Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-10-30
permitted more than one kiss.

IoSSlOnal man wa sever III DeIGeF case.
AS he passed the spot where he
had seen he boys stoning the IN
fortunate man, the picture arose once
more before him. What contrast in
their positions, he thought to himself!
Well, he had worked for his, and no
doubt that poor fellow had worked as
hard in another way to bring upon
himself the fate that had befallen him.
Still it was pitiful.
Parents who did their best by me,
happy home, more kindness than l
deserve have been mine," he said.
How do | know what that mans
childhood was? | hope he will come
to me tomorrow. [ am glad | helped
him little"
He was yet to be still gladden.. How
little we know what threads of good or
i'll we braid into our lives by what seem
our most unimportant actions.
From house to house the doctor went.
Anxious mothers kept him long in
talk. There were those who felt that
their well-being depended on telling
the doctor all about "queer sensation
and that worried feeling" and bank
ing hours were long over when he
emerged from the residence of the last
patient upon his list, and, indeed it
was growing quite dark, and like all
healthy men, the doctor was growing
hungry, and his dinner awaited him.
He stepped forward briskly, but had
only gone a few steps when an old
woman approached him, wringing her
hands and sobbing:
you're Doctor Chester, aren't you
sir?n she cried. Och, doctor darlin',
you're wanted immedate-it' my old
man is taken bad. down in our shanty
by the railroad. He fell upon the floor,
he did, and it's sinsliss he's lynn I've
the money. Come doctor, come along
minute may name life. It's near -
Street"
Then why didn't you go to Docto,
OShane, his Office is close by you,'
says the doctor.
Il did; but he was away" said the
old woman. AN sure, but that I
knowed your face, and you the kindest
doctor anywhere, I'd not have stopped
you. I've the money to pay"
But it was not the fee the doctor was
thinking about. He felt a curious re.
luctance to do what the woman asked
Naturally enough, he commented in
wardly, nature demands rest and re-
freshment. Still the case was one that
called for immediate action, and in q
moment more he said:
go on, I'll come with you," and
followed her westward.
1t was a lionel walk across unlight.
ed streets and down some wooden steps
to the rails of the Hudson River Road
Not a soul was in sight, but light
cleaned from the windows of a di
lapidated shanty by the roadside, and
the woman hobbled in that direction
She entered the door; he followed her.
A man was lying upon the floor. The
doctor knelt beside him. AS he did so
some one from behind pinioned his
arms. The supposed patient sprung
up and 'elZed him about the waist, and
in an instant, strong though he was,
he lay bound and helpless on the floor
Four stout ruffians stood before him.
One rifled his pockets while another
crammed handkerchief into his
mouth Before his oyos they examined
his watch and counted the money in his
pOcket-book.
ITS good haul, one of the men
said. Come, we must lose no time.
No one will find that fellow before to.
morrow, still we might as we'll get
away"
But shoot him before we go-dead
men tell no tales" said the man who
had played the part of invalid.
Throw him on the track" said the
third of the group. The railroad
folks will help us keep our secret
The fourth said nothing, but stoop-
ing, lifted the doctor by the shoulders,
and the others followed his example.
In vain Doctor Chester strove to
break his bonds or to utter prayer
for mercy. They dragged him toward
the track and flung him across it. Not
content with this, they bound him by
other cords to the rails, and left him
fettered to his fate: and thus the hap
pieSt day of his life had ended.
Full Of youth and hope, with every
reason for living, he must die, and such
a horrible DEATH He strove to meet
his fate like a man, but the thought of
his betrOthed wife was too much for
him. He managed by degrees to
thrust the handkerchief from his
mouth with his tongue. but as he did
so he felt the rails tremble beneath
him-the engine was approaching! 1t
was far away yet; but what hope was
there that he would be heard before it
was upon him? Again he shouted
again, still again as he saw the red
glare from the headlight of the APP
preaching engine shine out through
! darkness.
His case seemed hopeless, but he
spent all his strength in one wild cry
| of:
| Help! On the rails here! Tied to the
rails! help! help!"
Courage! Here we arer' shouted a
voice near by. Courage! courage!
Someone knelt beside him, someone
gasped: Don't despair, I've got a
| knife with me-"
| One of the cords was cut-another-
! he was freed from the rails and, clasped
! in the arms of his preserver, rolled
over into the little gully beside the
track, safe out of harms way, just as
the express train flew by at full speed.
| And now there were others to help.
/ Stout policemen with clubs and pistols
who helped the first arrival to free the
! doctor from all his bonds, and by the
light of their lanterns he looked into
the face of his preserver and saw the
man to whom he had acted the Good
Samaritan that morning.
What does this mean?" he asked.
How does it come that owe my life
to you?n
lyon owe it to your own kindness.