The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-05-16

every visiting DAY 10 inquire LOT CdD-
by's Jenny" as the nurses called her
and always brought her some toy or
little trifle that she was too young to
appreciate. He was a widower, he
told Sister Mildred. and had lost his
only child when she was just Jenny's
age.
After a vain search for the little
girls friends, the hospital authorizes
decided to hand her over to the local
workhouse. Bill Ashton pleaded hard
| to be allowed to take charge of the
foundling-his mother lived with him,
he urged, and would bring it up as her
own. The request was refused, but
eventually he must have got his way,
! for some months later l came upon
| him, standing with the child in his
arms among the crowd of gratis pa
tients. or course he hailed me at
once. His mother was down with
rheumatism, he told me. or she would
have brought the child herself. Curl
osity, rather than medical ardor
| prompted me to volunteer a visit to
Mrs Ashton, and finding her quite dis
abled, went pretty often to Praed
street, News, in the course Of tina.
winter. I. was e mystery to me why
she burdened herself with child she
knew nothing OF, for she was very
poor, but having once suggested Jenny
should be got rid of, raised such a
storm about my ears that | never dared
to hint at such athing again.
Send her to the workhouse, indeed"
Mrs. Ashton cried Indignantly. Not
If know it, Mr.. Morton. Why, she
has just been the saving of my Bill,
she has. Poor fellow, he never held
up his head after his Meg died, and
when the babe was took. it all but
finished him. You saw him yourself
the day little Jenny was found. Well,
he wasn't to say dirty, for that could
never be while | am here, but he was
all anyhow and tie cab, too. He took
no pride in 1t, or he'd have swept 1t
out long before you got in and found
the little thing. And see him now,
she continued proudly. Hes smart
and trim, and there isn't better look
ing cab on the rank. And it's all ow-
ing to that blessed child-it is indeed
When | began to practice settled
in one Of the London suburbs and lost
sight of Bill Ashton. Then one day
chance took me past his cabstand and
looked out for him. There he was
erect on his box, like cavalry Off
Ger. In trice he bore down on me
like the Ancient Marine and held me
fast. Jenny was sickening for some
thing, he told me, and the doctor die
not know what. But | understood hel
constitution and could put her right
directly. 1t would be charity tt
look in.
had no time to spare, but all the
same found myself in Ashton's cab
bowling along towards the news. Hi
mother, found, had died in thu
spring, and he had to tend the chile
himself. She was eight or nine year!
old now-so quickly does time run OF
and pretty enough, so her adopted
father assured me, for princess.
, l forget what she suffered from, bu
what she needed most was fresh air
. Bill was fit to Stay me when l said so
and offered to get her into GONZALES
cent home, but being sensible fellow
at bottom, he came round after bi
and let me have my way. His graft
tude a couple of months later, wheI
Jenny came back with rosy cheeks ant
sparkling eyes, was sight to behold
, He took the trouble to drive her out tt
my house the very next day that
might see her, as he phrased it, will
the bloom on, and my wife-I wa
', married now-was charmed with he
pretty face and engaging ways.
AS time went on, many were thu
childish ailments through which l hat
: to pilot "Cabby's Jenny" for her deli
, cate organization untitled her to liv
in a close air. But she struggled OF
; till she was twelve years old, or there
abouts, and then, during the sever
,, frost Of the winter she caught Sc
we're cold which developed into pneu
monia, the result of influenza, l ina
CINE, but did not see her until the dis
, ease had made some progress, 70
, though Bill sent to ask me to call, tn
press of work was so great that coul
not get to the news till the eve of tn
, third day. AS looked at the patient
saw the case was hopeless, and l trie
! to say so to Bill, but the words stuck Il
y my throat.
: "Can nothing be done, sir?" h
q gasped, seeing me shake my head de
spairingly.
while there is life there is hope"
G said evasively. 1.-TWO heads are bette
: than one, Ashton. Let me bring
\ friend to see her-he may think c
= something to do her good"
|, "As you will sir" he said in daze
n sort of way and left the house.
9 And now comes the strangest par
of my story. had spoken mechan
v ically, more as an excuse for gettin
away than anything else, for 1 was a
; arrant coward when it came to telliD
Bill his little pet was dying. But
q had to make my words good, and as
q walked up the street, 1 tried to thin