Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-12-17
-.i.l " ~
. curt NUMBER %. =

In To long dim, isinfectant-seented
fuEI lighted by gas Jets that are only
IN, awake, shows signs this evening
= kind Of mufIled excitement. The
inlbers who can sit up in the scarlet
Ijunterpaned bSds do sit up, and when
the young nurses reprove them sharply
they go back for a moment only and at
once resume the attitude of interest.
All this Is because here, behind the
screen at twenty-three, a concerned,
cOnslderate-looking, overcoated man is
seated. Beside him a specialized youth,
writing, doctor, and three white
capped, white-aproned nurses, one of
whom, with ruddy hair, is close to the
head Of Twenty-three with medicine
glass. At the foot Of the bed long,
dazed, earringed, foreign-looking man,
who, with his wrists together and a
police inspector at his side, is staring
fixedly at the card over Twenty-three's
head. Twenty-three himself is not
looking his best. Never perhaps a
handsome man, Twenty-three, with a
bandage around his forehead and an
other over the top of his head, and q
bruise or two on his damp, yellow face,
Is not pleasant to look upon. TWEEN
ty-three is surly. too. taking this pres
ence Of visitors, whom he personally
has not invited, as an infraction Of the
rules Of etiquette and too broad and
definite hint thSt he, Twenty-three, is
not long for this world.
"And then, you say, the fight be-
gan?" Very quietly and encouraging
ly. Every well, then; the next point
is"
"Want-'want ask questing," Twenty
three interrupts in his hoarse whisper
slowly. Which Of you two-which Of
You two is beak?"
II am the magistrate. This gentle
man who is taking down your answers
is my clerk"
Mind he takes down-takes down
right" whispers Twenty-three, thick
ly. Don't want no-don't want no
perjury business"
quite so! Quite so! Now let us go
on. Where were we, Mr.. Parry?"
The clerk answers, glanclng at the
sheet Of foolscap, that I'VE had had a
glass or so together, and when we came
out we had a word or two outside the |
pub, and, one thing leading to an
other, we took off our coats and the |
others formed bit of a ring round us,
and we went at each other with our
flsts."
"And the fight lasted how long? A
couple Of minutes" A slight affirmative
Jerk Of the head. Every well! And
when did you first see the knife?"
Interval here. Interval for Twenty
three to whisper hoarsely under his
breath all the curses he knows at the
foreign gentleman at the foot Of the
bed and at the foreign gentleman's
knife. The ruddy-haired nurse holding
the glass Crimsons and keeps her eyes
down. The doctor steps forward, and
Twenty-three stops. The question is
repeated.
"see some'ing glitter. And in a mo-
ment-"
Stop again. A nod from the doctor
directs sip from the glass, Twenty
.hrees head being for this purpose very
gently lifted by the ruddy-haired nurse,
whom Twenty-three promptly calls, be-
,ause the effort hurts him, clumsy
loun.
"And then you felt the stab?" An
Swer in the affirmative, "And you fell
Town at once?" Answered again in the
with remark, added la
ooriously, Like log wood"
Ibid he say anything as he did it?"
Answer: Something foreign. Might
lave been anything, Twenty-three
gives brief answers to all further Ques-
AIh5