The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-11-01

we were kids, and it's not easy to for
get it," said young Hunter. thought
fully. Still, as you say, he Is a nuis
ance, and the way he makes this his
headquarters is mighty annoying.
hate to do 1t. but | reckon III have
to take a stand against 1t somehow +"
Meanwhile the old doctor made HIS
way to the post Office, where he asked
at the window for his mail-it had
been long since he had had his own
box--4and as he waited he was sudden.
ly aware of what appeared to him the
clerks unnecessary slowness. He grew
irritated and took the few advertising
circulars which were his portion with
sharp word of reproof that only ellie.
tied grin.
The doctors spare flesh f1inched
from the wind when he again faced
1t. All warmth had gone out of IL and
out OF lie. There was much, much at
fault In the world. Courtesy was quite
gone; no consideration for age or
merit anywhere. And one met ingrat.
itude at every hand. That young wo.
man. now, in rustling skirts, which
she drew aside as from contamination
as she passed him with icy bend of
the head-there was some reason why
she should be gracious and kindly to
him.
his step Jagged slower and his eyes
were glazed with tears. And the silk.
en- clad young woman of naughty man.
ner was explaining to her companion.
recent resident of Ileriaville. 1t was
TASK that came often to DR.. La
Tours acquaintance.
Ridiculous, isn't 1t, to speak to
such looking creature? / tell mother
| don't know what strangers must
think. but she insists on my speaking
TO MIN, because he was once the best
doctor in this part of the country. and
he saved my life when I was a baby.
But ne got to using morphine and has
simply gone down to the dregs. Aw.
full, isn't it?".
1T certainly Is. can't for the life
OF me comprehend how a person can
do such things. Especially doctor
who knows what the consequences
must be-
"Oh. of course not" the other
agreed.
They were young; health ran full
in every vein, and life had been kind.
They went on with high sense of
virtue lifting them above those whose
feet go down in slippery places.
Dr. La Tour was not observant OF
his dwellings, deficiencies as he again
viewed 1t from his sagging gate. He
stumbled up the broken walk and into
its barren walls quite without thought
OF plan for improvement.
The room he entered had once been
a spacious apartment, with frescoed
ceiling and paneled walls, but the
Cupids and garlands were blurred to
vagueness now, and signs of all pro.
cesses of living were in disordered ev-
idence. 1t was, indeed, the only habi.
table room in the house. Books and
bottles numbered shelves and tables,
and were heaped upon the floor. An
unmade bed with soiled clothing stood
in one corner; cooking stove with
an overflow of ashes in another. There
were remnants of frugal meal upon
an oilcloth-covered table near 1t, and
smouldering fire in the hearth of
the great fireplace.
The doctor stirred the embers to
what life was possible and, sinking
into rickety arm chair, spread his
thin, shaking hands over them as If
to gather their warmth to himself
He was tired, very tired. His head
sank on his breast, and his eyes
closed. But surely there was season
enough for WEAKNESS. With scarlet
fever raging and but one pair of hands
to fight it, the strength of man was
sorely tried Back and forth--back
and forth-from this house to that.
No time to eat or sleep. Fight, fight.
fight increasingly, the subtle forces of
the disease and the weight of spent
flesh, Back and forth-day and night
with now the wrenched heart of de.
feat and now the eXultant pulse of
triumph. And always the need the
demand, for alert senses-for strength
that was more than human Still there
was much that was good in 1t all. oh.
very much. The grateful tears OF
mothers, the fervent grasp of fathers
hands. He made cropping gesture to
meet the friendly clasp, but his fin
gers only closed about a small alumni.
mum case lying on the broad arm of
the chair
He stared at it for a moment with
unseeing eyes then he mechanically
the syringe and, seeking out
with difficulty an unwounded spot OF
his shriveled flesh, he drove the por
ton OF Lethe home.
And for the life of the young drug
sist who must refuse him resting
place, of the young woman who mar
yeled at such weakness, and for many
other lives, both useful and useless,
this wreck of life was the price.
Copyright, 1906, by Daily Story Pub Coz