The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-08-06
WE HAD TO TAKE THE LEG OFF" Ex
planned THE PHYSICIAN.

WE HAD TO TAKE THE LEG OFF," Elk
planned THE PHYSICIAN.
aside. where's Mox?" he demanded,
scanning the crowd for the tiny vender
from whom he always bought his
evening paper.
"Mox amt here no MORE" explained
Muggsy. HE was crossin' tn street
this afternoon, and tn fire engine beat
him to it."
SIS he badly hurtT' vardon's face
clouded. The lame newsboy was a
sort of protege Of his.
wouldn't 1t hurt you t. get run
down by an engineer demanded Mugg-
sy. Nav, it didn't hurt him. He
liked it,"
Vardon bought a. paper and turned
away, when there came tug at his
coat. and he looked down to see the
midget, thin faced and wistful.
'Mox said would y come t. see 'imf
he wants t say goodby before you
went t TIL country. He's in the 'mer-
gency."
Vardon bestowed a dime upon the
messenger and hurried on. There
would be time to stop at the Elmer
gency hospital on the way uptown. Fer
more than year "Limpy Mox" had
been on that corner, rain or shine, to
hand out the evening paper and
greeting. A queer friendship had
grown up between the two. 1t would
only take a few minutes. Vardon
knew one of the internes at the hospi-
tai and could get in even though it
were past the visiting hour.
In little while he was standing in
one of the wards with grave faced DR..
Tomlin, looking down into the still
white face.
1--WE had to take the leg off," explain
ed the physician. "The heavy wheel
crushed the bone beyond mending. 1t
was better SO, for the leg never was
much good. Now he can get an arti-
fetal leg and walk better than he used
to-that is, If he pulls through the sum-
mer."
II guess you can do that for him."
laughed vardon. Hes better of here
than at his home"
BLESS my soul, we can't keep himp
cried the doctor. my dear fellow, IL
we kept our patients here until they
were fully cured we should have to re-
fuse aid to more needy cases. The boy
must be removed to his home as soon
as he can stand It."
Vardon thought Of the tenement
house district. Mox had always been
sickly. A long summer of inaction
In the stuffy hole he called home would
surely end in death. A few brief ques-
lions showed how absurd 1t would be
to expect the organized charities to
take proper care Of convalescent
Mox, just coming out of the ether,
ciutched the strong hand with his bony
fingers and smiled hopefully. II guess
you'll have a good time" he smiled
"Goodby, Mr.. Vardon."
Vardon patted the clawlike fingers
and turned away. A scheme was
working In his brain, and he walked
home that he might think the better.
1t seemed like murder to turn the lad
out of the hospital as soon as the con-
dition of the wound made 1t practical
BILE, yet he could not blame the hospital
authorities. They were crowded for
room, and the sunstroke cases were
taxing their capacity. Vardon wanted
very much to see Bess. Somehow 1t
seemed as though he might open his
success In vacation time, and all the
year he had been planning the trip.
He had nearly $500 saved up, for the
Curtains were wealthy and spent the
summer at an expensive resort. Yet
1t did not seem right to spend all the
money when it might be the price Of
Moxie Solomon's life.
With sudden determination he
turned into side street, and presently
he was in the charity organization Of
fee The superintendent was interest
ed, but helpless. Like the hospital, the
demands were greater than their re-
sources. He might send Mox away for
two weeks with one of the fresh air
parties. More than that he could not
do-unless Vardon cared to raise sub
scription. When Vardon turned away
it was with a receipt for more than
half his vacation money in his pocket
Mox's stay in the country until his leg
was well was assured.
1t was hard to have to write Bess
that he was not coming. 1t was hard
er still to explain without seeming to
ask her appreciation of his action. In
the end he said nothing of the reasons,
simply writing that unexpected devel-
opments made 1t impossible for him to
come
Mox's delight at the news of his va
cation brought feeling of warmth to
vardon's heart, but 1t did not relieve
the ache when Bess' cold reply came.
She had not understood and was an
CRY that he should have changed his
plans at the last moment
Vardon spent his two weeks at a
cheap resort near town and came back
to take up the Office grind again. Bess
had not replied to his last letter, and
though Mox's beaming face as he de-
parted on the train for the country
home repaid part of the sacrifice the
dull ache remained.
The pext few weeks drAgged miser-