Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-05-14

........... OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .............
!: KIND FRIENDS
Please help a POOR man
/: WILLING but UNABLE
I: TO work with a LARGE FAMILY. /:
According to his own statements he
had lost his arms in variety of ways;
the Juvenile population had been in
formed that sharks-or bears--had
eaten his lost arms; to very old and
supplemented ladies' it was Sire
damp" or ION the railway" or just
"cannibalsI He had also fallen from
the masthead" dropped out of a
balloon" and got caught in an ele-
vator" Sometimes his loss had oc-
Cured while lighting in Cuba" on
engaged in blasting rocks in Cali
, fornia" In fact. of knowing acct
dents" Armless John was long way
ahead of Othello.
His memory being somewhat treach-
kind of a remark:
"Why! you told me last month that
you lost your arms in Peru-now you
say it was in Australia you must either
be lying, or had lot of arms to start
with"
To all such personal and unkind OBJ
servations, the stammering beggar
would reply somewhat like this:
"Wa-wa-wasn't l in-sen-si-ble at the
ti-ti-ti--at the time? How'd dye
s-s-spose-" (He had habit of break
ing off like that.) "But l lost 'em,
you b-b-bet."
.
A man of perhaps fifty years of age,
shabbily dressed, stopped one morning
In front of Armless John.
mice morning." said the stranger.
"Fi-f-fne, sir" agreed John.
"Yours is bad case, my friend" re-
Joined the other.
"T-t-terrible, sir"
"How did you lose your arms?"
Gun p-p-powder explosion at Mel
melbourne"
"Australia?'
The beggar shook his head.
That's my native place." added the
stranger.
II don't mean there. Mel-mel-bourne
in Kentucky is the p-p-place, all right"
You're a liar. Phillips. Do you
know Sing Sing?" asked the man.
Never there" answered John, now
looking for the first time in the other
mans face.
Yes, you were, my friend. You and
spent about five years there. What
an old fraud you are! How do you
manage to dispose of your arms like
that?"
John. was speeches., as well as
stammerless, though still apparently
armless.
81 hope We won't squeal on me,
Tom?" he remarked.
THAT all depends. Have you got
large family, as the sign says?" in
CURED Tom.
There's six of US altogether, In
Guiding the dogs"
"Well, you'll have to pay me so
much week. and won't say word"
replied the other.
There amt enough comm in to do
that" said John dolefully.
Something must be DONE" remarked
Tom. 81 haven't got work. and I can't
get any"
To hn
tonight, and we'll talk things over.
Go away now, Tom. do: see you to-
night"
The stranger moved away slowly,
remarking to an old lady about to drop
coin In the little tin mug: That's
bad case mum the poor fellow lost
his arms falling OF the roof of a
church."
did he, indeedr alphabetically
said the lady. 81 always give him a
trifie when l pass, but I thought he
lost his arms In battle"
The ex-conyicts were holding a mid
night session.
i've thought out scheme, Tom,
which will pay us both, and we'll be
Independent Of each other Suppose
you go and stand at the library. and
he blind man. There isn't such q
fellow In the place. Every day one
of the children can bring your dinner
| down to you. and also lead you home
at night. I'm sure you'll make more
than l do"
Don't suit me-" answered Tom 81
amt a-going to keep my eyes shut all
day. think I'd better be a one-armed
sailor. suffering from shark bite"
"That'll never do" said John. I'm
in the shark business at times, you
know. The blind dodge is the only
one any g.od, SO far as / can see. I
believe there's a fortune in being a
| Poor Blind Man,"
81 cant see It." answered the doubt
ing Thomas.
| you're not supposed to see any
thing" replied John, with laugh
which the other did not relish.
10 q few days there appeared q to-