The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-14

| ~
clear to him.
Have been ill?'' he asked of the at
tendant who now entered the room, for,
being an official and able to pay extra,
Goodenough had not been placed in the
open ward. His malady, too, had been
of nature that required close attention.
At times he had been raving maniac,
screaming and calling for help to rescue
the president from burning car.
! yes" said the nurse, coming eau
tiously to the sick bed, you have been
very i'll. You're all right now, but you
must not talk.
In little while the sick man fell
asleep again, for the fever had left him
very weak. When he awoke on the fot-
lowing morning his mind was much
stronger His eyes wandered directly to
the little table, and there was the vase
with fresh flowers, and tears came to
the eyes of the sufferer. He wondered
as the days went by that none of his old
friends came to see him. Vaguely he
began to recall the past and all that
had happened. He wondered how many
were killed, but he dare not ask. The
few people that he saw seemed so cheer
full, and the chief surgeon was always
so genial, that he began to hope that
things had turned out better than he
had expected. At the end of another
week the superintendent came in to see
him, and he, too, was as cheerful and
happy as a man could well be. at is
good of you to come and see me-" said
the sick man. Il don't deserve it."
"You do deserve it," was the reply,
"and / have been here many times but
the doctor thought you would be better
off alone, but now that you are so strong
he says we can all come and see you as
often as we will"
"Will Dreamer come? | always liked
Dan, and his absence has hurt me, but
he has not forgotten our past friendship
and the speakers eyes filled with tears
as they rested on the vase.
"He's here now" said the superintend.
ent, touched deeply by the tears and ten
dernses of the sick man. Every morn
ing for nearly a month he has called here
to ask after you. / shall send him to you
at once, and now you must brace up
goodbye"
The meeting between Dreamer and his
sick friend was too much for the sick pa
tent and the chief surgeon, who had
come in with the visitor, was obliged to
send him away almost Immediately.
It was nearly a week before any more
visitors were admitted in the sick room.
Only the flowers came every morning
They were not many, but always fresh.
I'm strong enough to know, now,
Dam" said the patient when Dreamer
had been left alone with him. "and want
you to tell me all about it"
about what TomY
about the collsion-how many were
killed."
Dan assured him that there had been
no collision on the road for over a year.
"And you," he explained, 'Fhaye just been
here month to-day-this is the Goth OF
January"
Don't lie to me, Dam anybody could
do that; but from you l ask the truth.
and / think / have a right to expect it.
sent lap over the day | fell i'll.
became confused over the repetition of
No 8 and engine No. SO, Eastcreek and
Westcreek, and / gave a lap order. a
girl in the office tried to save me, but I
laughed at her. / thought her crazy,
and when at last l noticed my mistake
I tried to call Westcreek to hold g. but
could not get him. l called and called
up to the last second, but he did no an
swer, and it seemed to me that / must
go mad. Suddenly it occurred to me
that / might get Eastcreek, and hold
the special, but the answer came quick
and awful, Gone; and then | knew no
more until / smelled the smell of those
fresh roses you sent me, and came to
life again"
Now. I'll tell you the truth, Tom; the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
as the judge would say" began his Wis
itor. you did give lap order, but
you saved yourself. Westcreek did an
swer and got your order to hold No. s,
and he held her, and there was no col
llision."
Dan, ] never sent that message I
wanted to; God knows would gladly
have given my life to have saved those
| poor fellows on the engines: and the new
| president? Was he killed? All, Dan.
why don't YOU tell me the truth?" and
the miserable man held out his had be-
seechingly.
IT have told the whole truth" said
Dreamer. "There was no collison;" but
coodlough shook his head. his eyes
| filed With tears &nd he turned his pale