The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-07-03

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pain.
But neither could the sailor rise
from his back, and neither could the
sailor hope to sail the sea again, for he
was In the same case with the child,
and both were slowly dying. At first
sometimes the big brown man would
forget himself in his pain, and the
nurses would shut their ears, terrified,
and the matron would threaten to
move him to room by himself, and
that frightened him to silence, for ever
since the accident he had great love
for the child. The child would look at
his huge friend In surprise when he
fell into one Of his RACES and say:
"Oh, John, that's not nice"
And John would bite his lips at once
and be patient. Then the child would
say:
"How do you feel, John?"
And the sailor would answer:
First rate, joe"
That's NICE" little Joe would say.
And they would lie quiet and look out
Of the window at the river and beyond
where the big hills purpled to the skies
and were always looking up.
So it was in the mornings, when Joe
seemed always first awake and ready
to have his hands and face washed by
the nurse. He could not turn about to
see the other patients, but he learned
all their names, and as soon as he
heard them moving he always asked
very politely:
"And how do you feel, Mr.. SmithY'
And Mr.. Smith would always an
swer because it pleased the child:
"First rate, joe"
That's NICE" said Joe. And 50 he
would ask each In turn, and to each an
swer, always the same, he would reply
cheerfully, That's NICE"
And when they asked him how It
went with him he always said, though
sometimes with an effort, I'm pretty
well, thank you" Then everybody
would say with real pleasure, THAT'S
nice, joe
So the summer went on, and very
few patients came to the hospital, and
John and Joe were all alone, save for
the nurses who grew to dread the time
that was soon to part the friends.
At last they told the sailor that there
was no hope at all for him. A clergy
man came to prepare him. He took the
news very calmly, but instantly whis-
pered:
"And the little fellow, Joe9"
Ill Ii. I10 1va1c
"He is so innocent he needs no prepa-
ration. But your"
For days the poor sailor was In much
trouble, and one night he whispered to
his little companion:
Joe, say you was rich as Vanderbilt
and he was going long sail, would
you leave me behindT
mo, john" said the child very ear
nestly; 81 would want you to come
too"
would you feel sorry, Joe, to sail
away and leave me on the wharf, Or
or If you was safe in fine big ship,
see me busted to pieces on the rocks?"
"John," said the child, Il would jump
out and pull you to my ship, would"
GOOD old Joe," said the sailor, and
said nothing more until prayer time,
when he squeezed Joe's hand and whis-
pered:
"Pray hard, Joe. Pray hard for me
to come along. Pray for two, joe"
And little Joe prayed for two.
The two used to watch for the
searchlight of the big night boat which
ran between two great cities on the riv--
er. When the steamer turned a point,
It's light flashed for an instant full on
the front of the little hospital. Joe and
John, hand in hand, very, very weak
now, would lie and watch for it. Joe
had made story that it knew they
were there and smiled in on purpose to
say Good night" Always he piped
'.good night" in return and John also.
Then Joe, squeezing the once powerful
hairy hand, would feebly ask:
"How do you feel, John, tonight?'
"First rate, Joe," poor John would
answer, with a smothered groan.
"That's nice"
And they would lie very still or grad
ually go to sleep.
And SO one night the steamboat came
up the river and turned the point and
cast it's light upon the little hospital.
"Good night" said the sailor in a
very low, husky whisper, while Joe's
little hand rested on his. But the boys
eyes were wide with a strange light.
ut didn't say good night JOHN" he
whispered and tried to squeeze his
friends hand. sit said 'goodby.'"
The sailor tried to rise in bed, but
was unable even to call out. He saw
the river, but he could not see the 9TH
err side. 1t was dark. He was afraid.
His fingers closed round the child's fee
bly,.
"How-do- you-feel tonight, dear
John?" said little Joe's voice very soft
| ly and tenderly.
There was a moments pause. The
sailors voice rang out with glad cry:
"F1rst rate, joe"
THAT'S NICE" said the child.
And the little nurses, running In,
found the friends had gone together
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