Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-06
DAILY SHORT STORY
OUT OF THE DEPTHS.

y boy twelve years of age IS being
carried from n mine. On his face is
that blight we see on Il plant that has
grown in the dark. He is thin and pale
and Ianguid, but out of two large black
eyes looks soul which, though nour-
ished in the depths of the earth, burns
with unusual luster.
The boys health has at last given way
suddenly under prolonged strain. He
is taken TO his fathers cabin and a
doctor summoned. The physician ex-
amines the invalid and looks grave.
He sees evidence of curvature of the
spine. The boy will be hunchback.
Hard, isn't 1t, that this child's share Of
labor should have ruined his life?
Weights are attached to the frail ex-
tremities In the hope of pulling the
frame out to its normal length. This
the boy is obliged to endure Il number
of hours during each day. for months
the doctor comes and goes at intervals,
but there is no change; the suffering
from the weights has all been endured
for nothing.
One day the doctor approaches the
little bed, and on the wall against
which it stands he sees Il pencil sketch
of himself. He recognizes it rs his
own likeness, not only by the likeness,
but by certain posture of the body
that is natural to him. He inquiries
who made the drawing, and his little
patient confesseS that lie is the artist.
Then the child brings forth other draw
ings concealed under his pillow. There
are people in all variety of attitudes,
sketched as they have passed through
the room on various elrandS.
On his next visit the doctor brings
n man with him. The stranger looks ut
the drawings and goes away. y few
days later the postman brings letter
stating tina. the boy is to be admitted
free to the art school. Meanwhile his
health has been SO far improved that
he is able to take advantage of the OPP
portunity.
The gift Providence has bestowed
upon him grows under the culture he
receives. And now new element
comes into his life. \ girl about his
own age comes to the school. She sees
his creations with pencil and brush,
she looks at his shriveled form, his
wan cheek and into his dark eyes, from
which comes an expression of suffering
mingled with the light of genius. IN
her own eyes are sympathy and admlra-
ton.
Side by side they study-she his su-
perior as Il thing of beauty, he far
above her in his conceptions and their
execution. \ delightful companionship
springs up between them. Then, the
first years of study having been com
pleted it is essential to proceed in an
atmosphere where art is pre- eminent.
They meet again in Paris. There they
work OH, making trips into the country
to sketch from nature and seize upon
unique types. On one of these trips
they discover that this sympathy,
friendship. companionsllip, is more than
these. 1t rs love.
Then comes the first shock. The
natural sequence of love is marriage,
and what has n hunchback to do with
wedlock?
One morning it is announced that Il
picture painted by the young man has
that he has arrested the attention of
the critics. His work is taken from
among the thousands that grow dim in
artists studios and hung where picture
lovers will see IT. He is successful in
art: he has all he can desire In love.
But the days spent down away from
the sunlight have untitled him for mar
rage. Thus he considers it, and his
resolution is immovable. Not so the
girl. With wOman'S devotion, she Is
ready to spend her life in comforting
him.
Then comes a surgeon who tells him
that there is one chance in a hundred
that his bent figure may be straighten-
ed. lie submits to a difficult and dan
gerous operation. A plaster cast is put
about him, and he endures the agony
of remaining motionless. The nerves
cry out against this enforced immo-
bility. but he grinds his teeth together
and bears 1t. Could he be sure the de-
formity would be cured and he would
stand before the girl he loves as nature
intended, he would welcome the suffer
ing that would produce such result,
but there is only a chance.
And now, time having been given for
the parts to grow with the new relative
position. preparations are made to
learn the result. Would the figure still
be bent or stand erect? a great deal
more than a symmetrical person hangs
on the result. If he is cured nothing
stands between him and his love.
The day the plaster is to be removed
and the result known the girl goes to
the hospital where he lies and is ad-
mitted to n waiting room. She PAGES
to and fro in suspense. If an attendant |
comes in she looks anXiously for mes |
sage, but they come and go, and she is |
not Informed. In that delay is the con- |
centrated agony of years.
Suddenly Il door communicating with |
the patients room Is thrown open and |
there, a smile lighting his pale face, |
nearly a head taller than before, |
straight as an arrow, stands her lover.