The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-07-16
The Gentleman
From Indiana
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
CessrsAt. 1900. h boslls4g q Moelrs ca.
Couiat. 1907. b. Mcclure. RAlliIps q q.

A1WyNAs tWks VI WNtHts tHh'ps ~ III
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Az the voice grew clearer the sheriff
stepped forward. but Tom Meredith,
with loud cry OF grief. threw him.
self on his knees beside the cot aud
seized the wandering fingers In bis
own. John" lie cried. John. Is ii
your
The voice went on rapidly. not heed.
Ing him, "Ab, you needn't howl! Well.
laugh away, you iDdIans! II II hadn't
been for this ankle-but II seems 10 be
my chest that's hurt-and side not
that II matters. you know. The sopho-
more's Just as good or better. It's on.
ly my egotlsm. Yes. II must be the
slde--and chest-and bead-all over.
believe. I'll try again next year--next
year I'll make II daily. Helen said.
not that | should call you Helen-f
mean Miss Miss Fisbee--no, sher.
woodruff I've always thought Helen
was the prettiest name In the world
you'll forgive me?-and please tell
Parker there's no more copy and won't
bel wouldn't grind out another stick
10 save his immortai-she said-ah. |
never made a good undergraduates
they can't come seven mIles-but I'll
finish you. Skillet, first; know you!
l know nearly all OF you. Now lets
sing Annie Llsle' ~ He lifted his
hand as II to beat the time for o
chorus.
"Oh. John, John" cried Tom Mere
dith, and sobbed outright. MY boy,
my boy-old friendr' The cry Of the
classmate was like that Of mother.
for II was his old Idol and hero who
lay helpless and broken before him.
Two pairs of carriage lamps sparkled
In front of the hospital In the earliest
OF the small hours, these snbjoined 10
two deep hooded phaetons.' from each
OF which quickly descended a gentle
man with a beard, an air OF eminence
and a small. ominous black box, and
the mir of eminanee was Justified by
the haste with which Meredith had
sent for them and 1y their wide re-
pute. They arrived almost slmulta.
neously and hastily shook hands as
they made their way to the ward down
the long hall and up the narrow corrl
dor. They had short conversation
with the surgeon and word with the
nurse, then turned the others out OF the
room by practiced innuendo OF man
ner. They stayed long time In the
room without opening the door.
Meredith went out on the steps and
breathed the cool night air A slender
taInt OF drugs hung everywhere about
the building, aud the almost impercep-
tlble permea,ion slckened him. II was
deadly, he thought. To him II was iul.
bued with hideous portent OF suffer
ing. The lights In the little ward were
turned up, and they seemed TO shine
from a chamber Of horrors. while he
waited as brother might have waited
outside the inquisition, II indeed n
brother would have been allowed to
wait outside the inquisltlon.
Alas, he had found John Harkless.
He had lost track OF him as men some
times do lose track OF their best be-
loved, but II had always been com.
fort to know that Uarkless was some
where. comfort without which he
could hardly have got along, Like 9th
ers. he had been waiting for John to
turn upon top. Of course-he had such
ability, ability for anything. and people
would always care for him and believe
in him so that he would be showed
ahead no matter how much he hung
back himself; but Meredith had not
expected him to turn up In Indiana,
He remembered now hearing man
who had spent the day In plattville on
business speak OF him: They've got a
young fellow down there who'll be gov
ernor In Il few years. He's sort Of
dictator, Runs the party all over that
part OF the state TO suit his own sweet
will Just by sheer personality. And
there isn't a man In the district who
wouldn't cheerfully lie down In the
mud to let him pass over dry. IT'S
that young Harkless, you know. Owns
the Herald, the paper that downed Nc.
Cune and smashed those imitation
White Caps In Carlow county" He
had been struck by the coincidence OF
the name. but he had not dreamed that
the Carlow Ilarkless was his friend
until Helen's telegram had reached
him that evening.
He shlvered His name was spoken
from within. and Horner came out on
the steps with the two eminent sur.
geons, and the latter favored him with
a few words which he did not under.
stand. lie did understand, however,
what Horner told him. Somehow the
look of the sheriffs Sunday coat, wrin.
king forlornly from his broad, bent
was both touching and sol
emn. He said simply: He's conscious
and not ont of his head, They're gone
In to git his antemortem statement"
And they re.entered the ward