The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-27
during intervals of comparative quiet

during intervals of comparative quiet.
Eddie! Pull it, that's a good boy"
Coin to circus next week. Gimme
cents % replied Eddie, vacantly.
Yes! I'll take you TO the circus. And
see, here's cents for you. Pull it. Pull
that big stick. Five cents. Eddie; 8
cents"
For Gods sake, Petey, old man. don't
do 1t! 1t won't help any," called Swain
ley, entreatingly.
But the look in Peterman's eyes showed
that nothing short of physical restraint
would keep him from his purpose He
was there to ameliorate the condition of
those idiots.
Pull it, Eddie. Pull the stick" he
called repeatedly.
Five cents" muttered Eddie, dubious
ly. He had been asking for five cents"
all Of his life, and he had received many
promises. Now for the first time he hes
itated between an order and the impulse
to obey. Peterman actually hurled a coin
a him, but the aim was short, and il
fell into the water. But this did not
discomfort Eddie Five cents" was to
him only name. He never had seen a
coin in his life.
The Prov of the police boat moved In
beside the Refuge, and its captain. re-
volver in hand, threatened to shoot Pet
erman if he was not instantly silent But
the peril of the situation was now cen
tered, not in Peterman, but in Eddie,
who had passed the period of promises,
and on whose slow-rolhng brain the
meaning of Peterman's request was be-
ginning to dawn. He gazed blankly at
the lever. He even fingered 1t cautious
y. He might suddenly draw it forward
at any moment. Back of him the idiots
tramped forth and back, or stood in
groups, pointing and leering at the
lighted boats drawing nearer and nearer.
1t seemed TO the anxious men on the
Wanderer that the black moat between
the boats would never be closed. Only
one thing in all the world seemed to move
slower. and that was the thOught-impulse
of the idiot brain. Jameson, who was
coolest, said aferward that during the
long interval Gt was fully half a minute)
he formulated the plan of a monograph
to discuss the probable speed of an i'm
pulse which from the brain of an imbe-
Gle might start to- influence his finger
tips. The superintendent, in whom The
tension was greatest, because his whole
political future depended on the pulling
of that lever laughed gleefully, and per-
petrated joke which no one appreciated
just then, but which has come since to
be regarded as the most remarkable wit
But finally the swell rocked the two
boats together, so that Swainley was abe
to make a flying leap at the rail of the
tossing scow. He landed safely and then
crouching, moved swiftly and stealthiy
toward Eddie Apple. One of the poor
creatures on board got down on his
hands and knees and 70 lowed after mock
ing him, to the delight of the others,
who laughed loudly al the queer per-
A. IT, /
die Apple seemed suddenly to be filled
with a final resolve. The impulse had
reached his finger tips. His body
Strengthened, and he clutched the bar
and pulled, just as Swainley with ha.f
scream, half curse, threw himself at il
and held it rigid.
On the way back to the city Peterman
exhibited almost no trace of mental de-
rangement He did not even chafe under
the restraint imposed upon him in the
cabin of the Patrol He regarded his cap
tors almost with amusement-the exact
expression one might assume towards the
rage of wi.ful child who insists upon
plucking the gas flame from its burner.
He merely deepened the expression of his
face at each of their many questions
Once only did he reply and that was when
Swainley made an exuitant remark about
the saving of the idiots.
Saved them"' he cried. Eyes, you
saved them-for what? Every morning
of their lives the poor devils eat bread
and milki Every noon they eat stew!
Every evening they eat bread and milk
again--S65 times year. Think of it! Al
ways the same. day in-day out. Never
any change. Some of the older ones have
been doing it for sixty long years; some
OF the younger ones can expect to do it
for sixty years longer. Beyond that it
is all sleep and drivel. Yes, indeed you
have saved them. Your heroic effort in
their behalf has placed che crown of long
life on their heads. 1t is a distinction
which will probably remind you of your
great work as long as you live
There was little said after that, but
as the steamers painted slowly homeward
under the stars, the unanimity of thought
was almost, if not quite, telepathic.