Evening star., 1923-09-30
~ AVE you called a doctor?'
SS the Feedbox Fool asked
his sister law, Jenny

brother, little Johnny Hall, in bed in
the next room, might not hear.
Pneumonia" Jenny said, In half
whisper. "And maybe typhoid too"
"Goshr' muttered Feedbox, we'll
have to be sure this doctor knows his
stuff. I'll get a nurse"
"You will not" said the girl, posi-
lively. "I'll take care Of him myself"
Feedbox stared at her in amaze
ment.
But it's a twenty-four hour job"
said Feedbox. And, besides . :"
Makes no difference" she declared
"And, besides" Feedbox continued
"we've got to have trained nurse.
But the first thing is to get the
doctor backhere."
II suppose you know these things
cost money" complained Jenny, Bit
terly. "And we're not millionaires.
I want to talse care of Johnny, and
I've got to-
I'VE should worry about the
dough-" retored Feedbox. airily. He
had nine dollars and some odd cents
in his pocket "Tll take care of
that"
He. went softly into the bedroom
10 see lllt DOyt pul ooi d6 GILL IA
q moment. Johnny Hall was out of
his head. FeedboX found Jenny Hall
in the kitchenette trying to improvise
an ice pack. I'm going out to find
that doctor and see about a nurse"
he said.
Never mind about the nurse" she
replied, DULY. "But before you go,
do you know what could have given
Johnny that terrible cold?"
why. hasn't he said anything"
only when he was out of his mind.
All he has been saying for the last
three hours is that he wouldn't do 1t.
Keeps repeating it," she said. What
was it?"
Feedbox looked at the girl won
dcringly.
Don't he ever tell you anything
about his work."
She shook her head.
We'll, he is in trouble" said Feed
box slowly. He rides, or did, for
Willoughby Tobin. Made good, see?
Tobin tells him yesterday TO lay back
with a horse of his that's a runnin'
fool. Pull him. he says. Muddy
track, cold, and raining. The kid
hates TO pull the goat. and don't pull
him very hard. Nobody else that can
win wants to, and half a dozen
hounds slides all over the track in
the stretch tryin' to keep from get
tin to the wire first, see? The kids
horse finally wins. but it looks. bad.
Terrible. The crowd squawks, and
the Judges send for three of the
jocks. The kid says Tobin tells him
to pull, and he won't. see: So they
send for Tobin. But Tobin talked
'em out of 1t, and they fined the kid"
Mr.. Tobin ought to be shot" said
Jenny Hall, calmly. But what
asked you was, how did Johnny catch
this cold?'
I'm tellin' you" continued the
Feedbox Fool. The judges kept him
up there in that windy. raw stand.
soakin' wet, with nothin' on but his
ridin' silks T told him to get him
some liquor. steam-up and go to bed"
HE wouldn't do it," commented
Jenny Hall. He thought 1 wouldn't
like for him to use the whisky. Said
he'd be all right And now-but I've
got to try to break up his fever. The
doctor said an ice pack would help"
IF there's nothing I can do" the
Feedbox Fool said, helplessly. 'Tll go
see the doc and get a nurse. Be back
this evening"
He hunted up the physician and
impressed him bravely with the
necessity of doing everything pos
sible and demanded a good nurse.
Back again at the apartment that
evening. the Feedbox Fool was un-
able to hide his depression
Might as we'll tell you the news"
he said grudgingly when Jenny had
a free moment. But don't say any
thing to the kid.
"Johnny's still delirious," she re-
piled. Wouldn't understand any
thing"
Well, this Tobin went before the
stewards today and had the kid set /;
down. and his license took away from |
him. and him barred from the track" |
why. ne couldn't do that" she |
protested.
But he did. The kids done"
Feedbox declared laconically.
y !: i =
FOLLOWED long. hard pull for |
l. Johnny Hall, his small wife |
Jenny, and the Feedbox Fool. Pneu-
: monia paved the way to a more seri- |
Gus struggle with typhoid, and it was
six months before Johnny Hall was |
on his feet again. The Feedbox Fool |
worked earlier and later to gather in |
money. But at the end of the first !
month he had to leave town to ply |
his trade, because the ponies moved |
to Louisville.
Then he followed the runners to !
Fort Erie, and stayed a month, send |
ing money orders to Jenny every |
week.
Back from Fort Erie for few |
days before an excursion to the |
Maryland tracks, Feedbox made sure |
everything was all right.
whats the doc say?" he asked !
Jenny, after a visit with the boy.
Nothing" she replied evasively.
'How come? When was he here |
last?" Feedbox demanded.
About three weeks ago." said |
Jenny. 'T told him not to come un-
less 1 sent for him. No use for us to |
go on throwing away money that's |
not ours" she continued def1antly. |
'.And that's not all. I've been talking |
to Johnny about your business, and |
I've found out all about IT."
'Yeah?" queried the Feedbox Fool.
"That's more'n I've found out in |
fifteen years"
well. I've found out one thing"
she flashed. +You must be crazy. |
You provide information about horses |