The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-19

ping him up against a bag of potatoes
he grabbed Karl's limp hand in good
by, saying: Now don't be getting
downhearted at the hospital. my boy;
eat plenty, keep comfortable and I'll
be in one of these fine days to see how
you're coming on. Good day" and seiz-
ing his package and stick he hurried
of.
'DroA man that, but very energetic,
strikes me-" commented the farmer,
who is he anyhow" and he turned
and looked back at Karl, whose eyes
still grooped in semi-consciousness
THE boy does need to go to the
hospitalp he exclaimed, whipping up
his horse. Poor fellow, how he clings
to his fiddle! One of these street mu-
sicians, [ suppose. Looks rather ten
der to be roughing it, though, and he's
as thin as skim milk, and no more to
him. Strange how condolences hap
pen L was just going to the hospital
with these potatoes. Get up. Dobbinr'
And, again swapping his whip, he gall
Hoped toward the country hospital, a
full mile farther.
Karl's wayside photographic friend
called to see him when he had been in
the hospital four days.
Its intermittent fever, you say"
The surgeon nodded.
And he's better?"
Much He's playing on his violin at
this moment"
The photographers face frightened.
That's good. I want to get one tune
he fiddles for my monograph. No OBJ
jections, I suppose?" And, taking up
the package he had put down the in
slant before, he made his way up stairs
directly to the light fever ward.
Karl was there, propped up in a neat
~ hi nd
his bow drawn as if he had stopped in
the middle of a note.
20, but he do play beautiful1' cried
some one from an opposite cot to the
photographer; "just listen to him, mis-
ter
That's what I'm here for replied
the phonographer, quickly putting his
photograph in shape. Give me that
merry tune, the one 1 liked the other
day, will you, my boy?"
Karl's face cleared.
You are the man that was SO kind
to me upon the road. You asked me to
play it for you then. I'll do my best
for you,'' and. sitting erect for the first
time during his illness, he played clear
~ and swiftly the merry tune, then
sunk back against his pillow perspir-
ing and exhausted from the effort.
Instantly a nurse was at his side.
pher.
THE boy is not strong enough to sit
up and play like that" she said.
Please go at once. You poor little fell
low" as Karl tried to speak. Not a
word now rest and she patted down
his pillow, lowered the window shades
and reached to take the violin away,
but he held it close.
I'm sorry to have intruded." said
To
his instruments. but I think | have
the tune all right. Good day." and,
waving an adieu to Karl, he strobe
away.
That evening he held the third of
series of photograph entertainments in
the little mining town of Morea- The
public hall was the schoolroom into
which filed the Moreans. from the
eldest miner to the youngest slate
tendent himself dropped in, a tall,
stolid man who seemed a. favorite
among the miners.
"Come up front. superintenden said
one of them to him, you never heard
a Hvelier fiddle tune in all your life
than its playing now"
The superintendent said nothing, but
quietly pushed nearer the machine. All
at once his brown, heavy face heightened
Where did you get that tune, pro-
fessor?" he asked.
"A boy was playing it on the road as
I passed.
What kind of boy?i
"A first-rate boy, with curly hair,
only he'd been tramping too long in the
cold without much to eat or wear, /
should say, so toppled him off to the
hospital, where he's been ever since
with a beautifully developed case of
fever
What kind?"
Intermittent"
"Oh," and the superintendent turned
slowly away.
''P'raps you'd like to see the little fell
low" the photographer ventured fur
Their.
mo" responded the superintendent,
only used to play that tune on a vio-
lin myself when lad in the old coun-
try, and danced to it, too. It's a merry
tune. and not many people play il
either Do you know the boys name ?''
Never thought to ask replied the
photographer, but If I ever see him
again I'll ask him. Now, gentlemen, /
will change the cylinder and put in
the photographer has returned to bust
ness.
The superintendent dropped out OF
the school room as unassumingly as he
had dropped in. He walked briskly
DOWN the road, the merry tune still
ringing in his memory. All at once he
remembered he had been elected a
member of the hospital board, a local
n rar1 ion 17n l~11 hnfn crix-o IL