The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-09-06

Rodney Price was mad and ashamed,
both at the same time. People stared
at him and he was humiHated from
the fact that they stared also az the
big policeman who had just led him
from a drinking place and now kindly,
though, reprovingly, took him TO the
corner with the words:
GO home now, young man, and
thank me for saving you your money
and perhaps your sense. l fancy you
don't know the reputation of the joint
you went into"
Rodney Price did not reply. He
traced in going into ''the joint" step
down an incline whittier he had been
headed for some time past. He had
gone into the place because he had not
the moral strength to resist panacea
for headache, trembling frame and
a general sense of collapse, due to-
over-indulgence The night previous.
The dutiful and friendly officer saw
TO 1t that the man he had rescued
was not followed or headed off. He
kept his eye on Price until he had
turned a corner. Half square further
progressed, the latter stumbled where
there was a loose sidewalk tile He
steadied himself and did not fall, al
though his head was dizzy and sub
tie drowSineSs was overcoming him.
Contact with the obstruction had rip
ped off the heel of one shoe. Price
picked it up and passed on his way
seeking a shoe shop and at last came
to a sign telling that repairing was
done inside.
A woman, her back to him, was hold
ing out two little shoes and explaining
that she wanted them ready by noon,
when she would call for them. As
Price plunged heavily into a seat she
addressed the cObbler.
ITS my little ones birthday, Mr..
Akers," she said, "and I've promised
to take her to a movie this afternoon.
"The cost will be nothing, ma'am,"
observed the gentle hearted SObbler.
"Tll send them over before noon, and
you can tell your little one that the
mending was my present and If / was
a little better off I'd give her a brand
new pair"
Rodney Price held his senses diZ-
zying and muddled. Somehow how
ever, he reused up as a vague recog-
milton of the soft low tone Of the wom-
an reached his hearing, but he could
not trace out the suggestion. IlI a
maudlin way he gained the counter
unsteadily.
"Just fix my heel, will your" he
spoke, and handed it and the shoe he
had taken off to the cobbler. "And let
me snooze for an hour, I'm terribly
dozy. When you wake me up have the
little girls shoe fixed, too. Fve got
an idea. Seer"
The old shoemaker did not "see"
anything further than an inebriate
talking ineoherently. When the hour
had gone by, however, he came from
behind the counter, the mended shoe
in his hand He had some difficulty
in arousing Price, who unknowingly
was the victim Of o drugged drink.
The latter put on the shoe, produced
well-flled pocket book, selected a
bank note and threw Ii on the counter.
mo change" he ordered. '"Hello|
as his eyes fell upon the little mended
shoes, and then his hand passed over
his brow confusedly. "Oh, yes, / re-
member now, poor woman, the child's
birthday. And you, good old soul, was
to fix the shoes for nothing. A capital
Job, too, neatly patched and polished
up nicely Here" and he rendered
second bank note TO the astonished
cobbler. "And here" he added with
reckless laugh, "Tll 90 my share" and
he stuffed a handful Of bills in one OF
the tiny shoes Now then, you let
me deliver them, won't you? Where
does the little one liveT
Second floor, No 182, six doors
west There's a sign in front-'dress-
maker"
"All right. Poor little shoes. Poor
little child. And me regular gOOdy
two shoes, Ell? Well somebody will be
udDDy, anu lliC DC"iAdEA Eh ~itOCAndh~
ers visitor left the place unsteadilyy
the two little shoes in his hand.
His gait was unsteady, his sight
T blurred, for the drugged drink had not
yet lost it's effect. He located 182, how
ever, and the Sign "dressmaker" and
the second floor. About to approach a
door he slipped to the floor of the hall
way instead, for a second time rob
bed of his senses by the drug.
"Oh, mamma =" exclaimed the little
child, as she CHANGED to open the
door, and, startled, noticed the pros
trate man. Here's someone sick, or
asleep, and oh, my shoes all fixed up
beautifully, and oh, mamma they are
full of money!
Lost in amazement the mother View
ed the situation.
When Rodney Price aroused again
he lay on couch in a neat but poor
ly furnished room. He fancied he
was dreaming as a familiar, long
Goupht-fOr faro caemad m fash acrOSg-