. for it was plain to her ex-
per;enced eyes that he could not live
long. and she mercifully tried to make
his death as easy as possible.
Il dreamed that was home again."
said the old man. yielding to her gem
tie voice and soft petitions. II dream
ed that it was evening, and that my
Jenny came 10 NE. and putting her
head down in my lap rs she used to
when she was little child, said softly:
Father. / can not live without YOU.
love; when mother died, you brought
me a new one. who hates me, and she
has led you to hate me. too. You hate
me. don't you. f. her?'
He began looking blank again and
seemed half unconscious But the
stupor soon changed TO ah intense
stare.
Il said to her," he exclaimed with
all the emphasis his feeble breath could
command. i said TO her. 'Tes. hate
YOU! Your new mother tells me that
You are in her way. and Cor her sake
there has gathered in my heart so
fierce hate for you that though yoa
should leave my house Tonight and
never show your face to me again in
this word. il would not be aliayed,'"
As he was speaking the terrible
words, he half rose in his bed. and his
aspect became :lmos: fierce.
al threw Ler from me and left the
room. When i returned the girl had
gene. and since that hour my lie has
been accursed.
Completely exhausted by his fright
full eloquence the old man fell back
upon the cot, where his short. quick