The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-03-17
His Handicap.
BY GRACE s. RICHMOND.

Well, good-by, old boy" said Ton
Thorpe, gently. "Ill be around agar
tomorrow, if you care to have me-"
The big young fellow in the hospita,
bed stared back for moment into Il {
eyes of the other big young fellow who
stood looking down at him. Then he
put out one hand-the left one-and
evidently tried to say something in re.
ply, which did not, however, become
audible.
But his friend understood Hegrasped
the thin left hand with his own, said
cheerily: "All right; there's nothing I'd
rather do" and hurried away.
! When he had closed the door of tie
mems surgical ward he gave his broad
shoulders shake, and shut his lips firm
ly together moment. As he went down
the corridor he was saying to himself:
ooh, that's tough, tough. don't blame
tie poor fellow for going blue like that
believe he'd get we'll faster if he could
have bit of hope put back into him.
As he reached the hospital entrance he
met one of the surgeons coming in, and
ventured to delay him a moment
Would you mind telling me, Doctor
Stuart" he asked, eff you think despon-
dency has anything to with keeping my
friend Caldwell down? Kirke Caldwell
in Ward F. The nurse told me you were
seeing him now and then Is anything
can do"
'Despondency has much to do with
it. agreed the surgeon promptly. "Cheer
him up all you can. He's shown great
courage and endurance all through this
siege, but it's told on him. suppose he
thinks his ambitions are all thwarted,
and that's enough to make him blue.
Get him to believe there's something left
for him for him to do in life"
"Yes, that's it," unused Tom Thrope,
as lie went on his way. 1--WE got to do
something for Kirke-something posi-
tive, that will put him on his feet"
He thought about it all the way to the
great mandatory where he held the post
of electrical engineer 1t was a fine posi-
ton for a young man but two years out
of technical school, Kirke Caldwell
had held an equally good position in a
neighboring city. The two had been
classmates, even rivals within the bounds
of sturdy friendship.
Three months before, Caldwell, superin-
tending the installation of new electrical
machinery, had seen one of his workmen
accidentally short-circuit a powerful
current with pair of pliers, had pulled
the man away somehow, but in wrench
ing his hand away from the pliers, had
taking the deadly current himself He
had been so burned that amputation OF
one hand and one foot had been necessary
to save his life. The man to whose
rescue he had sprung, died, and there had
been weeks during which it seemed that
Caldwell must follow.
That danger was past for him now: he
had his lite, but it was life seemingly so
handicapped that it was small wonder
if the splendid courage he had shown :all
through, had at last failed him. Alone
in the world and dependent upon his own
resources for living, he felt that there
was little use in trying to get well.
But Tom Thrope knew better and after
thinking about his friends case all day
he went to his father to ask his co-opera-
ton in plan he had formed.
Tom Thrope and his father lived to-
gether in little fiat, which was as home
like as place with no wife and mother
in it can be.
Hes magnificent fellow" Tom de-
clared to his father, walking the floor,
his face full of eagerness. "If we
could just have him here for month, till
he got enough strength, and then take
him to see Wentworth, believe the thing
would be done | don't know myself
what he could do with his handicap in
electrical engineering, but l believe he
could be his own salvation if he got his
brain working at it. You don't know
what's in that boy, father. He's twice
as clever as | am, and he must be made
to show it"
Mr.. Thrope smiled. He had his own
opinion of his sons cleverness. He let
Toms modest estimate of himself pass,
however, and agreed heartily that a
month with themselves and trip of
hundred and twenty miles to see a GER
tain man in a university town might be
the tonic Caldwell needed. Therefore
Tom went to bed and to sleep with an
easier mind.
"Kirke." said Tom Thrope one morn
ing. when Caldwell had been for three
weeks a member of the Thorpe house
hold "pn Uoinu on n LITTLE trim doyyr 70