Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-18
THE MOVING FINGER
BY HAROLD CARTER.

The young physician had only spent
three months in Greenville, but that
was quite long enough to convince him
that Pop" Hendon was, as the neigh
bors said, the crankiest old man in
Breton county.
Doctor Gray did not mind the old
fellows moods. Before he had gone
blind, five years before, Hendon had
been a good neighbor and citizen.
Since his blindness he had become
morose and suspicious. The worst
feature of the situation, SO far as the
doctor was concerned, was that Pop"
suspected the young mans love for
his only child, Alice, and took q ma
licious pleasure in haunting him about
1t.
The young fellow was not yet in
position to marry. Alice would have
waited for him; but she could not
leave her father. She was all he had.
The young doctor had a last inter-
view with his sweetheart that after
noon.
Dearest, will wait for you as long
as is necessary" she said. But so
long as my father lives we must be
just good friends and nothing more. If
he were not blind | would leave all
and come to you"
Gray understood He kissed her
fondly and went back to his office, re-
solved to throw himself with all his
energy into his work and try to forget,
until the time came to claim her.
And so a year passed by. Rarely,
when Gray had occasion to pass the
house, he would see the old man, i'm
placable as ever, seated upon his
porch, spelling out the Braille words
with his right forefnger. He seemed
conscious of the doctors presence, and
would look up and scowl heavily when
Gray went by.
One day Gray had an urgent call on
the telephone. 1t was from Alice.
Wont you come up at onco?" she
begged. Doctor Clfden is away and
father has had bad accident"
A medical man knows no enmities
where his profession Is concerned.
Half an hour later Gray was at the
house and being shown into the old
mans sick room.
Hendon had been knocked down by
an automobile while trying to cross
the street. He had taken malicious
delight in running away from his
daughter, and had been struck fairly
hy hD p1a 10 haI
but, what was worse, the tendons Of
his right hand had been crushed.
Gray saw at glance that, while the
hand could be made serviceable, Hen
don would never again be able to
straighten the fingers completely.
You're the young fellow who used
to be sweet on Alice, amt you?" he
snarled. Il thought you'd drop her as
soon as you learned there wasn't any
money coming with her."
Let me see that hand, please" an
swered Gray.
A week later Pop" Hendon learned
the truth. His hand would be useful
for all purposes except one; never
again would he be able sufficiently to
tlex the forefinger so as to feel the
raised type with the delicate nerve
tissue underneath the first joint.
When the news was broken to him
the old mans agony was painful to
/ witness. He lay still without speaking
for days together, interspersing these
periods of moroseness, however, with
! outbreaks of maniacal fury. At such
times only Gray could restrain him
from finging himself out of the win
dow. Somehow the young doctor
seemed to have acquired certain in
fuence over the morose old man.
1t was after one Of these maniacal
spells that Gray addressed Hendon.
who was lying exhausted upon his
bed.
"Mr. Hendon," he said, II may as
we'll tell you that I took the occasion
just now to examine your eyes,"
Hendon lay on the bed in dogged
silence.
81 believe your trouble is nothing
but cataract" he continued. 'T have
been to the doctors who examined you
before and seen their records. What
they told you was that your case was
incurable at present, but might be al
leviated later"
Yes, trying to fool me into spend.
ing more money on 'em," snarled
Pop" Hendon.
mo, Sir" answered Doctor Gray de-
cisively. "A cataract cannot be op.
Grated uron until it has reached GER
tain stage of hardness, about year
after it begins. You were the victim
of your own suspicious. You could
have been cured years ago. You can
be cured now"
"Will you do it, Doof" gasped old
Hendon, turning his face upon Gray's
with a look of wistful hope in his
eyes.
Two weeks later "Pop" Hendon,
seated in the dining room, waited for
the bandage to be lifted. The morose
old man had been strangely silent dur
ing the period of waiting.
Doctor Gray took off the bandages.
"Well, sir?" he demanded.
Pop" Hendon leaped out OF his
chair
II can see!" he screamed, clasping
Gray violently by the hands. Lord,
can see again. Doc, how good the
world isl"
With which sentiment the doctor
was in entire sympathy, as he drew
Alice toward him and kissed her. And
"Pop" Hendon beamed on them
through his heavy lenses.
copyright. by W. @. ChapmanJ