The Connecticut labor press., 1919-12-20
Eugene agreed.

"Well I'm off to the stOre," said MT. Kinney brfskly; yet he fingered. Il suppose we'll all have to club in and keep old Fanny out of the pOOrhOuse if he does blow up. From all l hear it's usually only question of time. They say she hasn't got anything else to depend On."
 'I suppose not"
 'Well-I wondered-" Kinney hesi- tated. "I was wondering why you hadn't thought of finding something around your works for him. You used to be such tremendous friend of the family-I thought perhaps you-Of course know he's queer lot-I know he's"
 "Yes, I think he is," said Eugene. ''No. I haven't anything to offer him" q suppose not" Kinney returned thoughtfully, as he went on. 'T don't ] know that I would myself. Well, we'll probably see his name in the papers some day if he stays with that job" However, the nitrO-glycerin expert of whom they spoke did not get into the papers as a consequence Of being blown up although his daily life was certainly a continuous exposure to that risk, Destiny has constant pas sion for the incongruOus, and it was Georges lot to manipulate wholesale quantities of terrific and volatile ex- plosives in safety, and to be laid low by an accident so commonplace and in- consequent that it was a comedy. Fate had reserved for him the final in- suit of riding him down under the wheels of one of those juggernauts at which he had once shouted "Git 8 h0ssr' Nevertheless, Fate's ironic choice for Georgie's undoing was not a big and swift and momentous car, such as Eugene manufactured; it was spe- cimen of the hustling little type that was flooding the country, the cheapest, commonest, hardest little car ever made.
 The accident took place upon Sun day morning, on downtown crossing, with the streets almost empty, and no reason in the world for such a thing to happen. He had gone out for his Sunday morning walk, and he was thinking of an automobile at the very moment when the little car struck him; he was thinking of a shiny lan- daulet and a charming figure stepping into it, and of the quick gesture of white glove toward the chauffeur, mo- tioning him to go on. George heard a shout, but did not look up, for he could not imagine anybOdy's shouting at him, and he was too engrOssed in the Ques- tion Was it Lucy?" He could not de- Nf1 nd 1o0 af ir hi matter probably superinduced a lack of decision in another, more pressingly vital. At the second and louder shout he did look up and the car was almost on him; but he could not make up his mind if the charming little figure he had seen was Lucy's and he could not make up his mind whether to go back ward or forward; these questions be- came entangled in his mind. Then, still not being able to decide which of two ways to go. he tried to go both and the little car ran him down. It was not moving very rapidly, but it went all the way over George.
 He was conscious of gigantic vto- lence; of roaring and jolting and con- cussion; of choking clouds of dust, shot with lightning, about his head; he heard snaPping sounds as loud as shots from a small pistol, and was stabbed by eXcruciating pains in his legs. Then he became aware that the machine was being lifted off of him. People were gathering in a circle round him, gabbling.
 His forehead was bedewed with the sweat of anguish, and he tried to wipe off this dampness, but failed. He could not get his arm that far.
 "Nev' mind," policeman said; and George could see above his eyes the skirts of the blue coat, covered with dust and sunshine. Ambulance here in minute. New mind tryin' to move any. You want 'em to send for some special doctOr?"
 No" Georges lips formed the word.
 'Or to take you to some private hospital?"
 Tell them to take me- he said faintly, "tO the City hospital"
 "A right"
 A smallish young man in a duster fidgeted among the crowd, explaining | and protesting and a strident-voiced 1 girl, his companion, supported his ar gument, declaring to everyone her willingness to offer testimony in any court of law that every blessed word he said was the Gods truth. Its the fella that hit you," the po- liceman said, looking down on George T guess he's right; you must of ben 1 thinkin' about sOmep'n' or other. It's wunnerful the damage them little ma chimes can dO-yOud never think it. but I guess they afn't much case ag'in this fella that was drivin' it' "You bet your life they aint no case on mel" the young man in the duster agreed, with great bitterness. He came and stood at Georges feet, addressing 1 him heatedly: "Pm sorry fer you all right, and l don't say I ain't. I hold nothin' against you, but it wasn't any more my fault than the statehouse i! | Wasn't gOin' a step over eight miles an hour! I'm perfectly willing to say I'm sorry for you though, and sos the 1 lady with me. We're both willing to say that much, but that's all, under stand !"
 Georges drawn eyelids twftched; i; I.