The Opelousas courier., 1905-06-24

- NJ - Co. ~ "
49, ifyou care to lave me-" j..
ToN The big young fellow IL
the hospital bed stared back
for a moment into the 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 reply, which did
not, however, become audible.
But his friend understood, He gfasped
the thin left hand with his own, said
cheerlly: "All right; there's nothing
I'd rather do and hurried away.
When he had closed the door Of The
mems surgical ward ne gave his broad
shoulders a shake, and shut his lips
firmly together a moment. AS lie went
down the corridor he was saying 10
himself: ooh, that's tough, tough! I
don't blame this 11r1aer fellow for going
blue Ike that. l beitsGe he'd get well
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 ventuted to delay him a moment.
Would you Mid telling me-, ntciof
Stuart" he asked. 'it you tlin& de-
s%poEdency Las anything to do with
beepina my friend Caldwell dawn?
ktcke Caldwell, in Ward 7: The nurse
told NE you were Seeing him now and
then, Is there auythin, 1 can do
"Despondency has much to do with
b." agreed the Surgeon, promptly.
~Cheer him up al you can. He's shown
great courage and endurance all Though
this siege, but it's told on him. l sup
pose lie thinks his ambitions are all
thwarted, and that's enough to make
him blue. Get him t, believe there's
something left for him 10 do in life
"Yes, that s it," unused Tom Thorpe,
as he went on his way. 1--we got to do
something for Kirke-somethins posi-
tive, that will put him Oh his feet"
He thought about 1t all the way to
the great mthufactory where he held
the post of electrical engineer. 1t was
a fine position for a young man but two
years out of a technical school. kirke
Caldwell had held Nh equally good po-
sition in n n%eighboring city. The two
had been classmates, even rivals within
the bounds of a sturdy friendship.
Three months before, Caldwell, SUI
perintending the installation Of new
electrical machinery, had Seen one of
his workmen accidentally short-circuit
a powerful current with a Dair TT
pliers had pulled the mali away some
how, hai IN *sahching his hand away
Lena TIE pliers, had taken the deadly
current himself. He had been so
burned that amnutation 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 SCENTED
that Caldwell must follow.
That danger was past for him now;
he had his life, but it was a ,:fe seem
ingly SO handicapped that It was small
wonder if the splendid courage he had
shown all through, had al last failed
him. Alone i'll the world and depend
snt Upon his own resources for a living,
he felt that there was little use in
trying to get well.
But Tom Thorpe knew better; and
after thinking about his friends case
all day, he went to his father to ask
Ills cooperation in a plan he had
formed.
Tom Thorpe and his father lived. TO-
rathc. II, n fsffiH INST r-I,i,a, ,voe nc |
homelike as d place with 10 wife and
mother i'll it can be.
Hes a magnificent fellows' Tom
declared to his father, walking the
door, his face full of eagerhess. IF
we could just have him here TO: a
month, till he got enough strength, and
then take him to see wentworth, I be-
the thing would be done. 1 don't
know myself what he could do with
his handicap in electrical engineering,
but / believe he could be his W sal
Walton if he got his brain working at
it. You don't know what's in that boy,
He's twice as clever as l am,
and he must be made to show it."
Mr.. Thorpe smiled. He mad his own
Of his sons c~leverness. He
let TOMS modest estimate of himself
pass, however, and agreed heartily
that a month with themselves and a
Trip Of q hundred and twenty miles to
see a certain man in a university town
might be the tonic Caldwell needed.
Tom went to bed and to
sleep with an easier mind,
" q -
'Kirke," said Tom Thorpe one morn-
when Caldwell had been for three
a member of the Thorpe house
hold, "I'm going on a little trip Gown to
liemsen, ard Eve a mind 10 take you
with me-"
Caldwell, sitting in a big reclining !
by the window. looked round at
Tom with an expression OF languid
surprise.
There's no reason in the world why
shouldn't have al outing" pursued
Tom, briskly. Were only a few
blocks from the station. / can wheel
We. in your chair. put you into q
Pullman, send the chair in the baggag sc
,ar, and take you round Remsen as
EASILY as if l were a cash carrier in a
department. store. Well have a fine
ime out of it,
ITS good of you, Tom, said Cald-
we'll. gratefully, but"
You're going, that's ALL" said Tom,
II know you don't want to, but
Tou're going, just the same, and you're
alnM fEhn rn In Lon eos In fnrtY.