The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1907-01-14

THE HEART Of A HOBO


In a tiftia room AZ the end ~ che
e,ffidor he found the child The
nurse vas not there. Dick looked AZ
the little head. tossing 90 the pillow
&c the brown eyes. set ana staring
With rnsn.
The nurse came back. startled f0f
tnoment a. the sight ~ the ragged
unEampt man with his head sHaih-
ed IN haHdaEea
before ale could speak what
ais him p demanded Dick pointing
- the bed
sAbsfsaa.s she auHaefcd him. nov
feaofnl1inH him ne nuf N the men
who had been brought e. not Iona
before. Hes in terrible pain.
they're going 70 operate tn fhs
morning rs a maaieid opera
ton"
Dick paid no attention 20 her eK-
PLANTATION. which vac Greek 10 him.
lie could understand the ohlld'a sui.
fefineI that was enough.
Wouldn't he like 70 be earfifaf'
he asked. "rometimea that makes
EN- feel better I've seen folks
% IT,"
Hes % heavy said the nurse.
4 tried %. but ! couldn't % Il very
LONG"
ssHe ain't too heavy for me" he
said simply and lifted the child IN
his arms. eiumsiiy wrapping the
blanket about him
The nurse henitatsd. Then she
smoothed the blanket and said
You're real good
The doctor. returning from his
evening rounds. found a ragged man
with a bnndaged head walking si0w-
~ up aud down the corridor in his
arms he carried carefully a moan
log child whom he pstted tendafls
a. he walked.
Hush" he Whispered 70 the doc
tor, never stopping his regular
pacing 4 think he's goin' 70
sleep"
The great wards grew quiet. the
lights burned low. and finally the
only moving thing In the building
MAS the man waking. walking with
the sleeping child.
The nurse walked with a start and
thought of her charge. She reuem-
berea. and efept - the door. There,
a the farther end Of the corridor.
toward her. The mans face was
white. like hls banaages. and HE
sssps we're SLOW ana dragging
-oh. you poor thing" she cried.
remofsefuiiy, give him 70 mel
Way. you've walked ali night with
him
Mes been asleep quite a while. :
said Dick
she laid the sleeping ehiid on the
bed and led Dicnk 10 an empty cot
Lie down she said.
Dick dropped down on the rot snf
was asieep before she pulled the
coverings over bifn.
An hour later she was passing the
telephone as abe came from her
breakfast The bell rang ana she
answered u. II vas a message from
headquarters asking " Dick woald
be able 50 be in court that day.
she did not hesitate. but answered
confidently Certainly not irr
not 10 be thought Of ihlnk b.
tomorrow be may be able 20 be
there
About ter days afterward Dick
stood in bis old place Ia the dock
Its case had been continued 10
await the result Of the ether mans
injuries. The evidences was al IN
ard Dick stood waiting for sentence.
| lie locked With great satisfaction
~ the man sitting across the room.
bruised. bAndaged ard dilaplaatad
ksnefaily. Hts heart sweiled with
bride hs he remembered shat Rfor-
oaa Tight ~ vas worth sin months
which waa what be expected as a
result % H.
lie VAS not disappointed The
Judge wrote eomsfhinw on the war
rant. The clerk announced the find
iug aix months Ia tho HOUSE u cor
rtcfion.
pacE turned 70 10 down the stairs.
A. he az 90 he caught the house
surgeons eys and beckoned to him.
lGow's me kidT he Whispered.
hoarseiy. a. the surgeon bent over
tire rAfL
/ -Doing finely. he's going 70 get
well. ten Yoa. boy. q wsH n big
piece of woxk you did for ~ that
night VOC sawed his life as much
a. any u ua.4
~Aw. 60 oni- he said aheepiahiy
Then. vita ernpay pockets ard a
tsrhs heart, RiehAFd Skinner. alias
Murphy. alias Brooks. alias Shifsy
Dick. alias chii6's nurse. went
! down the dark ssairs 10 begin bis
sentsne. s.aa&H1