The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-04-11
JUDGE NOT THE
OTHER FELLOW
By FLORENCE D. WHALIN

%. 1924 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicats)
LIS shoes were unshined, his clothes
/ 1 unbrushed, he needed shave,
and his method of reading his news
paper was most slovenly.
Anne Nelson watched him from
across the aisle in the train. Her own
fingers were opening and closing spas
medically. 1t was very evident that
the man was searching for some
elusive item, but instead of turning
the pages neatly he jumbled and ruff
fed the sheets.
Anne turned to the window. She
had wanted to rush across and take
that unshapely mass from him,
smooth 1t out, set him up straight and
box his ears!
Distracted by the rafting, crashing
Of the paper, she turned and faced
him Indignantly. The man in the
seat ahead of her looked ugly enough
to have demanded fight. Everyone
was growing exasperated, yet not one
could have told, in that second, why
the man so irritated them all.
Unmindful of the eyes of the pas
sengers riveted on him, the slovenly
one gave up hunting and proceeded to
crush the newspaper between his large
and grimy hands. Now it was ball,
ragged, torn-edged and dirty finger
marked all over. In mind, Anne Mel
son was helping him to throw the un-
shapely roll into the corner at his
feet (and this he later did). And
then-if he had attempted to spit-but
he didn't. He just looked up with two
of the bluest, gentlest eyes you ever
saw.
The passengers sank back, over
come.
He smiled He looked confidentially
at Anne, sitting there watching every
thing he did.
Nervous this morning." he ven
tured.
81 see you are" snapped maiden
lady seated directly behind him.
He paid no attention to her, nor to
the others now intent on no other
business except that of studying him.
He took off his hat, not like he had
handled the paper, but with touch
of reverence. Under that battered
felt there was a crown of jet-black
hair, smooth to the point Of painful
ness.
What was his story?
There was a silence disturbed only
by the click-click as the train crossed
a switch.
"You see," he said, addressing him.
self to Anne, ''the little girl said shell
put some word in the paper for me-
The lines of his throat convulsed as
though a sob was going through.
Didn't find it." he said, slowly.
Anne was sure that his eyes blinked
away tear.
"Just came out of the mines. Lit
tie girls sick-or was" Leaving the
passengers at the end of his words
with lump forming IN their threats.
Anne Nelson got up. She went
| over and sat down beside him. From
all directions came offers in the form
of newspapers. These Anne declined
as she stopped and picked up the solid
mass. No longer was the man cheap,
and slovenly, but rough-just unpol-
ished by continual hard work. Down
In the mines-away from the world!
Across her knee the papers soon lay
in a pile, the pages numerically ar
ranged. Side by side two pairs of
+ha
Pneumonia" he offered.
Now Anne was excitedly holding up
corner of the mutilated paper.
Come home. Beth" she read to him.
He shook his head. Her names
Abigail Pretty name, don't you
think? We always called her Petite
till her mother went away. Mother
always said that Abigail meant, my
fathers joy" He was wondrously
happy for moment. Fathers joy
he was repeating, softly.
"How old is she?" the maiden lady
asked, adjusting her glasses and peer
ing critically into the blue eyes that
in their clarity excused his clothes.
He might have been a doctor IL one
had judged him by his eyes, and the
high forehead topped by that hair.
TWENTY-FIVE" briefly.
"Married?" Miss Grundy couldn't
resist trying again.
"Oh, yes. Fine sort of a lad" he
told her, turning straight about.
Him" At least she sanctioned the
marriage.
In another minute he was back tear
ing almost savagely at the paper. 1t
seemed 1t must be there-the news he
sought.
Anne sat helpless.
The train gave out its shrill call
that announced the nearing of a sta
ton. There came jerk-jerk, as the
train slowed down.
"Paper-latest edition." The enter
ing newsboy yelled Justify.
Anne paid for one from her own
lean purse. The boy sold twenty
where heretofore that same train load
had snubbed him.
Rattle-rattle-and then, dozen
voices clamoring to be heard first,
read:
Danger from pneumonia past.
Bouncing baby boy; nine pounds.
Abigail" And in parentheses GA
theirs joy.')