Connecticut western news., 1896-08-13
FANNING'S HEART.

naOullnS a UlIlculC aSSlynfncnC WHICH by rights should have been given to one If the men reporters, and So it happened that she remained after every ouo else had goue to dinner, and for some time the walls of the city editors room had listened to the unsusual sound at such an hour of bad stub pen scratching over thin brown paper.
 Finally the monotonous scratching 2 was interrupted by the opening os q door. and Tanning, the police reporter hastily entered. Miss Irwin paused in Der story Sen2 enough to look rp.
 "Oh, she said, tits you, Tanning. Been to dinner already:"
 "No. ma am. not yet. I'm looking for Scranton. Hasn come back yet, has he?''
 "Not yet. Anything can do for you?"
 "No, thanks. 1 just wanted to sec him about story-that little chap that was hurt. Read about it, didn't youi Scranton s interested. The little chap dying. I've just come from the house. Tho doctors all say he'll die tonight, and I wanted to tell Scranton. am so worried. Pshaw. Tn worried sick. I''- He paused. ran his fingers through his hair and looked em mbarrassed.
 Come, now, Tanning. toll me all about it, said tho thoroughly interested Miss Irwin.
 "There ain't much to tell. Oh, you mean what I'm worrying about? We'll, to put the whole thing in few lines, I'm afraid he might rot die ill time fo1 mo to get my story for the morning : paper. Just think of what I'd lose such beautiful story"
 Miss Irwin looked shocked, and Fan uipg 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 dossedly:
 "Yes. ma am; so long as he's going tc die-they said he won't live through tonight-he might have enough consid- eration for me to arrange it ill time. Just my luck to get scoopcd" And he knocked of some cigarette ashes.
 Miss Irwin gazed at the boy in aston. ishment.
 "Why, you cruel, cruel fellow" she exclaimed, in a disappointed tone, "l didn't think you were that sort"
 It was Earnings turn to look disap- pointed. "You seem to think, because talk as l do, that police reporter hasn't any feelings at all, he said, in an in- inred way. Maybe we've got more than you think. Now, there ain't any body sorrier than I am for that little boy. Why, his mother and sister think I'm the best friend they got. because if hadn't said my say, the bully who hurt the little chap wouldn't have been held at all I fixed him all right enough though; made things pretty lively at ths police court, didn't I? We'll, guess.
 'Say, if he would only hurry up ant die in time could write the mosr ele- gant and touching story. You just ougbl 10 see him. Every body takes so much in terest i'll him, and folks send him books and toys and jelly and all sorts of goot things to eat. When saw him this even ing, the bed was covered with play things, but if you'll believe it, he didn I seem to care for 'em at all. The only thing he noticed was bunch of rose! somebody had sent him. He wouldn' DdIb "lth W Iitu saw ullii J ing back there with the flowers agains his cheek, thought how pretty it woulC be for me to have him die with them il his hand. Say, wouldn't that be pictur esque? won't bother you, though, an, longer. If you see Scranton, tell hin about it; he'll be interested. The door closed, and Miss Irwin wa | again alone. She couldn't take up tn | train of thought she had been pursuin; ] when interrupted, and she still had tn | shocked look she assumed at the begin ming of Earnings conversation.
 ''Such hardened fellow" she nut tered. "and yet at heart really believ | him to be what he says he is. !" The next morning Miss Irwin scanne, tho papers, but saw nothing about tn boy. The evening papers contained lon accounts of his life and death. Miss IT | win felt rather sorry that Tanning, witt all his cruel, kind heart. had been scoop | ed. She was sure his account woult have surpassed those she had read, an, 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 wou] say. Finally the chance came. She hap | pened to be waiting for a car when Fan ming passed. She stopped him.
 ''Py the way. Tanning. I saw yo were cheated out of your story abou the little boy"
 Yes, was. Luck's dead agains me. :"
 | What time did he die?'
 'Three a. m. exactly. Just too lat for me to set in even line. was ther when he died"
 Poor, dear, little fellow How di he die?"
 ''He died on space rates, ma am.
 Miss Irwin thought that she had be come used to the reporters peculia style, but his reply was too much 10 her. When she regained her composure she said:
 II mean, did he know anybody Wa he conscious to the last?"
 "Oh, yes. He just opened his eyes then he shut lem again, and he opene 'em again and smiled real sweet at hi mother and sister and me, and then and then he-he just died nice, real nicc
 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