The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-05-18
Dawes BROKEN LEG.

DAVE y BKUkEN LEU.
1t was away up in western Massachu-
sets just where the famous old post road
through the Berkshire hills winds itself
into New Ashford. The black vanguard
OF an approaching summer storm crept
along the valley behind us, and few stray
raindrops already warned that it was time
to seek for shelter. We turned in at the
open gate of the uncovered porch of the
! frst farmyard, and riding up to the vine
covered porch of the quaint old house
lifted our wheels to protected spots at
either side of ahe paneled door. 1t may
have been presuming upon hospitality as
yet uEextended, but then no one stops at
such conventionality in the Berkshires,
and were we not in the BerkshireS The
storm burst, and we sat ON the porch beside
our faithful steeds, watching the clouds
hurry by, the tall trees bend in the eddy
ing wind and the cooling water fall to the
thirsty earth. Somehow the smoke of our
cigaretts seemed strangely out of place, in
that old fashioned spot, and Harvey OBJ
served that he would have felt more COM
Portable with>an old brier and package of
plug cut. A quiet half hour slipped away,
while the storm increased rather than di-
minished, and realizing that we were to be
weather bound for few hours at least the
necessityof luncheon becameapparent and
Harvey arose to the attack. Harvey is an ac-
tor in season, ana what he has learned in the
matter of picking up meals on the western
circuits helps him UNNECESSARILY in sum-
mer vacations. Repeated beating upon the
door failed, however, to elicit the slightest
response from the inmates, and my antiei-
patory dreams of a soft-eyed, rustic Gany--
mede went gIoominly to pieces.
'sThere must be a corpse in the house."
remarked Harvey reassuringly, leaning
upon his bicycle and turning on me a look
of hungry resignation. 1 was framing in
my mind neat reply, more sarcastic than
apropOs, when the oaken door suddenly
opened inward, and an extremely pretty
girl, with long, curly, golden hair, and big
blue eyes, confronted us. Surprise was
mutual, but she seemed the most confused.
''Why, why,'' she faltered. Ell
thought to find one of the neighbors, but
butt
''There is no. cause for ALARM" Inter
rupted Harvey in the voice of his most
approved stage father. eve are perfect
gentlemen, although our appearance is ad-
mittedly against us. We took the liberty
to use your porch as a shield from the
weather, and trust that we are not intrud-
ing"
''Oh, no-no," she answered confusedly.
you will excuse me. Dave is hurt.
must go for the DOCTOR" and she ran by us
and down the steps into the rain, and lift
ing her calico skirts just high enough for
us to see that her pretty feet were but
thinly covered with light slippers. Harvey
was at her side in an instant.
"Pardon me, ;" he said. "Where does ehe
doctor live?'
sOnly mile or So" she replied without
stopping, sup the road" (She pronounced
it 'Iud" but am writing this in English.J
Harvey caught her arm, and pulled her
back to The sheltering porch.
'tBut you must not run a mile or So" he
cautioned, sin such storm as this, with
out hat, shawl, or shoes 1t would kill you.
l will go for the doctor. My wheel moves
faster than your little feet" The girl hest
tated moment and then, as Harvey stood
ready to start away, thanked HIM shortly
and gave directions for inding-the doctors
house.
'sAll right. Goodcby," he shouted, leap
ing into the saddle. ''You take care of
Dave"
"oh, dear, hope he'll hurryp' said the
girl turning to me as Harvey shot on the
road, and sped away through the mud and
lain faster than he had ever run from the
villain in the play. Thought reply un-
necessary.
'sPerhaps 1 might assist yOu," L ven
tured. 81 am a bit of an amateur physi-
clan. May L see Dave ?''
She led the way into the narrow hallway,
up the creaking staircas wall-papered at
the sides IN imitation of white marble, and
into a stufly little chamber just under the
dripping caves. a great, deep cheste,l,
sunburned young fellow lay upon tiny
iron bedstead, while one muscular leg hung
hung over the edge shattered and bleed
ing. An old woman with soft gray hair
and the eyes of the girl bent above him and
called his name again and again, in tones
of the most piteous tenderness. AS we en-
tered she turned to my pretty guide, and,
regardless of a strange presence, cried:
"He is dead, Clemmie, dead! My Dave
is deadr' and fell at the side of the little
bed, sobbing and crying. The girl quickly
glided by me, and placing her hand upon
the mans chest, said quietly:
"He is not dead-only unconscious. L
drew near and saw at once that she was
right. The limb had been injured in some
farming accident and an artery broken. ]
set about to stay the flow of blood. The
girl brought me bit of tape, and together
we bound it tightly about the bleeding
limb, but it was not strong enough, and the
flow was only decreased. tore slip from
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