Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-12-30

paper woman, since you will be charitable.
Now good-by, really. / must go"
And gathering a fresh resolute hold Upon
her skirts Tommy fed.
1 duly bought a paper, and turned to
peep after Tommy. Sometimes she would
appear at the window on the first floor OF
the office, f1eetingly, and one might have a
glimpse of a waving little hand. Today
the window was blank
SO much l had perceived; when sudden
ly there came TO my ears sounds of alarm.
A quick, confused shouting, an instant
check in the never ending stream of hu.
mainly flowing city-wards. Half panic, in
tense curiosity, distress, showed together
in the sudden cries; a fire engine had APP
peared as a meteor, among the traffic. 1t
cleft its way with invinc,ble, astounding
swiftness; flashed by me down the hill OF
Charterhouse street, finging mud and
noise right and left.
Then came that happening which showed
me how little l had learned of life. An
urchin, ragged, frantic with excitement,
dashed across Charterhouse street from
out of the semi-darkness OF Shoe Lane.
He had heard the firemen's cries without
locating them; had determined to see al
that might be seen. Desperate shouts
warned. too late, from g score OF threats
l had a dim knowledge of the boy and the
horses being hideously together; and with
them the hasty vision of a girl. ~fair-ha.red.
quick-handed TO save. The swarming
crowd curtained the scene almost instant
iy from my eyes, as l ran forward toward
ii.
The fire engine moved away, callously
almost. Yet was there not life to rescue
elsewhere? No moment this for aught but
duty, action, and the rest Of 1t. A no
liceman ordered the crowd; L contrived to
win to his side. The boy was there: dead
ly white and daZed, diffused in ready tears
He mad his arm held def~ensively across
his narrow chest, lest some one might saw
he was 70 blame.
And Tommy?
l lifted her heart high, all crushed and
mua5ica d5 She -GS SSho made a iifiie
wry grimace as she recognized me: then
became a dead weight In my arms. Some
how, | got her to Bartholomew's. and
waited in an agony Of suspense while the
house surgeon examined her.
/ hate to tell the rest Of II. There was
no hope, no chance. She asked for me.
they said; and l 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
She whispered through the bleached Inns a
family futtering command that I was to
tell them at the office.
Make 1t all right for me. won't vou2 TN
be back tomorrow or the next day. Did
they PICK up my hatE The feathers-tne
feathers"
knelt beside her and took her hand
She turned her face toward mine. We
kissed, for the first and last time In our
lives. She smiled even in the throes of nm
utterable anguish.
The feathers" she again
family. Something will nave to be done
with those feathers. They'll ne ,ar look
ANYTHING again. oughtn't to lave worn
the hat. But you said you liked it?"
Dear, valiant heart!"
She closed her eyes. contentedly as a Iit.
tie MID nred- OF a long. long day. I felt
her cold fingers grow colder stiu Sha
sighed deeply, once, twice. Tommy I
called under my breath, hopciessly. INV
little girl, speak to me-"
THE feathersi" she breathed ae.;-
dreamily. Next week-it will mean no
lunch! By. :..! f.sa said you iikeo -irt
You ~said-you said" -
Then silence: whilst the eternal question
was inwardly debated. And answered-fo,
good and all.