The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-12-05
"DOOK."
Story Of a Little Life That Knew
Not a Mothers Care.

STORY OF a Little Life That Knew
Not Mothers Care.
One summer evening Colonel Esley
got into carriage on the rail-
way after buying a paper at the sta
tion news stall.
He was just settling down comfort
ably to it and cigar when another
man got in as the train was on the
point OF moving, closed the door after
him, and then called out to the news
paper boy, who was. cheerily whistling
. on his high stool at. few yards dis
lance:
bring me the St James Gazette,
will youp' -
The summons 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 little way. 7i.-7-s-z-
The boy stopped to pick it up, and
as he did 50 o 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 CHASTITY
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 seen 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, boy lace, with the i'm
pudent, frank eyes and brown curls
under the cap, on the band of which
was inscribed the we'll known name Of
his employers Esley had grown to
have sort OF affection for the lad,
and had watched him often with quiet
amusement, carrying on internecine
feuds with guards and porters, con-
tinua11y 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 fidus Achates in the shape OF a
marvellously ugly boy with the most
astounding faculty of grimacing ever
seen by the-ColoneD. who rejoiced in
the appellation 'sTartle,n name
arising out of wild rumor that he
had once been treated by a cabby to
some mock turtle soup, for the first
and only time In his Hfe,- event
which was likely to influence his SUBJ
sequent career in a decisive way.
Esley's attention had first been
drawn to Turtle by the following occur
renee: Coming up. to the stall for his
usual paper one evening, he found his
: young friend gazing with an express
sion of excessive delight at the oppo-
site platform, on which was visible the
form OF Turtle. seated on three
legged stool, an enormous empty oil
can raised to his mouth, the imaginary
contents OF which the youth was APP
parently imbibing in capacious
draughts.
81 wouldn't take too much OF that
! there If was YOU bawled Esley's
young friend, as Turtle paused to look
round in the direction with wink OF
remarkable distinctness and force. con-
sidering the range; '.it might fly to yer
4. 'ead."
Both boys roared with laughter;
Esley was obliged to smile as he paid
for his paper. @
So. that bright face was pale per-
haps in death! The thought was SO
incongruous that the Colonel got out
at the next station, jumped into han
som, and drove back to find out what
had happened and proffer any help he
could
Colonel Esley had ap interview with
the station master. who Mas able to
tell him that the boy had been taken
in an unconscious state to hospital
near at hand. His name was believed
to be Rogers. but the name by which
he was always known was .'Dook, a"
the origin of which was unknown to
the kindly station master. who APP
SNpeared sincerely grieved and anxious
for the lad.
Going to the hospital at once. the
Colonel inquired for Dock. and learned
with shocked surprise that it was
feared he was suffering from concus-
sion Of the brain. the door OF a rail
way carriage having violently struck
his head.
The SISTER" OF the ward to which
Dock had been taken shook her head.
II am afraid Tor him, poor little man
He is very thin and delicate to begin
with, 1t seems. Yes. you can see him
n you like, but no Is scarcely con.
scious even pow. !"
Esley mnde arrangements for Dooll
to have . private ward. and then went