The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-10-06
TITS ME BACK" SHE RxPLAINEb.

- y "A DAMN ohE VEL
for a moment he couldn't discern his
caller. Then he stepped to the window
and drew up the shade.
She vas a little girl, a very little
girl, with a little, weakened face and
little black eyes that snapped and twin
killed.. A shabby brown straw hat crown
ed her black curls, and her frock was
shabby. too. and her shoes and stock
ings were shabby indeed. Over her
shoulders was a small black shawl, and
with the ends that hung down across
her breast her brown fingers constantly
played.
The surgeon looked down at her. She
was such a little mite, perched upon
the extreme edge Of the biggest chair
in the room, with her shabby little
shoes pushed back against a round.
Somehow he didn't say the sharp words
he intended saying.
In fact, all he said was, "Well?"
"Be You de doctor?' The child's
voice was a little hoarse and a little old
for her years. The surgeon nodded.
"Then that girl of yourn is a fbber.
She says, You can't see him. An I
says, 4 will An then 1 gives her a
push an runs straight by her, an here I
am, an here you be-" And she laughs
noiselessly.
"Well, WE'LL" said the surgeon, re-
pressing an inclination to smile, "now
that you are here. what can I do for
your"
The child Strengthened her face.
"'Tain't for me-" she said quickly.
ST wouldn't come here nohow for my
self. Your prices is too high. Districk
physickers is good enough for poor folks
like me. Besides, Miss Flaherty, she's
de lady l boards wit says, ooh, how
you do love to knife 'eml'"
Perhaps the great surgeon WINGED a
little at this.
&C.," he said. "My time is valu-
able"
"Mine amt" said the child COM
placently. '.But what l comes here fer
is Petite"
"And who is Petie?"
"He's Inc big brudder, who's goin
on 16. He got hurried by a motor las
Tuesday, an you got him in de horspi-
tai, ward 2, fort bed from de door,"
The surgeon took out a memorandum
book.
yes he said; "Peter Mullen, ribs
boy. What about him?"
''Didn t he say nothin about Mamie?
OATS Inc. You see, it's de fust time
Petite an me has been SEPARATED since
mudder died. She passed the fringed
end of the shawl quickly across her
eyes. ''There, it's all right. Boys will
get hurt. What wants to say is this
At 'leven o clock youse is going to oper-
ate on Petite. He tole me so hisself.
He was lyin quiet, an the young doc
tors thought he was asleep. An dey
says it was a mos interestin case an
scarce. an dat you was boun to try de
knife on it. An dey said dat wild good
nursin Petite would git we'll in de
natch'ral way, but in de intrust of sci
ence-dat's what dey said-you was
goin to take de chances wild de knife,
an den dey said dere wasn't one chance
in 90 of de boys Twin through it. See2'
The surgeons face grew dark.
"Well, what of it," he asked almost
roughly.
.'Don't git mad" said the child.
"I'm just givin it to you straight.
You see, it's like dis: / can't spare
Petite nohow. He's all I've got. l amt
strong meself, an Petite looks after me
like a mudder. He's an awful smart
boy. He sells papers an runs errands an
holds horses. He kin do mos anything.
An what l want to say is dat if science
needs a kid to cut why not take me an
let Petite go?"
"What's that ?" cried the surgeon
sharply.
"There you go, gittin mad ag'in,'
cried the child. 81 know what you'll
say. You'll say my case amt no inter
estin one like Petie's. But how do you
know till you look2"
"What's the matter with your
growled the surgeon.
The child stood up. One of her shoul-