Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-04-25
CURING A CRIPPLE.
by EDWARD ID. CLARK

get something spicy out Of that. Answer it,
follow 1t up and get a good yarn. The strong
er the better, and If there is a bit Of lemon
color in it it won't hurt anything
Moran Cleyenger took the clipping from
the city editors hand. 1t was an advertise.
ment cut from a contemporary daily. This
is what she read:
Wanted-a wife, more than 80 years old
pust be loving disposition; cripple pre-.
ferred. Address Lock Box OF, Hoosiervile,
Indiana!
Il think that's a bona ide 'ad, Miss Clev-
enger," said the city editor, and the fellow
who stuck 1t in wants a cripple, and that Z
queer IN itself. Write to him, meet him and
get your yarn. 1t ought to be a goodone."
Norah sat down and wrote a letter, ad.
dressing it to Lock Box07, Hoosierville, Ind.
She lied IN it, nothing less, but then that. too.
was a part OF the business she had learned
at the Blaze Office. She said that she was a
crlppie; that her right arm was paralyzed
She told the truth, however, about her an.
pearance, and her age-she was 29-and then
asked that the lock box owner address her
at the general delivery window Of the post
office, saying that she dad not wish to give
ner proper address until she knew positively
that her correspondent was a good man and
~ - fDAA4 bbb A&4iiE WIFI al NOlDdn. Hll
signed the letter Mary Anderson.
Norah Clevenger waited three DAYS before
an answer came to her communication
When one did come she found that If was
written in a good hand and in good English.
1t was simple and straightforward. The
writer said that he was a widower. "a years
old, with one child; had a large stock and
fruit farm, which yielded a good income. and
ne was laying up money. The letter gave
no reason why the writer wished to marry
a cripple.
Moran Cleyenger wrote again. She led
the writer on a little in the next letter. and
with an audaclty characteristic Of the girl,
lnelosed her photograph. On the third day
she had an answer, which she showed the
city editor, saying: I'm in for it. Mr.. Ran.
KIN. Ills name is Moore, and he reaches the
city tonight, and I'm to meet him at the
Consolidated depot at eight o'clock. Some
OF the boys will have to fix up my arm. Wen
put a brace of some kind on it or otherwise
Ill forget that it is supposedto be paralyzed.
apd Id be swinging it around and give the
Whole snap away. What in the world this
countryman wants a cripple for is more
than can imagine, but there ought to be a
cracking good story in it,"
Norah Clevenger was at the Consolidated
depot at eight O'Clock, with her right arm in a
surgeons brace. Some girls would have felt
a bit OF trepidation at the prospect of meet
ing the stranger, but years of rather seamy
work had hardened the woman's nature.
She waited in the passenger room. The
train rolled in and in a minute or two there
came through the doorway a tall, well built
man, with crisp, curly hair, sun-browned
cheeks and honest eyes. He was leading a
little girl about five years old by the hand.
Norah Clevenger felt that it was the man
she was to meet, though a moment before
she could have sworn that her correspond.
ent was some fool of a fellow with a cast in
has eye, a painful limp and so ugly generally
That his very appearance would give answer
to the question why he had not sought .
bride in the vicinity of Hoosierville. The
man looked about the station. His ewes fell
on Norah, and then went quickly to her arm.
He saw the surgeons brace and walking for.
ward raised his hat and said: Miss Ander.
son, | believe. / am George Moore. This il
my little girl Frances"
The little one held out both hands 10
Norah and lifted her face to be kissed. This
writer of stories. with a touch of saffron in
them felt something of a shock, but she bent
over and kissed the child's red Inns.
Let us sit down for a moment, Miss An
derson. | owe you an explanation. | sea
you are crippled. My wife, who died four
years ago, was a cripple. l tell you frank.
ly that | loved her, and the fact that she
was dependent on me because Of her Grip.
pied state made me learn the delight that
there is in doing for others. | was a selfish
man, but l learned unselfshness, and it made
me happy. / don't know much of the world.
and feel that to advertise for a wife nav
not be considered right, but / say honestly
that there was none near home whom /
wished even could | have chosen"
Norah C%levenger felt uncomfortable. She
hardly liked to admit it to herself. She knew
that the 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 suddenly. II forgot
something" he said. "Stay with Miss An,
derson a minute, Frances" and then he dis
appeared in the direction of the baggage.
room. In q minute he was back with a huge
basket on his arm, and, raising the cover.
be showed it to be full Of black Hamburg
grapes. These are for the Crippled Chill.
| dren's home" he said; al send fruit in ev.
cry week because of my memories. | thought
/ would bring the grapes myself this time.
1 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. "Mr.
Moore" she said, 81 have met you as you
asked, l must go now. III write you to.
morrow"
"No story in this for us, Mr.. Rankin" she
said to the city editor an hour later, cor II
there is | won't write it." And Norah Clev.
enger left the office and went home. Next
day she wrote a letter, and sent it to George
Moore, Hoosierville, Ind. Prior to writing
it she had inquired at the Crippled Childrens'
home, and found out all about the man, his
kindness and his honesty, though she felt
that she needed no character assurance save
that given her by the memory of his face.
In the letter she told him the whole story.
"When / wrote you that was cripple, she
said, II thought / was lying, but l have
r. 49, HI 7 80 . ~saZ1. - -