The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-07-19

paper woman. since you viii be charitable.
Now good-by. really. must no."
And gathering a fresh rcsolute hold upon
her skirts Tommy fed.
1 duly bought n paper. and turned 20
peep after Tommy. Sometimes she would
appear nj tho window on the FIRST floor OF
the office. fectingly. and one might v a
glimpse OF n waving little hand. TO-DAY
the window was blank.
SO much I had perceived: when sudden.
" there came TO my ears sounds OF alarm.
A quick. confused shouting. an instant
check In the never ending stream OF hu.
manity flowing city-wards. Half panic. IN.
tense curiosity. distress. showed together
In the sudden cries: r IRE engine had ap.
pcarcd as n meteor, among the traffic. II
cleft Its way with invinc.bic.
swiftness: flashed by mo down the hill OF
charterhouss street, Ringing mud an5
noise right and left.
Then ans that happening which showed
me how little I had learned Of life. An
urchin. ragged, frantic with excitement.
dashed across C~harterhouse street from
out OF the scmi-darkncss OF Shoe Lane
He had heard the frcmcn's cries without
locating them: had determined TO see al,
that might he seen. Desperate Shout,
warned, too late. from a score OF threats.
l had q dim knowledge OF the boy and the
horses being hidcously together: and with
them the hasty vision OF n girl. fair-haired.
~quiok-handed TO ave. Tho swarminx
crowd curtained the scene almost instant.
~ from my eyes. IN ! ran forward toward
a..
The IRE engine moved away, callously
almost Yet was there not life TO rescue
elsewhere? No momcn this for aught but
duty. action. nrd the rest OF IL. A po~
llccman ordered the crowd: I contrIyed %
WIN TO hts side. The boy was there: dead.
~ white and dared. dinuscd In ready tears
lie had his arm held ~dcfensively across
his narrow chest. lest some one might say
he was TO blame.
And Tommy?
I lifted her heart high. all crushed and
muddled ~ she was. She made n little
wry grimace as she recognized me: then
bccnme n dead weight In my arms. Some
how. I got her TO Bartholomew: and
waited In an agony OF dispense while the
house surgeon her.
1 hate to tell the rest OF IL. There was
no hope. no chance. h asked for M.
they said; and ! stumbled blindly along the
corridors to her side. They had covered
her poor broken body In a blanket. that
her dear eyes might never know the truth.
b whispered through the bleached lips a
family iuttertng command that 1 was 10
tell them ut the office.
Make "a all right for me. won't you? IN
hc back tomorrow or tho next day. Did
they pick up my hat7 The feathers-the
fcathcrs.'
/ knelt beside her and took her hand.
h turned her face toward mine. We
kissed, for the first and last time In our
lives. She smiled even In the throcs OF un.
utterablc anguish.
The feathers she again
family. Something will have 10 be done
With those feathers. They'll never look
anything again. l oughtn't to have worn
the hat. But you said you liked Itg'
Dear valiant heart"
She closed her eyes. contentcdly as n ~.
tie child tired OF a long. long day. I felt
her cold fingers grow colder still. She
sighed deeply. once. twice. Tommy" |
called under my breath. hopclessly. my
little girl. speak TO me-
The feathers" she brcathcd again.
drcamily. Next w,ck-it will mean no
lunch! but, s~til-you said you liked II.
You said-you said"
Then silence: whilst the eternal question
was ~inwardly debated. And answered-ior
good and all.