Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-10-26
"DOOK."
Story of a Little Life That Knew
Not q Mothers Care.


One summer evening Colonel Esley
got into u carriage on the -- rail
way after buying a paper at the sta
ton news stall.
He was just settling down comfort
ably to it and a cigar when another
man got in as the train was OF the
point of moving, closed the door after
him, and then called out to the ews
paper boy, who was cheerily whistling
on his high stool at a few yards dis
tance:
Bring me the St. James Gazette,
will your
The m was obeyed, but not
before the departing train had consid-
erably quickened its pace.
The Gazette was hastily given, a
penny was flung out, fell close to the
train on the stone edge Of the platform
and rolled q little way.
The boy stopped to pick it up, and
as he did SO a door, not yet shut by
the guard, struck him violently,
There was an agonized shrek, a shout
of many voices, and Esley, looking
out, saw with indescribable horror
that the child-he was only thirteen,
and small for his age-was lying pros
trate on the platform, with a ghastly
streak of crimson blood across the
whiteness of his face. In a moment
the darkness of the tunnel hid the
sight from view.
In his soldiers life he had seer only
too much of pain and death, but he
was strangely moved by this accident.
The boy was well known to him by
sight. Esley had observed him with
growing interest. There was some
thing irresistibly attractive in the
bright, clear, boys face. with the i'm
pudent, frank eyes and brown curls
under the cap, on the band of which
was inscribed the well known name Of
his employers. Esley had grown to
have a sort of affection for the lad,
and had watched him often with quiet
amusement, carrying on internecine
feuds with guards and porters, con-
~tinually harassing and being harassed
by them, chatting 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
(for he frequently gave more coppers
than the price of the papers on the
stall demanded) had among the other
boys a fidus Achates in the shape of q
mar~vellously ugly boy with the most
astounding faculty of grimacing ever
seer by the ColoneD, who r%eioiced ii
the appellation Turtle" a name
arising out of a wild rumor that he
had once been treated by a cabby t.
some mock turtle soup, for the frs
and only time in his life, an even
which was likely to influence his sub
sequent career in a decisive way.
Esley's attention had first beer
drawn to Turtle by the following occur
renee: Coming up to the stall for hi
usual paper one evening, he found hi
young friend gazing with ar expires
sion of excessive delight at the oppo
site platform, on which was visible tn
form of Turtle seated on a three
legged stool, IN enormous empty OF
can raised to his mouth, the imaginar,
contents of which the youth was ap
parently imbibing in capaciou
draughts,
ii wouldn't take too much of tina
there II | was you" bawled Esley'
young friend, as Turtle paused to loo
round in the direction with a wink G
remarkable distinctness and force, con
sidering the range; cit might fly to ye
cad"
Both boys roared with laughter
Esley was obliged to smile as he pal
for his paper.
So, that bright face was pale pei
haps in death! The thought was s
incongruous that the Colonel got OF
at the next station, jumped into a hal
som, and drove back to find out whit
had happened and proffer any help /
could.
Colonel Esley had ap interview wit
the station master. who was able
tell him that the boy had been take
In an unconscious state to a hospit
near at hand. His name was believe
TO be Rogers, but the name by whi'
he was always known was "Dook
the origin OF which was unknown
the kindly station master, who a
peared sincerely grieved and anxio
for the lad.
Going to the hospital at once, Z
Colonel inquired for Dock, and learn
with shocked surprise that It W
feared he was suffering from conc,
sion Of the brain. the door Of a rs
way carriage having violently stru
mis- mead.
The SISTER" OF the ward TO VIII
Dock had been taken shook her he
II am afraid for him. poor little M
He Is very thin and delicate to be-
With. It seems. Yes, you q see /
q you like. but he Ii scarcely c
seioas even now"
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