The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-07-03


then went quickly 10 her arm. He
saw the surgeons brace and walking
forward raised his hat and said: Miss
Anderson, L believe. am George
Moore. This is my little girl Fran
ces."
The little one held out both hands
to Norah and lifted her face to be
kissed. This writer of stories with
touch of saffron in them felt some
thing of shock. but she bent over and
kissed the childs red lips.
Let us sit down for moment, Miss
Anderson, 1 owe you an explanation.
see you are crippled. My wife, who
died four years ago, was a cripple.
tell you frankly that l loved her, and
che fact that she was dependent on me
because of her crippled state made me
learn the delight that there is in doing
for others. l was selfish man, but
learned unselfshness, and 1t made me
happy. l don't know much of the
world, and / feel that to advertise for
wife may not be considered right,
but say honestly that there was none
near home whom l wished even could
l have chosen"
| Norah Clevenger felt uncomfortable.
She hardly liked to admit it to herself.
She knew that this man was fair and
above board, and that she had been
doing something that was unwomanly.
She had done unwomanly things before
in the interest of a story, but this
thing cut. The little girl had slipped
into her lap by this time, and was
talking to her softly. Moore rose sud
denly. II forgot something" he said
"Stay with Miss Anderson minute
Frances" and then he disappeared in
the direction of the bagga ge-room. In
minute he was back with a huge
basket on his arm, and, raising the
cover, he showed it to be full of black
Hamburg grapes. These are for the
Crippled Children's Home" he said;
Il send fruit in every week because of
my memories. 1 thought 1 would
bring the grapes myself this time.
raise them in my dollhouse. I'll give
them to an expressman, and he can get
them to the hospital, so that the tots
can have them in the morning"
Norah Clevenger rose from her seat.
MIR. Moore" she said, Il have met
you as you asked. 1 must go now.
will write you tomorrow" and before
Moore could say a word the girl had
hurried away.
mo story in this for us, Mr.. Ran
kim" she said to the city editor an
hour later, "or if there is 1 won't write
IT." And Norah Clevenger left the Of
fiNe and went home. Next day she
wrote a letter, and sent it to George
Moore, Hoosierville, Ind. Prior to writ
ing it she had inquired at the Crippled
Children's Home, and found out all
about the man, his kindness and his
honesty, though she felt that she need
cd no character assurance save that
siven her by the memory of his face
IN the letter she told him the whole
story. when 1 wrote you that l was
u cripple" she said, II thought l was
lying, but 1 have found out since that
| was a cripple of the worst kind, in
short my conscience was crippled, but
it certainly is healed now, and it is
.active enough to smite me-"
Norah Clevenger still wrote for the
Blaze, but they had to turn to other
reporters when they wanted an orange
streak in a story. The months passed
on, the boys saw many letters lying
on Norah's desk before she came down
in the morning, all bearing the Hoo
sierville, Ind, postmark. They remem
bered Norah's cripple" assignment
and wondered. One day she treated
them to black Hamburg grapes thai
were selling at 81 a pound at Jung's.
where did you get them, Norah 2
asked City Editor Rankin.
''They are samples of goods which
shortly shall offer for SALE" sh,
said. II have been asked to take &
life partnership in the business, anC
on Easter Monday l shall become thu
= junior member of the firm."-Chicagc