Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-06-20
Sydney Blair's
Experience on
the Open Road
Dy GEORGE ELMER COBB

A LII winter long sydney Blair lived
IAN a-6 by 10 room In poor lodg-
Ing house.
He was a poet at soul As to his ef-
fusions. only thrice In his life had he
received real pay from a real publlca.
tion.
Once a year his soul swelled. II
was when. as now. he turned his face
from the turmoil. dust and hollow ex-
element of the city.
Outside Of a little bundle, usually
strung across his stout walking stick
and containing a change Of linen and
a blanket. Sydney Blair had one other
possession of some utility and value.
This was a piano tuning key. From
the profession Of poet In winter our
good friend enacted broad transition
to plano tuner at summertide.
Once. at dusktlde, Sydney. resting
under a great gnarled oak. was aroused
by a shrill echolng cry. He ran to
wards the highway TO observe three
rough-seemlng fellows disappearing In
the dim distance. He stumbled over
PROSTATE form. II was that Of an old
man. There was cruel cash at one
side Of his head. buttonhole Of his
.es' Nas toIn apa.,' N, suo",us Us. 80, 80,
place Evidently footpads had robbed
this victim.
Sydney ran to a brook near at hand.
He soaked handkerchief In water
ana diu an ne coaiu 10 re,uoee ,,,',s ,us
traces OF violence rom 'ne inseis'u'e ny
man, finaily the iet.ee sat Up he
put MS hana cohiuseuiy 70 n's nenu'
MS eyes were soi'iehow sia1eu a"u "'''
steauy as ne surveyed Ssuney-
See mere, spoke the la'ter' "no
are you anu "hat nus h"ppeueu'
The victim seemed to make a des-
perate effort to concentrate his
thoughts. failed and shook his head
blankly.
"H'mi" solIloaulzed Sydney, "a bad
blow. See here. old friend, must get
Won to n doctor"
The victim placidly allowed Sydney
to lead him 10 a nearby village. There
doctor looked him over, plastered
up the wound on his head and ques-
Toned him as 70 his home.
81 don't know" was the monotonous
response.
win tho morninp the same cloud Of
'' 49, ~ 49,. ~, n ~ ~ .,os,n, ,ho,
nuA'iess '.s SIS S-5 - -, No. -, ,ha
lnoin.ne , Ssunes ,eu - ~ ~, AL ~ n.as
'ns' -. - ~ - ~. 1t ssH..,a.
d" .s.e u.set -. s.'"n IS,, g So. @ s''hat
- ' ~ ~ 5N - WI. A. ro,,
st s - - So,n
"eni "G. 70 v.,,S tS 90, ,o,,,oa ,ha ala man
".," a., ~. sou' a.. sl..',-.. III 49, aaa,s
s,ns ~ "a. M taa, s -aa.ad I sao, bannv
on,v onI -, so..a, -, ,.ha, 80 a.as - ~ "'pF''
.Au r,.,,s - ~. - ..,r. -
said sydney aAs 'o1 ~ p"' ''e''
The old man grew on,,a h,,,ha and
talkative during the next dav ~ ,t,a
| wandering. He was like a pleased
child Some injury to his brain. It was
apparent. had blotted out the past.
Sydney observed that he was an edu.
Gated man, his attire evidenced re-
spectabillty. There was not mark on
his clothing, not scrap Of paper
found to give clue to his Identity.
Every morning and evening. how.
ever the old man took from an inner
pocket an exquisite little medallion. 1t
heio the portrait OF beautiful girl.
ne wouiu gaze al IL raptiy FOR nearly
an hour. ana then sydhey got to
sharihg ms mute adoratioh.
Like nomaus tnose 'wo passed along
the nower-fringed byways. Each DAY
the oid man seemed 10 grow happier
ana more cohtenteo WIN the careless
JOYOUS me
one evening, whiie sen'eo IN niue
wayside INN, Syoney Struck up an ae-
quaintanee with physician. he told
the story OF the Old man. The doctor
became interested he examined the
pauent'
Ihere Is depression OF the SKULL
ne said. This mans memory can be
restored by surgical operation.
IL would cost nfty dollars the doc
tor sald, LOT ne wouid nave 10 cail In
surgeon. sFuhey tnade arrangements
Tor the housing OF mis- friend In the VII
lage. linen ne started out tuning pi-
amos
III was giau, proud day Tor MS
GOOD kihu heort When ne returned
win tne money 10 pay Tor the op-
efaIioh'
Ihe doctor nad predicted rightly.
Ihe operation concluded the OLD man
rose up ne" in'eihgenee 10 ms race
ne istehed 70 tne story OF tne doctor