The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-26
EDeningStory
In Nantes Need.
BY S. B. HACKLEY.

morning time when people sleep most
sound. The young fellows garments
were whole and decently clean. but his
dark red sweater hung loosely on his
gaunt body; his face. thin and blue
white. was desperate, bitter, hopeless.
Baird had come west with those who
listened to the alluring tales of city
booster and the real estate interests. to
make his fortune" in the Land OF
Opportunity" and his fortune, at this
moment, consisted ola single battered
copper!
For weeks he had tramped the
streets with hundreds of others look
ing for work-when there were ten
hungry men for every job. But he had
not given up until the day before.
Then, sitting in the free reading-room
of the MEMS Resort" at 5 o'clock in
the morning. he had been roughly
seized, with fifty others of the hungry
unemployed. and after search at the
police station had revealed the amount
of silver and gold of the fifty to be
less than seventy-five cents, the
empty ones were ordered to leave the
city under penalty of a lengthy rock
pile sentence.
Stung to the depths of his sensitive
soul by the injustice-crazy with the
u
resolved, and as a result of his resolu-
ton. he was waiting outside this silent
house.
At o'clock he fell into a light doze.
Presently his own dreaming cry:
Wait, Mamiei Wait for mel"
awakened him. He laughed under his
breath at the absurdity of his words
there in North Carolina, six years ago,
when his heart was breaking. and he
had told Mamie Tharp good-by just
before her wedding to reckless Bob
Givens.
Old Hugh Tharp and Arethusa, his
only child, and his parents were rich
Baird had had nothing but the wages
of clerk in a hardware store to offer
her. but Mamie had thought that
enough until her parents had taught
her better.
Il can't quit loving you, Mamie"
Baird had said to her, even tho you
are going to marry somebody else. Pm
going away. but if you are ever in
trouble or need, I will come to you.
Be sure you call me, Mamie" And in
his dream, Mamie, with a white
stricken face, had held out her arms to
him, for help-to him. a thing unable
to keep himself in food.
Well, he'd have a full meal once
these prosperous peoples stuff to take
him out of the city, and
Cautiously he swung himself thru
the open window. In the light of his
lantern. he saw in the dining room,
next the kitchen, a mahogany side
board, covered with silver articles.
He reached out his hand toward a pile
OF spoons then dropped it as suddenly.
can't do it," he murmured. God
= can't do it!'
Ac he L.
the heavy, distressed breathing of
child. Then a woman came running
out of an adjoining bedroom and
turned on the lights full.
"Oh my baby" she was moaning, ST
don't know what to do for him, and
I'm afraid hell die if 1 leave himi
Oh, Jimmy-Jimmy! Jimmy?
Her voice rose in the entreating wall
OF one who unconsciously calls in dire
need for one she knows is beyond
reach. Then her eyes fell on Baird.
She caught at his uneXplainable pres
ence in desperate eagernss.
"Oh sir-help me! My~baby's dying!
My maids and chauffeur are at a
dance and my telephone won't work."
Youthful membranes of his
over Baird. He called for articles
from the medicine shelves and
forced a mixture down the boys
throat, then worked over the child
"a little four-year-old. with a crooked
back) until the rasping breaths ceased,
and he slept, breathing easily and ma
turally.
When the child was out of danger.
the woman brought her purse and
somewhat TREMENDOUSLY handed Baird,
a gold coin.
Flushing. he laid it in one Of the
little sleeper's hands.
NO" he said I've no work-Tm
starving haven't eaten for two days,
/ came in the house to rob you, but
don't want pay for saving your baby's
life If you'll show me the door, I'll
goi'
For the first time she saw him
clearly She caught her breath and
the air quivered with her wondering
"Oh. Jimmy. Jimmy, Jimmy!'
Baird looked at her in establishment
There were splotches of white on her
black hair; there were lines of weari-
ness in her young face.
"Mamie!" he cried, 'I-where is
Bob is dead she answered him.
He was killed in a railroad wreck
before the baby was born. They are
all dead-father. mother and Bob's
father and mother"
II am sorry-" he groped for
words. 81 didn't KNOW didn't know
where you were living. Poor Bob!"
After Bob got tired OF me. and that
was very soon.' she told him in a
strange, hard voice. he used to strike
he. He knocked me down the day be-
fore he was killed. That's the reason
my baby is a hunchback.''
The red leaped in Baird's white
cheeks. THE brutei The damned
brute." broke from him. Then his
head dropped in his hands. "And l."
he murmured. ashamed and contrite,
Il who would have died to save you
trouble tried to steal from YOU.
I'm go now, Mamie, and, after this,
pray God you'll get better treatment
from those that profess to love yout"
He took an unsteady step toward
the door, then reeled and fell. When
he opened his eyes again, the young
woman brought a cup of hot milk.
and held it to ihs lips. then fed him
spoonfuls of egg. as one feeds a baby.
After little he raised himself and
stood erect. Let me go now. Mamie"