Gunnison news-champion., 1919-11-21
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Stubs named her hat tie very Arst
day s:se appeared in the square and
passed out nickels to those youngsters
Who were lucky enough to please her.
Stubs and Nariska NV her nrst.
Peaceably enough they were offering
sdvice to the old man who cleaned out
the dry leaves from the fountain. II
was the sure mark OF summer time
WHEN they started up the fountain.
a6a The children regarded q - the
signal for celebration.
III you'1l just stand still for . min
ute I'm give ycu Q nickel. tie giri
called to Aariska. A. she stood With
a little pad and pencil by the edge Of
the circular walk around the fountain.
And Mariska took up the offer In
stAntly. S
stubs eyed the proceedings with
alert suspicion. but as he managed to
edge about and get a look at the
sketch the girl was making Of MARI
ska, he approved. and from that FIRST
day he had championed the cause Of
he "Nickel Lady" as they all named
her.
One evening he met her on Second
avenue In the rain. There are degrees
of social status about Stuyvesant
square that are quite as peculiar and
as rigidly drawn as those around
Washington square. Along Its far west
ern and northern boundaries It II ex.
elusive and undemonstrative. but the
park itself on either side In q flower
bed OF youngsters on summer days
And they had their fnvorites besides
the "Nickel Lady," foremost Of all the
white Doctor"
He was young and always dressed
in white. and when his ambulance
would swing across Second avenue he
never fAiled to wave In answer to
Stubs greeting and the rest Of the
bunch"
Therefore Stubs honored him and
when the "Nickei Lady" hesitated
Inughingly as the rain beat down upon
her. and before he could stop her.
had slipped across the street under
the very wheels Of the huge gray mail
rar. the FIRST thing he thought Of vas
the "White Doctor" He stuck by her
when the crowd gathered, and It was
he. too. who got Bandy Moran and
Chick to carry her to the sidewalk
where she ny still. and white.
When the ambulance swung around
the corner and the 'White Doctor
Jumped down. Stubs explained the stu
alton to him briefly.
"I'm her best friend around here"
he said loftily. els she hurt much,
DOcf'
Skillfully Rex Fuller knelt beside
the slender figure. making his exam
ination. sJust shaken up and suffer.
ing from shock, old man." he told
Stubs. "What's her name and where
does she liver'
Stubs scratched his head doubtfully.
He didn't know. Neither did Mariska.
nor Banty. nor any Of the bunch"
hanging around mournfully. She was
just the 'Nickel Lady" 80 they took
her mp to the hospital. and Stubs
made his arrangements with the doc
tor to wisit her ~ her nearest
friend"
That night when she lay conscious
for the nrst time. Rex waited until
the nurse had gone down the ward.
before he asked her tie necessary
questions to an In her card.
Her name was Phyllis Truax, she
told him. Alone In New York and un.
married, an artist BY profession. That
was all, only when Stubs came to visit,
she sent him after stationery 20 she
could write few letters. and he
noted they all required out Of town
postage.
"Tou and me've got to stand BY her.
Doc" he told Rex out In the corridor.
and Rex agreed to do his part.
Three weeks she stayed there. the
first rest since she had come to the
city. and every day mp in the beauti.
ful roof solarium Rex sat with her,
according to his promise to Stubs. But
the day before she left she had an.
other visitor. He was very confident
when he first met her, but she sat
with dropping lashes NJ he talked, and
finally she said something to him.
anu u1ter Nc u4u gone sue smiled az
Rex somewhat anxiously.
I'm z perfect fraud. DOCTOR" she
said. you won't care for me a bit
any more or Stubs or Marsha or any.
body. I'm not just = stray artist
stranded in New York. I'm . regular
person with home and family and
plenty Of money. and 1ee just refused
half . million moro. I'm afraid I'm
spoiled for that sort Of thing. You've
been. 20 wonderful to ne up here.
think m be Z nurse"
You viii not he told her sternly.
I'm the nrst place you're not strong
enough 70 tS1lns and in the second
promised St1b6 to look after you. II
you had not known that I would. why
did JON send away the half a million
| chap1