Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-02-03
'OnlyOldJunk'
toepyrisAt. 1918. wsstsr. Newspaper uniOa.,
By OTTlLIA F. PFEIFFER

worthless, q Vagfdnt-l don't De
lieve in encouraging such characters
In idleness. They are only old junk"
Thus Mr.. Earl Hurst, lecturer. high
brow refor.ner and self-assertive au-
thority on community economy. To
him anyone outside of the well-to-do
were anarchists in the making. His
scheme of life for the lowiy embraced
a sort of monarchial authority.
"But Smiling Simon is not q vagrant,
Mr.. Hurst" demurred pretty. warm
hearted Ina Bortell. "Nor is he idle.
Everybody likes him. he is absolutely
sober and reliable and l have started
him in business and am glad Of it,"
"Hemi Hal Just so. Well. l hope
you do not rue the experiment"
Ina Bortell was the sweetest. most
lovable girl in the village and Simon
Price. Smiling Simon" a stroller and
ne'er-do-well, had been taken III With
fever, had been cared for In the hos
pital ward Of the local jail aad had
been discharged unkempt. pale and
thin, to shift for himself. He had
started from the village but grew
faint. and had crept through the hedge
Of the Bortell garden to rest on the
grass when Ina discovered him.
81 had to rest" he spoke with diff
Guilty. "Tll get on as soon as / pull
myself together. Just out Of the hos
pital. but I'll be oil right In a day or
So" and he smiled up into the face Of
his interested hostess, ingenious and
c~onfidingly as a schoolboy That sunny
smile was his sole capital and some
how 1t went to the heart Of the little
lady.
There's q hammock over near the
lilac bushes" she told him. Let me
help you that far"
"Oh! Miss"
Indeed yo must. and you look as
II you needed food"
She guided the faltering steps TO
the hammock and settled a soft pillow
under Smiling Simon's head. The
glass Of ice cold cream she brought
was as nectar to Simon's parched lips.
1t was followed by chicken broth. Ina
listened sympathizingly to the simple
story of his life until the tired eyelids
closed. md with the accustomed smile
upon his face he was immersed in
blissful rest.
Thus It was that Simon Price found
an oasis In life. There was an aban-
doned barn on the Bortel lot and in
Its loft he utilized an old cot. There
was no objection to his DEMONSTRATING
'imst'f and as he grew stronger many
and helpful were the functions he per-
formed about the place.
There was the poor wreck Of a wag-
on in the barn which Simon mended
up. Somewhere he arranged for the
rent of a horse. He became the junk
man OF the district. gathering up rags.
Ing 1t in his warehouse" until there
was a carload. when he shipped the
aggregation to the city.
There was a shy. retiring young
man In the village named Dale War
rem. and to him Simon became like
s;se attached. The shrewd discerning
eyes of the humble junk gatherer had
noted the budding of mutual love be-
tween Ina and Warren. 1t was enough
for Simon to know thai the goddess of
his soul favored the young man. TO
look upon Warren ;s n worthy friend.
He decided that Warren, with all his
retiring why's. must be good and brave
to win the attention of Ina, and n
night Warren indeed showed that in
herent within him was true manliness
and courage.
Simon had FASTENED down town at
tracted by a great glare. The 'own
hotel was on fire. and just as mon
reached the scene he saw Warren
scale a high ladder reaching TO The top
window of the structure. He disap-
peared through a window space to
emerge amid clouds Of binding smoke.
berring a little child in his arms. \
fireman ran up the ladder and received
the child in his arms and bore It to
the ground. Then a great cry went up
from the crowd at the sight OF war
rem. overcome by sroke and fame.
lying senseless across the window sill
aloft.
Simon sprang up the ladder. at one
place breasting fierce flames pouring
from q window. Just as he reached
Warren the ladder bent. sw yed.
snapped In twain and, pushing Warren
into the room. he disappeared after
him.
Ten minutes later. ~miraculously es'
Gaping through the nre-hlled halls OF
the building. Simon staggered into
view bearing across his shoulders the
limp form of the insensible Warren.
covered with q blanket blazing in
places. Then the hero rescuer fell
PROSTATE. An hour later II was known
that he had inhaled the flames and
had sustained burns that must prove
fatal. He was removed 10 the BOrtell
home at the direction Of Ina's father.
who had appeared o. the scene. When
he weakly came back TO consciousness
Warren was at his side and Ina was
bending over him. Over the face OF
the sufferer there spread IN express
sion Of infinite satisfaction.
I'm done for. and I'm glad It was
In trying 10 be Of use to your friends"
be whispered fssbly to Ina. Miss Bor-