The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-01-25

1
A little crowd passed the window
carrying something-he could not see
what, for those standing around. He
craned his neck, his professional in
stincts aroused.
I A worried-lool1ing woman in the
door of the brown house seemed to be
denying the sufferer entrance with
animated gestures and angry shakes
of her frowzy head. Three white
haired little children hung to her
skirts, and she pointed to them in
proof of her assertions. DR.. John hall
rose as the conductor came in the car.
"Is there a doctor here?" the man
| said. eagerly. There's a woman very
sick; Just taken from the day coach.
| That bag out there wouldn't hardly
give her shelter"
sWhat seems to be the matter?'
asked DIR. John, briskly.
The conductor hesitated. "Well, sir.
she's a young woman, but l think she's
married.
The ladies in the car took up their
books in disgust. An elderly, portly
man.in front of DIR. John buried him.
self behind his newspaper DIR. John
knew him to be physician.
I'm a Doctor" said DIR. John, gath
er;ng up his belongings. 81 shall be
glad to see what l can do"
You may be detained over train, :
| hesitated the official: land she's evil
IDENTIFY poor-hasn't any baggage"
Il am. fortunately, able to attend to
the suffering without having my pay
dangled before my eyes to spur me
on" growled DIR. John. passing the
lady readers with looks of disgust.
Not one of 'em offered even a shawl,
and the sick creature ! suppose is
destitute"
He pushed through the crowd gath
cred about the house and dispersed
/ them with very vigorous English. a
| pleasant-faced young man handed him
a roll of bills.
Il collected that in our Pullman.
We're not all so heartless as you say
$50 that's you, Jimmy Watson, $
smiled the doctor. Il ask your pardon;
before this l thought you were just a
dude. l shall tell your mother there
is hope for you"
Thanks" laughed the younger man.
There's twenty-five dollars. l sup
pose. though, your fees will gobble it
all up
ITO the last cent. Jimmy; that's why
got off the car" He shut the door
/ smartly in the face of the crowd, and.
| finding the switchman's wife in the
small hall, said, severely: Il suppose
you call yourself a Christian woman,
ma'a
There hain't no Westinghouse in
this forsaken country not. for forty
miles, Jest plains she said, sourly.
land, having a family of my own.
amt obliged. if my man do work on
the. railroad. to take into my house
/ strangers with complaints as may be
catching"
"Wen, this is, take it, grinned the
doctor. ito your sex"
She smiled a little grimly, and took
mp her youngest child in a motherly sort
] of way that pleased the keen observer.
you've got kind heart; your
tongue runs away with you, that's all.
And now do your best for the sick
woman. l have plenty of money to
pay you"
Il put her in my bed" said the
woman, shyly. "She's a pretty little
thing. and is clean out of her head, but
she hain't no wedding-ring."
"Well, she is punished now, poor
girl. for her share in the wronP-doing
without you and me saying anything. .
"An aboard" sounded outside. AS
! the train ratified away, DIR. John went
softly to the little room where the emf
grant woman lay unconscious of this
world, so nearly on the threshold OF
| the next.
In the chill gray of early dawn DR..
John came out in the kitchen, where
Jonas Macon, the switchman, sat over
the fire; he had been forced to sleep in
his chair the long night after days
work. The hospitality of the poor often
means personal deprivation.
us she goin' to live?" asked the man.
81 hope so. The baby is fine boy
"Both of 'em better dead, If what
wife thinks of her is true" sighed the
man. CAS- for the boy, if he must grow
up and work as I've done. never gittin
no further, he won't thank You fol
a-savin' of him"
"He may turn out a great man some
day; and then" said DIR. John, half tC
himself-''s is not a common or un
educated woman. the mother-he may
be the better for the story of his birth
strive to rise the higher for it."
Likely not he won't. Them 'sylun
children don't amount to much in gen
eral. Takes a mighty smart man t.
come out of the mud"
your wife has done nobly by her,
said the doctor. ''She has the best
heart"
''She is kind" muttered the man
IAN she have stood about everythin' Z
woman can stan. I'll git my owl
breakfast. You tell her to turn in an
sleep with the kids awhile"
The doctor went back to his patient
and Mrs. Macon brought the LITTLE
flannel bundle ont by the stove. Late
the children were wild about it. Die
the train leave the baby? were the!
going to have it always? and coulC
they see in the windows of the trains
as they passed, lots of baby faces look
ing out for mothers to take them?
At night Mrs. Macon woke the doc
tor, who was taking a nap in the chill
dren's bed.
Il think. sir she said, worriedly
the little lady is gone out of her head
She's feeling round in the bedclothe
for dog, and calling one pitiful-like.
81 have been a blind fool!'' cried tn,
doctor. Il felt all the time I'd ough
to know her" He ran to the sick
u = =.