The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-05-19
THE REPORTERS STORY.
nr J. N, O.

busy iif5 Of the reporter, pursuing his rounds from day to day, under the countless checkered lights and shad. ows of great city, which, were they to find admission to the columns of his paper, could not but excite won. der or incredulity, or 1t may be, would stir generous pity In those hears tho least attuned to sympathy with sorrow or misfortune.
 But such incidents, such threads of human experience, of whatever char acter, seldom find place In the col. ums of great daily. Tho grim exi- gcncies of trade and commerce, tho stay of the coaseless Aux and reilux of passion, of greed, of mean ambition, and It's part in the woes and wants of everyday existence, seem not only to have enslaved the common At.en- tion, but to have usurped the sympa- thies of the common heart as well |; and, indeed, one is sometimes half forced to believe that men, In that turmoil called living, hav., somehow, forgotten life.
 The other day I chanoed to be near one of our depots when the sharp bimming 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, halt the crowd remarked twas that all, only an old man." and went about their business and then the other half, all but few of us, re- marked that "it was too bad"-~and went likewise.
 After long wait out came ioar roadmen bearing strctcher between them,on which lay--oh 80 ghastly 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 streicher. Then the hanging door was slammed with bang and A wicked click and the driver whipped up his horse and drove pcll. nell down the street, ringing his bell as he went. The crowd looked on in wonder at the business like proceeding, then dis persed without word.
 It fell to my lot the next day to go tip to the hospital to learn of the un- fortunate's condition. A pale faced sister, clad In solemn black, ush- cred me up stairs to small room at one end of the hall. She then left me, and entered the chamber alone, find ing fl in charge of another of the sis terhood ,who was seated beside the pa tient's small col, bathing his head while he apparently slept. The old mans unsteady breathing made me shudder why, scarcely knew. The sister motioned me to seat near the foot of the bed, which l had scarcely taken before the old man, disturbed perhaps by even so slight noise, rolled over fcebly ence or twice and then opened his eyes.
 He looked about In dazed way for moment, and presently asked in faint, yet distinctly audible tone, "W here Is Jenny" and then he added. "I thought Jenny was here, but ] guess-I guess-it must have been a dream"
 On saying this he became silent, and his face took on an expression of deep thought. A few moments later he was muttering. half to himself and half to the sister, "Yes, lt was only dream, It was only dream and still l wish that it had been a dream al- ways; oh, God, that it had been dream, always, always" and down his face there streamcd flood of cold, ina rticulate tears.
 The good woman was much affected by this brief recital, and spoke sooth- iDgly to him, and asked him to tell of his trouble, for it was plain to her ex. pericnced eyes that he could not live long, and she nercifully tried to make his death as easy as possible.
 "I dreamed that was home again." said the old man, yielding to her gen. tie voice and soft petitions. "I dreamed that 1t was evening and that my Jenny came to me and putting her head down in my lap M she used to when she WAS little child, said softly :: Father, l cannot 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, fatherf1
 He began looking blank again and seemed half unconscious. But the stupor soon changed to an intense stare.
 "I said to her,r he exclaimed, with all the emphasis his breath could com maSd, Al said to her, 'yes, hate you your new mother tells me that you are in her way, and for her sake there has gathered in my heart 90 fierce hate for you that, though you should leave my house tonight and never show your lace to me again In this world, it would not be ailsyed -" As he was speaking the terrible words, herhaif rosc in his bed, and his