The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-07
''DooK."
1BelgraYia.l


carriage on the - railway, after buying
paper at the station news stall.
He was just settling down comfortably to
it and cigar when another man got in as the
tram was on the point of moving, closed the
door after him, and then called out to the
newspaper boy, who was cheerily whistling
on his high stool at few yarls distance:
Bring me the st. James Gazette, will
you?"
The summons was obeyed. hut not before
the departing train had considerably quick
ened its pace.
The Gazette was hastily given, penny
was flung out, fell close to the train on the
stone edge of the platform and rolled little
way.
The boy stopped to pick it up, and as he
did so door, not yet shut by the guard
struck him violently. There was an ago.
nized shrek, shout of many voices, and
Esley, looking out, saw with indescribable
horror that the child-he was only 10, and
small for his age-was lying PROSTATE on the
platform, with CHASTITY streak of crimson
blood across the whiteness of his face. In
moment the darkness of the tunnel hid the
sight from view
In his soldiers life he had seen only too
much of pain and death but he was strange
ly moved by this incident.
The boy was well known to him by sight.
Esley had observed him with growing inter-
est. There was something irresistibly at
tractiye in the bright, clear boys face, with
the impudent, frank eyes, and brown curls
under the cap, on the band of which was in
corihad fhn wall known mama nj his am
ployers. Esley had grown to have sort of
affection for the lad, and had watched him
often with quiet amusement, carrying on
feuds with guards and porters, continually
harassing and being harrassed by them
''chafiDg" his compeers, the newspaper boys
on the other TWO platforms of the junction,
with that ever ready and perennial fertility
of invention which never forsakeS the true
London gamin.
Esley had observed that his prOtege Qor he
frequently gave more coppers than the price
OF the papers on the stall demaDdedl had
among the other boys fidus Achates in the
shape of maryellously ugly boy with the
most astounding faculty OF grimacing ever
seen by the colonel who rej0iced in the APP
pellation Turtle" a name arising out of a
wild rumor that he had Ince been treated by
a cabby to some neck turtle soup, for the
first and only time in his life, an event which
was likely to influence his subsequent career
ina decisive way.
Tsley's attention had first been drawn to
Eurtle by the following occurrence: COM
ing up TO the stall for his usual paper one
evening he found his young friend gazing
with an expression of excessive delight at
she opposite platform, on which was visible
Che form of Turtle seated ON a three-legged
stool. an enormous empty oil can raised TO
his mouth, the Imaginary contents VI which
the youth was apparentli imbibing III capa-
cious draughts.
II wouldn't take too much of that there if
[ was YOU" bawled Esley's young friend, as
Turtle paused to look round in his direction
with a wink of remarkable dstinctnesr aud
fierce, considering the range, sit might fly to
yer 'ead!'
Both boys roared with laughter; Esley was
Obliged TO smile as he paid for his paper.
So that bright face was pale, perhaps in
DEATH The thought was so incongruous
that the colonel got out at the next station,
jumped into q hanson and drove back to
lind out what had happened and proffer any
help he could.
Col. Esley had an interview with the sta
ton master, who was able to tell him that the
boy had been taken in an unconscious state
to a hospital near at hand. His name was
believed to be Rogers, but the name by which
hs Yas always known was "Dook, the origin
of WHICH was unknown to the kindly station
master. who appeared sincerely grieyed and
anxious for the lad.
Going to the hospital at once, the colonel
inquired for Dock, and learned with shocked
surprise that IL was feared he was suffering
from conclusion Of the brain, the door Of a
railway carriage having violently struck his
head.
The SISTER" of the ward to which Dock
had been taken shook her head. / ''am
afraid for him, poor little man! He is very
thin and delicate to begin WITH it seems.
Yes, you can see him if you like, but he is
scarcely conscious even now"
Esley made arrangements for Dock to have
private ward. and then went up to the bed
on which the injured boy was lying.
So still and white. All that unceasing
activity, laughter and fun crushed out Of
ltm as by miracle.
AZ the soldier looked silently at the mo-
tionless head on the pillow, strange emo.
tion thrilled him, for there was a reminis-
cence of another face in Docks which baffied
bis remembrance to grasp quite completely.
And yet that resemblance was very strong,
although he could not remember even having
noticed it before tonight.
what could 1t be?
haunted by it.
-. Inc following morning he passed the
Eiensis iheatre, and stopped to look at
iile.szee portrait OF great actress exhibited
OUTSIDE IL represented her in the tragic
part she was then playing, and 1t set look of
pale despair was thrillingly like the beautiful
woman IT represented.
Esley knew her well. Once he had had
into a steady friendship on her MARRIAGE
change OF feeling in accordance with his
character.
Like Rachel, she was known on the stage
only by one name. 1t was her second baptis-
NAL name. Joyce, and she I.ov was spoken of by
Now. looking at the portrait, Esley was
suddenly seized by strange sra g.f fancy fSst The
ahnraoter IN the living woman's face, and the
portrait showed younger beauty than was
really hers. s5on,,, focod tbo
ootress herself coming into the theatre,
Looking at my Portrait" she SAID "a the the
SAT, look OF her face lighting up with cn az ne
inc smile. at is long time since you nave
been to see the original. When are you con ni,
ing againP My husband told me he met you
at the club the other night, and that you
were looking ILL.,"
He regarded her with singular intentness
before he replied II will come when you
have no other visitors. / want to see you
particularly about something"
She knitted her brows prettily to rememS