Norwich bulletin., 1915-03-03
TOLD STORY OF
 HEROIC NEWSBOY. Rev. pr. SIocum Depicted *he Sacrifice of Cheerful Billy RugF.


 
 Billy Rough, The Hero of Gary. Tn- diana, was the topic upon which Rev. Joel E. Slocum, p. D., pastor Of thel shop talk held Tuesday noon at the Cutlery plant, under Y. M. C. A. au- spices.
 One morning in Gary, 9. little over two years ago, Rev. Dr. Slocunl said it was announced from a. hospital that Cheerful Billy Rugh. a crippled neWsboy, was dead and Mayor Thomas E. Knott at once appointed a commit tee to raise funds for the funeral. 1tI was one of the most largely, attend It was held in one of the largest churches and the crowd packed the church and overfioWed into the street. \ leading clergyman preached the ser mon, d Masonic lodge provided a band and the floral tributes were numerous and costly. Thousands of the lead ing citizens followed the body to the grave and from all over the country came contributions for a memorial to be erected in recognition of his rare and noble act.
 One day, some years before, a boy with 8. game" leg went to the office Of May or Knott and borrowed q dollar in order to buy his first bunch of papers, The next day he was out selling them, and after that every fel- low in town knew Billy Rugl-the crippled newsboy. They gave him middle name, Cheerful" By an by they put the middle name in front of the other and called him Cheerful Billy He had a, pleasant smile and a friendly " ord for everybody. It was business for himself. And just when it seemed that his dreams were to come true, ho was taken sick and was obliged to go to the hospital. While there he heard of q girl who had been terribly burned and whose chances for recovery depended entirely upon an unusually large amount of skim graft ing. Nobody could furnish that much without great danger. Billy offered to make the sacrifice. He was told of the risk and he replied: What of it? The leg IS of no use to me. Maybe it'll help her. I'd like to be of some use to someone
 A few days later he was wheeled into the operating roon- From an other door came d cot bearing a, frail girl, her life hanging in the balance. The two patients looked at one an other and exchanged smiles. Two hours later the operation had been performed. Every inch of the skin 1 on the boys leg down to the foot had been grafted on the burned portions had been amputated. The girl recoE- cred and lived The boy rallied from the operation, hut pneumonia set in Billy only grtnned and joked with the physicians and nurses about it. He 1 always asked about the girl. ''Pm glad I done it, Doc: Tell her for me I hope she gets well quick, will you ?'' l Then he turned his face towards the wall. By and by came the feeble 1 words: T guess I'm some good after l all'' Not long after that, his brave 1 spirit passed to it's reward. He had no regrets. He was glad to give him. l self to save another.
 1 When the newspapers learned the facts and told the story, people by the l hundreds and thousands aWoke to the i realization that the days of knight 1 hood are not passed. In his procla- ! mation the mayor said:
 "The name of William Rugh should l be remembered ill Gary as long as the l city shall last. The hearts of all are ! torn today as we realize that his act oi l noble heToisun, his unselfish willing ness to suffer that another might en- | joy health and life, has eliminated II 1 the supreme sacrifice. Greater love ! hath no man than this.
 l This story is an illustration in con 1 crete human form of a still greater sacrifice which was undertaken fol 1 Smith, the girl who was cured of hel 1 burns because of Billy Rugh's sacri- l flee, was grateful, then it certainly iE ] true that we ought to be grateful, be. l yond the poker of any language to eX- press, in return for the magnificent ac of heroism by which. He, the Son ot l God, took our infirmitieS. He was wounded for our transgressions, Inc was bruised for our iniquities: the l reinstatement of our peace was upor 1 him and with His stripes we arc | healed.''