The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-14
FANNING'S HEART.


handling a difficult assignment which
by rights should have been given to one
of the men reporters, and so IL happened
that she remained after every one else
had gone TO dinner, and for some time
the walls of the city editors room had
listened TO the unsusual sound at such
an hour OF a bad stub pen scratching
over thin brown paper.
Finally the monotoDous scratching
was interrupted by the opening of
door, and Tanning, the police reporter,
hastily entered Miss Irwin paused in
her story long enough to look up
"Oh," she said, 'it's you. Tanning.
Been to dinner already"
"No, ma am. not yet. I'm looking
for Scranton. Hash Z come back yet, has
hep
"Not yet. Anything lean do for your"
"No, thanks. / just wanted to zee
him about story-tbat 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. am so
worried. Pshaw, I'm 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.
"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 mornings
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:
Eyes. 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, 2" she
exclaimed, in disappointed tone, 81
didn't think you were that sort. /"
1t was Fanning's turn to look disap-
pointed. lyon seem to think, because l
talk as / do, that police reporter hasn't
any feelings at all, he said, in an in
jured way. Maybe we've got more
than you think. Now, there ain { any
body sorrier than | am for that little
boy. Why, his mother and sister think
I'm the best friend they've got. because
il hadn't said my say, the bully who
hurt the little chap wouldn't have been
held at all. fixed him bright enough,
though made things pretty lively at the
police court, didn't 1? Well, / guess.
"Say, if he would only hurry up and
die in time / could write tho 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 jolly and all sorts Of good
things TO eat. When l saw him this even
ing, the bed was covered with play
things, but if you II believe it, he didn't
seem to care for 'em at all The only
thing he noticed was a bunch of roses
somebody had sent him. He wouldn''
cart with 'em, and when saw him ly
ing back there with the flowers agains
his cheek, thought how pretty it would
be for me to have him die with them II
his hand. Say, wouldn't that be pictur
esque? won't bother you, though, any
! longer. If you see Scranton. tell hin
} | about it; he'll be interested. F"
Il Irxtr 10
again alone. She couldn't take up tn
, train of thought she had been pursuing
r when interrupted, and she still had tn
shocked look she assumed at the begin
a | ming of Fanning's conversation.
"Such hardened fellow" she nut
tered, land yet at heart l really heliev
him to he what he says he Is.
The next morning Miss Irwin scanned
the papers, but saw nothing about tn
boy. The evening papers contained lon
accounts of his life and death. Miss lr
win felt rather sorry that Tanning, wit
all his cruel, kind heart, had been scoop
ed She was sure his account woul'
have surpassed those she had read, ap'
she sighed as she thought of the roses
They had not been mentioned at all.
Several days passed. She was anxiou
to meet the police reporter. Curiosit
, caused her to wonder what he woul
e say. Finally the chance came. She haT
O pened to be waiting for EAR when Fan
ming passed. She stopped him.
- "By the way. Tanning, | saw 20
were cheated out of your story abor
the little boy"
Yes, was. Luck's dead again
me-"
"What time did he die?"
= "Three a. m. exactly. Just too lai
= for me to get in even line. Twas thoi
when he died.
= "Poor, dear. little fellow How di
!, he die?"
y "He died on space rates. ma'am.
- Miss Irwin thought that shc had b
: como used to the reporters pecnlIi
P ,tyle. but his reply was too much 70
l. her When she regained her composure
J. she said:
rs at mean, did he know anybodyf Wa
y be conscious to the lastf
y "Ob, yes. he just opened his eyes
}, then he shut 'em again, and he opene
10 'em again and smiled real sweet at b
ID mother and sister and me, and thei
y and then he--he Just died nice, real nice
d, Say" he touched Miss Irwin 9
a the arm and laughed. "what do you sul
Of poser His mother thinks so much OF n
t. She asked me to pick out the cofiii
Vi said she didn't know what would be a