Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-01-18
WILL GODFREY'S
last LEAP.

1t was a sultry afternoon in
the middle Of August. The hot air,
which had a slight haze, hung like
a transparent curtain Of light and
heat. The couch on which Will
Godfrey had lain ever since his
hunting accident in the spring had
a view of a flower garden richly
decked with scarlet and gold, and
beyond it Of the sun-scorched
park, where oaks, elms and chest
nuts spread great branches, clad
in the tintless foliage of late sum
mer. The deer were huddled to-
gether in the shade; there was lit
tie sign of stirring life, all nature
seemed asleep.
The doctor was sitting near
Will. His eyes at the present mo
ment were so full of sorrow that
he dared not raise them. There
had been a consultation that
morning with great London sur
geOn, and the result was supposed
to be favOrable-life might be pro
lOnged under certain conditions.
VIII was man ofalmOst gigan-
tic build. He looked like Goliath
laid low. Goliath dying by inches
instead of by one swift stroke
from his own sword.
"HOw long will this 90 on, doe.
tori" he said abruptly, looking al
his friend with great wistful eyes.
The doctor did not speak for a mo,
ment. He raised his eyes; but not
to his patients face; they wan
dered round the room, the walls of
which were full of pictures of
hunting scenes.
There was a certain mOnOtony
about the subject-hOrses every
where in various attitudes. IN
front of the couch, just on level
with Willis eyes, was the Derby.
A little further on to the left was
another picture of an accident in
the hunting ZELDA man lying on
his back with his neck broken and
q horse standing over him.
"HOw long will this go On?" he
repeated, insistently.
ut may be for mOnths-even
for years. You are suffering from
creeping paralysis, but that is
often very SLOW"
"There is no hope of recovery,
not even of partial recovery, doc
tori"
"GOd knows ] wish there were;
that's one of the hardest parts Of
a Doctors life, the being unable to
more than patch up magnificent
frame like yours"
There was a rabbit once, half
killed and quivering-we knocked
it on the head and put it out of its
pain; we didn't leave it in it's mis-
cry, we didn't feed it to prOlOng
the anguish. And the very horse
which fell upon me, whose legs
were broken, was shot that very
hour; it wasn't left to linger. Man
is less cruel than God. Man un
derstands-God does not"
"Hushw said the doctor, gently.
He was a man of great reverence
of thought and feeling.
"YOu have something to com
fort YOU" he added, after pause;
"there is your wife. Some men in
your condition are left to hired
nurses. l never saw anyone so
eager to find new ways of cheering
you. She was asking me today
about chess; she wishes me to
teach her the game"
Evelyn Godfrey came in at thar
moment, beautiful woman with
a slngularly young, girhsh face
and an extraordinary expression
of vitality. She was pale, with a |
soft, creamy paleness, and had
black eyebrows and intensely |
gray, black -fringed eyes.
She waited till the doctor had
gone and then knelt down and
stroked his hand.
81 was thought an idle man,
wasn't l, Lynn" he said, softly,
smiling at her-Oh, what a sad
smile it was!-"but / made a bust
ness of sport and active games;
there was no season of the year