Morris tribune., 1914-11-20
4 Change
OF Heart
By WILLIAM CHANDLER


his way to the city when an old gen
tleman of eminently respectable ap-
pearance came into the car and took a
seat beside him. Jim was reading in
morning Journal an account of a
prizefght. The gentleman took from
his pocket a copy of the Missionary
Intelligencer. opened it and begun to
peruse it.
"Have you seen an account of the
bout between Andy Sheehan and the
Philadelphia Kid, sir?'' asked Jim in a
deferential tone
'No. | don't read accounts of such
inhuman transactions.
81 suppose you wouldn't care to see
a fight of that kind. But don't you
think if we kill off all blood splitting
We must have wars, you know, even
if to protect ourselves from a foreign
enemy, and if we young fellows should
get too soft we'd all have to knuckle
under in case of an invasion. For my
part / think the way the Kid stood up
against Sheehan was admirable. He
broke the big mans jaw and let
pint of blood from his nose"
At this the gentleman turned his
back squarely on the young man and
buried himself in his journal.
Jim, who had been amusing him
self with the old man, smiled inward
ly. much pleased at the shock he had
given him. When they reached the
city Jim waited till the passageway to
the door was cleared of the outgoing
passengers, then arose to go himself.
On the seat beside him he espied
pOcketbOok 1t must have belonged to
the gentleman who had sat beside him.
and Jim hurried after him, but failed
contents of the pocketbook revealed
the name of Howard Spingler and his
address, besides some $50 in bills. In
a pocket by itself was a small photo
graph of a girl evidently in her teens
Jim fell in love with it on sight.
Instead of sending the find to the ad-
dress Jim waited till evening, when he
thought he might possibly get sight of
the original of the photograph, then
went to the house, rang the bell and
told the butler who answered it that
he would like to see Mr. Spingler. He
was ushered into the library. where
sat the owner of the pocketbook and
near by, doing some fancy work, the
girl Of the photograph. When the old
gentleman saw the advocate of prize
fighting he frowned. Jim handed him
the book and said:
after you left the train this morn
ing. sir, found this where you had
been sitting. 1t contained your name
and address. so am enabled to return
it to YOU
Mr.. Spingier, without unbending.
took the pocketbook He was too
much Of a gentleman to examine the
contents to see that all had been re-
turned, but he was not cordial. He
simply thanked Jim and waited for
him to withdraw.
''Don't you think, father" said the
girl, surprised at her fathers want of
warmth in acknowledging his obliga-
ton, that inasmuch as the gentleman
has taken the trouble to return your
pocketbook in person we should ask
him to rest before going?"
The fathers mind was on Jim's
prizefghting proclivities, and he was
not to be moved to any courtesy to one
of that kind
young man." he said, Il have thank
ed you for returning my pocketbook
| do not offer you a reward, for you
do not look like one who would accept
it. Indeed, | was surprised to meet
with one having the appearance of a
gentleman advocating the barbarity of
prizefghting."
Jim colored under the reproof to the
roots Of his hair. He had had his fun
with the old gentleman, and he was
now paying the price, The young lady
took pity on him.
why, papa she said, 80 many
persons take an interest in such mat
| ters that you can't blame one young
man for doing so. After ALL | don't
think as many persons are killed in
the prize ring as at football. and you
know you shouted and waved at broth
er when, he knocked down five men
and broke the leg Of one carrying the
ball to goal"
Mr.. Spingler looked embarrassed,
Jim, bestoWing silent blessing on the
young lady, with regained courage
| pushed on to undo the damage he had
done by his righteousness on the train.
Ralph Spingler!' he exclaimed.
THE great Pennsylvania football
player?"
MY son" said the old man proudly.
I've seer him play some of his best
games. During his supremacy on the
gridiron there was no man who could
down him. congratulate you. sir. on
] having such son.
you've seen him playr' exclaimed
the old man, his eyes lighting at the
mention of his sons prowess.
Indeed / have. / witnessed the
| game in which he fell-aecid anta lly-