Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-04-10
FANNING'S HEART.

FANNING'S HEART.
Miss Irwin was very busy. She wa
handling difficult assignment which
by rights should have been given to one
of the men reporters, and SO it happened
that she remained after every one elst
had gone to dinner, and for some tim'
the walls of the city editors room hao
listened to the unsusual sound at suct
an hour of a bad stub pen scratching
over thin brown paper.
Finally the monotonous scratching
was interrupted by the opening OF a
door, and Tanning, the police reporter,
hastily entered. Miss Irwin paused IL
her story long enough to look up.
.fOh," she said, ''it's you, Tanning.
Been to dinner already"
''No, ma am, not yet. I'm looking
for Scranton. Hash t come back yet, has
he?''
"Not yet. Anything I can do for you?'
emo, thanks. I just wanted to see
him about a story-that little chap that
was hurt. Read about it, didn't you:
Scranton S interested. The little chaps
dying. I've just come from the house.
The doctors all say he'll die tonight,
and wanted to tell Scranton. I am SC
worried. Pshaw, IN worried sick. r.
He paused, ran his fingers through his
hair and looked embarrassed.
"Come, now, Tanning, tell me all
about it, said the thoroughly interested
Miss Irwin.
s'There amt much to tell. Oh, you
mean what I'm worrying about? Well,
to put the whole thing in few lines,
I'm afraid he might not die in time for
me to get my story for the morning s
paper. Just think of what I'd lose
such beautiful story"
Miss Irwin looked shocked, and Fan
ming saw it. His blue eyes took on a
resolute expression, but the muscles OF
his face did not move, nor did his red
cheeks grow the least bit redder. He lit
cigarette and said doggedly:
"Yes, ma am SO long as he's going to
die-they said he won't live through
tonight-he might have enough consid-
Grafton for me to arrange it in time.
Just my luck to get scooped. % And he
knocked off some cigarette ashes.
Miss Irwin gazed at the boy in aston
ishment.
"Why, you cruel, cruel fellow" she
exclaimed, in disappointed tone, 81
didn't think you were that sort. -
1t was Fanning's turn to look disap-
pointed. "You seem to think, because
talk as I do, that a police reporter hash I
any feelings at ALL he said, in an in
jured way. "Maybe we've got more
than you think. Now, there amt any
body sorrier than I am for that little
boy. Why, his mother and sister think
I'm the best friend they've got, because
if I hadn't said my say, the bully who
hurt the little chap wouldn't have been
held at all. fixed him alright enough.
though; made things pretty lively at the
police court, didn't I? Well, guess.
"Say, if he would only hurry up and
die in time 1 could write the most ele.
CANT and touching story. You just ought
to see him. Everybody takes SO much in.
terest in him, and folks send him books
and toys and jelly and all sorts Of good
things to eat. When saw him this even
ing, the bed was covered with play.
things, but if you'll believe it, he didn ;,
seem to care for 'em at all. The only
thing he noticed was bunch of roses
somebody had sent him. He wouldn Y
part with 'em, and when saw him ly.
ing back there with the flowers against
his cheek, thought how pretty it would
be for me to have him die with them il
his hand. Say, wouldn' It that be pictur
esque? won't bother you, though, any
longer. If you see Scranton, tell him
about it; he'll be interested.
The door closed, anG Miss Irwin was
again alone. She couldn't take up The
train of thought she had been pursuing
when interrupted, and she still had thu
shocked look she assumed at the begin
ming Of Fanning's conversation.
"Such hardened fellow" she NUT
tered, 'fand yet at heart really believe
him to be what he says he is:
The next morning Miss Irwin scanned
the papers, but saw nothing about the
boy. The evening papers contained long
accounts Of his life and death. Miss Ir
win felt rather sorry that Tanning, with
all his cruel, kind heart, had been scoop
ed. She was sure his account would
have surpassed those she had read, and
she sighed as she thought Of the roses
They had not been mentioned at all.
Several days passed. She was anxious
to meet the police reporter. Curiosity
caused her to wonder what he would
say. Finally the chance came. She hap
peued to be waiting for car when Fan
ming passed. She stopped him.
By the way, Tanning, I saw yor
were cheated out of your story about
the little bog"
Yes, I was. Luck's dead agains
me"
What time did he die?'
Three a. m. exactly. just too late
for me to get in even line. Twas there
when he died"
Poor, dear, little fellow! How die
he dep
He died Oh space rates, ma am"
Miss Irwin thought that she had be
Come used to the reporters peculiar
style, but his reply was too much TO
her. When she regained her composure
she said:
81 mean, did he know anybody? Wa
he conscious to the last?''
ooh, yes. He just opened his eyes
then he shut 'em again, and he opened
'em again and smiled real sweet at hi
mother and sister and me, and then
and then he-he just died nice, real nice
"Say," he touched Miss Irwin o.
the arm and laughed, "what do you sup
pose? His mother thinks SO much of M
she asked me to pick out the coffin
said she didn't know what would be ap
propriate. selected a little beauty
Say, you ought to have seen him in it. :
Miss Irwin was becoming vastly in
terested in Tanning. He was so differ
ent from any one she had ever met be
fore. Then, too, be puzzled her. Hi
conversation was certainly Of q 'tdon'