The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-17


 was his soul awakening again. all con- fused and weeping, at the touch of the young girl who brought back to him his springtime.
 But he did not know it. He wished to flee.
 It was to be many, many months be- fore that dull spark could be blown into a true flame of life again; but the patient dictor did it. He took Jack into the woods, opened to him again the beautiful books. and dropped into his sick soul and mind words that were more cum ming than any drugs that he dispensed for sick bodies
 There came a day when Jack was man again, and then the doctor told him that Cecile loved him-and that she was. like himself, the child of a mother who had gone astray. Poor little outcasts," said he, you have only each other in all the world. Make her happy, Jack"
 But she must not marry a poor work ingman. said Jack. That, too, the old doctor had considered. ''You wish to be independent" said he. "Well, then, this is my advice. You must go to Paris and earn your living as workingman by day. By night you must attend the medical lectures that make Paris famous town. Every Sunday you will come here where we will go over your work together. ce- cile will wait for you.''
 q will wait for years, I will wait for ever for you, Jack.'' said Cecile. giving him her faithful little hand.
 Now there began another period of toll as fierce as had been that of the stoke hole; but where the one dragged down this unraised him. His eye became the dreaming, vision-seeing eye of little Jack again. His mouth regained some of it's old lines of sweetness, though never, never might life wipe out all the bitter lines that it had set there
 At last, after a year. he had saved enough for his fees and examination when there came a knock at the door of his poor room. He opened There stood his mother.
 In a passionate rush of tears and anger she told him that DArgenton had struck her and that she had come to her son for refuge. Wild with grief and resent ment, she also told him for the first time of the 10000 francs, and confessed that the poet had taken the money and spent 1t on his disastrous review, which had failed soon afterward.
 Jack took her into his arms and com forted her as he would a child. He went out and rented a little house, gladly ex- pending all the money that he had saved. He treated her as gently as if he had wounded bird in his great hands. Long ago he had taken out of his loving heart all censure of her, all blame for what had happened to him through her weak ness and sin. He saw in her only his mother, his dainty. helpless, still beauti- full mother whom he had loved as a child and loved the same still Fiercely he swore to keep all the past away from her henceforth.
 But one night he came home to find mo- body in the little house. His mother had gone back to D'Argenton.
 A few days afterward workman helped another to totter into a hospital Did you come on foot?' asked the doc- tor who examined him. "Extraordinary!' He called stretcher bearers and had him carried to a ward A little later, when Jack lay in his cot, the doctor tapped his chest, asked him a few ques- tions and then said. almost sadly: What kind of a life can you have led, my poor fellow?"
 He whispered to the worlSingman who had accompanied him and was waiting outside. The latter hurried at once to D'Argenton's house and sent a message to Charlotte. He saw a glimpse of a drawing room full of lights and of Char l lotte in lace and satin. Then a servant stepped out, took him by the shoulders and pushed him downstairs, while DAT genton's sneering face looked down at him as he said: Dying? That Is good trick, but it is old. You must try another" | While the workman. shivering and weary 1 but faithful to his friend, was hurrying back to the hospital, a gentle face was bending over Jack and gentle hand was holding his T have always, always loved you, Jack, ever since I was a little girl. I shall never love any one elsel'' | "Cecilei' whispered Jack. forcing his laboring chest and lungs to obey his will, "Cecile It is not so hard for me to die. now that you are by my side.'
 Suddenly he raised himself with a 1 ghastly effort.
 "Hark She is coming!' said he, his eyes opening wide.
 Two women came in. A second messen- ger had succeeded where the first had failed His mother, assisted by the nurse, was approaching the bed with knees that faltered. She saw bed, man bending | over it. and Cecile Rivals standing. white as death, pale as the dying man whose head she was supporting. 1 "Jack. my childr' screamed Charlotte.
 .rtIushi' said, Dr. Rivals
 There was faint murmur, short, nlainttye breath, and then great, tired sigh.
 The mother uttered cry of horror, | "Dead!
 1 "Nol' said old Dr. Rivals, sternly, tow ering beside the dead man. NO! Re- l leasedr'
 1 Next weeks one-page classic will be "Gil Blas," by Alaine Rene Le Sage. -.----
 Poor Man!
 From Judge.