Middletown transcript., 1898-05-14
The Kindness or
Goddard Goodenougfl.
By JOHN ]. A'BEoKET.
rcopyright. 1sss. by the Author.l

4ACAO Wap AObAAAS OAeAoOAAAAeeAJ a. O~
mere fact. The morning papers report
ed that three or four policemen hat
succumbed the day before. This was
young girl Of slight physique and ex
ceeding delicacy Of constitution, II he
color told the truth. She was also pc
culiarly attractive, though that ha
nothing to do with her fainting.
It was o'clock in the afternoon O
the sixth day of this merciless persecu
tion of the sun. New York city haG
Rasped under it, writhed under it
tainted under it, died under it, for il
scores of cases the vital fame wal
quenohed by the insufferable heat. Ever
on the shady side of Broadway and in
relatively cool spots where at time
blessed little puffs of wind came al
heeting but welcome visitants the
thermometric tube inhumanly register
cd 96 degrees. In the "better done
portions Of the city it ranged at record
breaking heights. Small wonder thai
this slender girl should faint.
She had been showing symptoms oi
distress all the way up town, but hat
fought hard to hold out until she reach
ed her destination. A young man mex
to her in the Car had regarded her close
ly now and then over the corner Of hi
paper. When she collapsed, he support
ed her until the car was stopped Ther
the policeman at the crossing, who, IL
obedience to natures first law Of sell
preservation, had unbuttoned his Goa
despite the fact that he thereby reveal
ed wilted calico shirt and rotunt
but unwilted stomach, came forward
and the suffering girl was taken into q
chemists shop hard by.
It was a haven Of refreshment after
the burning outer air. for it was shady
and cool. A thin, shiny black cal
sprawled with abandon on the mosaic
floor in the effort to expose as much oi
her frame as possible to its cool contact.
There were no electric fans In the shop,
but two counters were entirely devoted
to soda and mineral water fountains.
and the quantity of cracked ice in use
at them had a salutary influence on the
temperature.
They put the poor girl in chair al
the farthest and hence coolest end oi
the shop, and two clerks began devot
ing themselves to her relief. Towels
wet with ice water were applied to hel
head and wrists. The policeman haG
sunk on one knee by her side and looked
the picture of municipal benevolence
But the scrap Of paper and lead pencil
In his hands showed he was waiting fol
q chance to get the girls name and ad
dress in case of fatal result.
An ambulance had been summoned
from the New York hospital But when
it arrived the girl refused to go in it,
with faint but decided gesture Of re.
pugnance. She was neatly dressed in
some light summer fabric and looked
more than respectable.
The young man had remained Gloss
at hand, sympathetic locker on rather
than assistant in the charitable endeav
or to bring the girl round. possibly be
cause others seemed to know perfectly
what to do, while he, like many anoth
er, had only q willing heart and igno
rant hands in an emergency.
The girl in raising her heavy eyelid
may have recognized the young man al
her neighbor on the car. He had win
ming, kindly expression. At last tht
girl moved to rise, saying in her veal
voice that she felt we'll enough to go
In getting to her feet her hand wen
forth, and unthinkingly she graspet
the young fellows arm. He crooked il
firmly that she might feel its stout sup
port, and they walked slowly to tht
door. A hanson had drawn up in from
Of the shop with view to the likely
need Of its services.
"Do you mind coming with me IL
that cab tony homer" the girl said K
the young man in low voice, but wist
fully, diffdently. 81 am afraid to g
alone, and a policeman in the cab would
look too bad I am sorry to trouble
you so much, but fear may fain
again, and I feel that can trust you
VuaU yOu 01O O AOub1O1udus
The young man, who was not with
out leaven OF good Samaritanism, q
once assented, and after gently helpinl
her into the cab climbed in himself
When he asked the girl where he should
tell the driver to 60, she answered in ,
weak voice: "Tell him to drive up t
Central park and take turn in ther,
first The air may. help me, and then
will give my home address"
During the drive up town the CIR
said little. Her head leaned YEARLY
against the side of the cab, and her eye
remained closed. But soon after the,
had entered the park and the air circlet
about them more freely she sat up
Then she began to speak to her com
panion in frmer voice and with grea
earnestness There was q singularly
soft, moving quality in her voice, ant
it was exquisitely modulated. Delicate
earnest, oddly fascinating, she affectet
the young fellow pathetically.
81 know something of human ma
ture," she said, "and I feel that yol
are a kind, honorable, self confiden
man. You have pity for the suffering
At all events / am going to tell yol
aomething and am going to ask yol
something, but you must promise M
never to betray what I shall say
whether You grant my request or not
That you can do without hesitation
Will your"
Certainly" replied the young mai
sympathetically. 81 should respect an,
confidence you reposed in me without
given promise, and If can help you
shall be glad to do SO. -
The girl heaved long sigh of relief
and her eyes slowly closed again as i
the effort of making her communication
was oyerpowering her at the start
Then, with quick compression Of he
lips, she began:
"It was not the heat which made m
faint, at least not that alone. It wa
the mental strain have been goin,
through for the past ten hours. Ihav
done q great wrong to my husband
You need not ask my motive in this
You may guess it. It was mad thin
to do, and unless it is repaired this yer.
night my happiness for life is ruined
| He is an executor with two others 70
the estate Of very wealthy woman