Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-01-15
LOST AND FOUND.

Jane looked the doctor firmly In the
face across the little bed as he lifted her
sisters limp hand and noted with pro-
fessional glance the various particulars
of the case Item /, high temperature,
feeble pulse, blank face, with wide. I'M
seeing eyes; item 2, never any vitality
worth speaking of and now neither will
nor desire left, the other girl not much
better, but why and full of Il logged
determination item 3, wretched room,
just enough larger than the bed to hold
a chair and Il table. Jane understood
that these items were being entered one
by one III the doctors mind. She saw
also that the account was against her.
But she recognized that il hardly mat
tered She seemed TO be incapable Of
any more feeling on the subject. The
doctor took mp his hat. She followed
him 10 the door.
"Wcll:" she said
"Wcn, he answered slowly, "she
is worn out. She cannot get well UNI
less he paused, aware of the mockcry
of the words and anxious that they
should not seem hcUtlcSs-"u unless you
can take her away At once TO the coun-
try, whore she can get plenty of air,
fruit and ice The heat viii finish her
in few days. wish | could He
broke OIL and looked at her Il will do
what ] can. lie reached out his hand.
She took it mechanically.
The doctor went down stairs with his
accustomed dull sense of impotence lie
was young. poor and had wife and
four children who were only too much
in need of country air themselves. He
could not rob them Besides, there were
SO many cases like that up stairs. He
felt that his sympathy was drying up
like an overuscd we'll.
Jane went back into her room and sat
down by the bed II fan. Her sister said
nothing and showed no interest in the
doctor or his visit. Her eyes still stared
i'll front of her as if She saw nothing
Jane sat about an hour, then kissing
the sick girl ON the forehead she left the
room AMI walked rapidly from the house
TO the business part of the city. There
she entered large dry goods store and
went t. the office.
LET me see Mr. Roberts a moment, 3"
she said To the boy. just then "A stout
man in his shirt sleeves passed the door.
Mr. Roberts, " she said TO him, Il
am clerk in this store | have had TO
be absent "a great deal lately. OF course
| have had 10 pay the substitute, so that
now Im ont Of money My sister is dy-
ing. The doctor says she may live if |
can send her to the country for awhile
l AIN the only one she's got. Will you
advance mo months wages? When
she's gone, | won miss a day.
Mr.. Roberts was not an unkindly
man. He looked at her pleasantly. My
good girl, he said, this is too bad
but you must realize that III store like
this, where there are some hundred en-
ployoes, there are many sad cases. We
can t attend 10 them ALL and therefore
in Justice we can't attend to any. The
rule is hard, but we have to stick to it
What your Nance
Smith, she answered stolidly.
Jane Smith. "
bbnAis It NdlANN w ~ wy ~ itll
Carroll TO cancel the account for this
week of substitute against Jane Smith
There, my girl, you see l do what can
for you. But with all the absences wa
have TO reckon You understand l
couldn't do such a thing often. Take
courage. Your sister may get well.
Good morningl Don't begin another
substitute account, for you Will need all
the money you have. " He smiled pleas
antly, replaced his cigar and turned
away.
Jane went out into the street. She
walked slowly along the sweltering
pavement She noticed that little
breeze had sprung up. 1t gave her a
sensation of being famed back into life.
Otherwise she thought of nothing.
Every one. even in the intense heat,
seemed to be in hurry. She alone
walked leisurcly and purposclcssly yet
she had sister dying at home for want
of little air. If anything was done, ii
must be done quickly; yet she was walk
ing quietly along. II gave her a sense
of oddncss and she laughed audibly.
Suddenly she stopped. There on the
ground lay bit of folded green paper.
The breeze was tugging at it. She put
her foot on it and waited moment to
steady herself Something licked in her
head. twas money She looked around
quickly and ficrcely, stopped, snatched
the little paper without looking at il
and closing her fist upon it made of
into side street Her head was seeth.
ing with thoughts. Perhaps it was no;
money. 1t Wa crisp and tightly folded