Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-01-13

Nora, playing with three other little
girls. stuck u her tongue and then ig-
nored him. She was %radiantly happy.
He wasn't mad at her. Benny laid down
Taking the tin badge from his waist he
began to polish 1T and grinned as Nora's
eyes played on and passed it..
And his destiny trundled toward him.
q Juggernaut riding q leviathan. Dan
Bludso, driving a truck loaded with ma
chinery consigned to the S. s. George
Washington, which sailed in an hour, got
caught in a traffic jam and could move
neither way. But on his left was The
Street of Children. He took a chance
and swung in, cursing as the children
darted to either side from beneath his
very wheels.
Nora stood in the middle of the street
watching her three playmates poised on
the curb. One made a sudden dash for
the other side. Nora ran to intercept
her-and gazed at a wall on wheels fall
ing upon her. Her scream died in her
throat and she stood paralyzed with ter
ror.
MORA"
Benny's voice stabbed her and Benny's
body hit her, swinging from his crutch.
Breathless from the impact. she slid
gutterward to safety like q baseball play
er stealing a base. The hood OF the truck
struck the boy and sent him and his
crutch hurting through the air.
Silence fell upon the horror stricken
street. Benny still clutching the star,
huddled, white and senseless in the road
way. Nora, brushing her dress with her
hands, stared at him wide eyed. Bludso
cursed softly through ashen lips.
Then the Street broke to clamor. Of
ficer Murphy, a half block away. heard
Al. gLrt11 1tvtc<A- on~nnxn ~ vonAdArnd
women and started running. Mrs. MiSh-
kin heard 1T too and the sound con-
gealed her heart. She dropped q dish she
was drying and ran for the stairs. She
knewl
Mrs. Riley sat In the roadway holding
Benny against her breast, which Redeemed
slowly like a maiden blushing. The
Street poured its denizens at the little
group and at the truck from the seat OF
which Bludso kicked at the ravenous
claws of a thousand women. hands
thirsting to tear him apart.
Murphy at the police box sent In the
riot call n the plunged into the mob
He took stand at the truck, swinging
with oyan hands and showing with tough
arms, and his uniform melted from him
INC his face was striated in deep burrows
OF furious red by clutching claws.
Benny's eyes opened to his mothers.
"Momma." he explained. II couldn't be
CAREFUL
His dimming gaze embraced Nora. HOY
ering open mouthed above him, and the
hand that clutched the badge moved Out
to her.
Keep the star. Nora. I'm gonna gel
you a-real one"
Signing. he submitted to the darkness
His head fell back and he seemed te
sleep. Her eyes were stones. her face i'm.
movable.
The changing police patrol and the
ambulance arrived together. and even al
the reserves skillfuily broke up the mot
and took Bludso from the truck. q white
clad young doctor was examining Benny
Dead" he said i~aconically. "Frac'
tured skull"
Mrs. Mishkin did not nov
Where you goin', Mammal" asked
Nora later in the day. as she watched
Mrs. Riley pinning on her hat.
I'm goin' to have Father O'Connel
say a monthly mass for Benny's SOUL"
Mamma, is Benny dead?"
! Sure, child. Didn't you seer"
Well. how can he get me a real sta
II he's dead"
Hush. you ungrateful innocent. Poo
little Benny gave his life to save yours.
"Yeh. Mamma" agreed Nora, eagerly
Benny was allus savin'. Y'otta see thu
things he's got in his box. Abe Mishkil
says. Save everything and you'll neve
need nothin'.' See?"
An hour before dusk the eternal,
sleeping boy began his last earthly jour
ney from his home. His mother ant
father n the great Abe followed the lit
tie hearse In a funeral coach" TIL
Mishkins were obeying a law OF thei
religion and burying their dead befor
| shutdown.
l The clamorous neighborhood fell silen
before the little cortege. The Street o
Children was paying last tribute t
Benny Mishkin: to shrewd Benny VIII
would have been a merchant prince: t
little crippled Benny. gone In search o
q star.
Copyright: 1927: BY Charles McGuirk