HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1939-01-19, Page 6PAGE SIX
THE SEAFORTH NEWS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1939
The Little
Orphan
"Well!" said 'he with a sort of
grunt. "Beats the devil! I thought
it was—"
A wonderful thing was happening
in the sky. Agreat .double moon
seemed to be 'flying over .the city
hooded in purple haze. A little spray
of silver light broke out of it, as we
looked, and shot 'backward and then
floated after the two shining disks
that were falling eastward in a long
curve. They seemed to be so near I
thought they were coming down upon
the city. It occurred to me they
must have some connection 'with the
odd experience I had gone through.
In a moment they had passed out of
sight. We were not aware that we
had witnessed a spectacle the like of
which had not been seen in centuries,
if ever, since God .made the heavens—
the great meteor..
"Let's go back," said Trumbull.
"We came too far, I forgot myself."
"Dangerous here?" I inquired.
"Not at all," said he, "but a long
way out of town—tired?"
"Rather," I said, grateful, for his
evident desire to quiet my alarm.
"Comet" said he as we came back
to the pavement, his hand upon any
shoulder. "Talk to ate, 'Tell me-
what are you .going to do?"
We walked slowly down the desert-
ed avenue I, meanwhile, talking of
my plans,
"You love Hope," he said presently.
"You will marry her?"
"If she will have me," said I,
"You must wait," he said, ''time
enough!"
He quickened his pace again as we
conte in sight .of the scattering shops
and houses of the upper city .and no
other word was spoken. On the cor-
ners we saw men looking into the
s'ky and talking of the fallen moat.
It was late bedtime when we turned
into Gramercy Park.
"Come in," said he as he opened an
iron gate,
I followed him asp a marble stair-
way and a 'doddering old English but-
ler opened the door for us. We ent-
ered a fine hall its .floor of beautiful
parquetry muffled with silken rugs.
High and spacious rooms were all
aglow with light.
He conducted me to a large smok-
ing room, its floor and walls covered
with trophies of the 'hunts -antlers
and skins of carnivore. Here he
threw off his coat and ,'bade ane beat
home as he lay 'dowam ,upon a wicker
divan covered with the tawny skin of
some wild animal He stroked the fur
fondly with his hand,
"Hello J'oc'k!" he said, a greeting
mystified that n ified me,
m
"Tried to eat ane," he added, turn-
ing to me.
Then he bared 'his great hairy arm
and showed me a lot of argly scars.
1 besought hmmt to tell the story.
"Killed him," he answered.
"With a gun?"
"No—with my ,hands," and that was
all he would say of it.
He lay facing a !black •curtain that
covered a corner. Now and then I
heard a singular sound in the room—
like some faint, far, night cry such as
I have heard often in the deep woods.
It was so weird I felt some,wonder
of it, Presently I could 'tell it ,came
from behind the curtain where, also,
I heard an odd rustle like that of
wings,
1 sat in a reverie, •looking at the
silent man before me, and in the
.midst of it he p'ulle'd a cord that hung
near him and a bell rang, '
"Luncheon!" he said to the old but-
ler who entered immediately.
Then he rose and showed me odd
things, carved •out of wood, hut his
own hand as he told me, and with a
delicate art. He looked at one tiny
thing and laid it aside quickly.
"Can't bear to look at it now," he
said,
"Gibbet?" I inquired.
"Gibbet," he answered.
It was a little figure bound hand
and foot and 'barging from the gal-
lows 'tree.
"Burn it!" he said, turning to the
old servant and putting it in his
hands.
Luncheon 'had 'been set between us,
the while, and as we were eating it
the butler opened a big couch and
threw snowy sheets of linen over it
and silken covers that rustled as they
fell.
"You will sleep there," said my
host as his servant laid the pillows,
"and well I hope,"
I thought I had better go to miry
own lodgings.
"Too late—too late," said he, and:
I, leg -weary and half asleep, accepted
his .proffer of hospitality. Then, hav-
ing eaten, he left me 'and I gat Into
bed after turningthe lights out.
Something woke Inc in the dark of
the night. There was a rustling sound
in the room. I raised my head a bit
and listened It was the black cur-'
tain that hung in the earner. I imag-
ined somebody, striking it violently. I
saw a white figure standing near me
moved away M the darkness. It nd w y a s 1
l'oo'ked at it. A cold wind was •blowing
upon my face. I lay a long time list-
ening and by and by Icould hear the
deep voice of Trumbull as if he were
groaning and .muttering in his sleep.
When it began to come light I saw
the breeze from an open window, was
stirring .the curtain of silk in the
corner. I got •o'ut of bed and, peering
behind the curtain,, saw only a great
white owl, caged and staring out of
wide eyes that gleamed fiery in the
dim light. I went to ''bed again, sleep-
ing until any host woke me in the late
morning.
After breakfasting I went' to the
chalet. The postmen had been there
but he had 'brought no letter from
Hope, I waited about 'hone, expect-
ing to hear from her, all that slay,
only to see it end in bitter disap-
pointment.
CHAPTER XYXIII
That very night, I looked in at the
little shop ,beneath us and met Riggs,
It was no small blessing, just as I
was entering 'upon dark and unknown
ways of life, to meet this hoary 'head-
ed man with all his lanterns. He
would sell you anchors and fathoms
of chain and rope enough to hang you
to the moon batt his "lights" were the
great attraction of Riggs's. He had
every kind of lantern that had ever
swung on land or sea, After dark,
when light was streaming out of its
open door and broad window Riggs's
looked like the side of an old lantern
itself, It was a door; low and wide,
for a 'time when men had big round
bellies and nothing to do but fill them
and heads not too far above their bus-
ness. It was a window gone blind
;vith dust and cobwebs so it resembl-
ed the dim eye of age, If the door'
Vere closed its 'big brass knocker
and massive iron latch ,invited- the
passer. An old ship's anchor and a
coil of chain lay beside it, Blocks and
heavy .bolts, steering wheels, old
brass compasses, coils of rope and
rusty chain lay on the floor and
benches, inside the swop. There were
in
taws of lanterns hanging •g ont'he
bare beams. And there was Riggs.
He sat by a dusty desk and gave
orders in a sleepy, drawling tone to
the lad who served him. An old'
Dutch lantern, its light softened with
green glass, sent a silver bean across
the gloomy upper air of the shop
that eventing. •Riggs held an 'Old tin
lantern with little streams of light
'burstin'g through its perforated walls.
He was blind, one would know. it at a
glance. Blindness is so easy to be
seen. Riggs was showing it to a
stranger.
"Turn clown the lights," he said
and the boy got his stepladder and
obeyed him.
Then he held it aloft in the dusk
and the little lantern was like a
castle tower with many windows
lighted, and, when he set it down,
there was a golden sprinkle 011 the
floor as .if something had splashed
into a magic pool of light there in
the darkness.
Riggs lifted the lantern, presently,
and stood swinging it in his., 'hand.
Then its rays were sown upon the
darkness 'falling silently into every
nook and corner of the gloomy shop
and breaking into flowing dapples on
the wall.
"See how quick it is!" said he as the
rays flashed with the speed of light-
ning. "That is the only traveler ;from
Heaven that travels fast enough to
ever get to earth."
Then came 'the wards that had a
mighty fitness for his tongue.
"Hail, holy light! Offspring of
Heaven first' born,"
p,DAC
that He's YOUR BOY!
AND, while we're still in a fanciful mood, let's
suppose he has suddenly become seriously ill—
Then, imagine yourself to be in financial difficulties
—your income, never more than $900.00 a year, has
ceased altogether because the factory has shut down
temporarily.
You think your little boy may be dying—the doctor
orders you to rush with him to the Hospital for Sick
Children — you learn it's Pneumonia of the most
serious type — that serums alone will cost over $400.00,
to say nothing of the, special graduate nursing and
expert medical attention required, nor of the cost of
hospitalization itself.
Could you be turned away because of this? There
is only one answer to this question. It has been the
answer of the Hospital for Sick Children for 63 years—
a, youngster's real need for hospital care and medical
attention is the only ticket•of admission required.
Race, creed or financial circumstances are not consid-
ered. We know the people of Ontario want it that
way.
This Hospital has met every emergency which has
developed during the 63. years of its existence. It is
famous throughout the civilized world for the success
and efficiency of its medical and nursing staffs and
for the low cost at which it is operated.
And who pays for this humanitarian work? The
doctors give their time absolutely free. The Ontario
Government pays 60c per patient per day and the
patient or the patient's municipality pays $1.75 on the
same basis. That leaves over $1.00 per patient per day
of bare cost for which we must appeal annually to
humane and generous citizens. This Hospital does
NOT share in the funds collected by the Federation
for Community Service because patients are admitted
from all over Ontario.
This year, over $83,000.00 is needed. That means
over ten thousand donations if they were to average
$8.00 each—or over twenty thousand averaging $4.00.
Certainly, a staggering total! So, please make your
gift as large as you possibly can. If you cannot afford
more—remember that even.a dollar bill helps pay
for the care of. somebody's baby.
Kindly mail your donation to the Appeal. Secretary,
67 College Street, Toronto. We cannot afford to use
any of our much-needed revenue for canvassers or other
organized effort to collect money.
IIOSPIT.*4L FOR$CK CHILDREN
67 C(1LLEGE STREET, 'iORONT
PROFESSIONAL CARDS
Medical
u
SEAFORTH CLINIC
Dr. E. A. McMaster, M.B., Gradu-
ate of University of Toronto.
J. D. Colquh'o'un, M.D., C.M.; Grad -
u
ate of 'Dalhousie University,, Halifax.
The
Clinic is fully equipped with
complete and modern x-ray and other
p -to -date diagnostic and ' thereuptic
equipment.
Dr. Margaret K. Campbell, M.D.,,
L A.B
.P Sec'
m
alnst in' Diseases seasesrn
Infants and Children, wn'll be at the
Clinic last Thursday in every month:
from 3' to '6 p.m.
Dr. F. J. R. Forster, Specialist in
Diseases of. the Ear, Eye, Nose and
Throat, will be of the Clinic the first
Tuesday in every month from 4 to
6 p.m.
Free well -'baby clinic Will be held.
on the second and last" Thursday in
every month from 1 to 2 pm.
His voice rose and fell, riding the
nighty rhythm of inspired song. In
a moment be sat down, .and, holding
the lantern between his knees, open-
ed its door and felt the candle. Then
as the light streamed out upon his
hands, he ru'b'bed them a time, silent-
ly, as if washing them in the :bright
flood.
"One dollar for this little .box of
daylight," he said,
"Blind?" said the stranger as 'he
paid him thein ney,
"No," said Riggs, "only dreaming
as you are."
"Went to bed on my way home to
marry," he continued, stroking his
long white .beard, "and saw the
lights go out an' went asleep and it
hasn't come morning yet—that's what
I•believe. I went into a-lream, Think
I'm here in a shop talking .but I'm
really on time .good ship Ariel coating
home. Dreamed everything since then
--everything a man could think of.
Dreamed I came hone and found An-
nie dead, dreamed of blindness, of old
a.t;e of poverty., of eating and drinking
and sleeping and of many people who
pass like dins shadows and speak to
me—you are one of them. And
sometimes .I forget I ant dreaming
and am miserable, and then I remem-
ber and an happy. I know when the
morning conies I shall wake and
laugh at all these phantoms. And I
shall pack my things and go up on
deck, for we shall be in the harbor
probably ---ay! allay be Annie and
mother will be , waving their hands
on the dock!"
The old face had a merry :mile a-
he stroke of the morning and 511 it
had for him.
"Seems as if it had lasted a thous-
and year..," he continued, yawning
and rubbing his eyes. "But I've
dreamed the like before, and, my
God! how glad I felt when I woke in
the morning."
It grave ane an odd feeling—,this re-
markable theory of the old .man, I
thought then it would be better for
most of us if we could think all our
misery a dream and have his iaith in
the morning—that it would bring
back the things we have lost, I had
come to buy a lock for my door, but
I dost my errand and sat down by
Riggs while the stranger went away
with his lantern. -
"Y•o'n see no reality in anything 'but
happiness," I said,
"It's ai1 a means to that end," he
answered, "It is good for me, this
dream. I shall be all thehappier when
1 do wake, and I shall love Annie all
the better, I suppose."
"I wish I could take my ill luck as
a dream ,and have faith only in good
things," 3 said.
"Alt that is •good shall abide," said'
he, stroking his, white 'beard, "and all
evil shall.. vanish at the substance of
a dream. In the end the only realities
are Gad atpfl love and Heaven. To die
is just like waking up in tine morn
rig"
Btmt I know ran awake," I said.
"`You think you are -that's a part
of your dream, Sometimes I think I'm
awake -it all .seems so real .to- me. But
I have thought it .out, and I am. the
W. C. SPROAT, M.D., F.A,C.S.
Surgery
Phone 90-W. Office John St., Seaforth
DR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician
and Surgeon Late of London Hos-
pital,
ospital, London, England. Special at.
tenti'on to diseases of the ey,e, ear,
-nose ard,throat. Office and residence
behind Dominion Bank: Office Phone
No. 5; Residence Phone 104.
DR. F. J. BURROWS, Office Main
St., Seaforth, over Dominion Bank-
Hours 45 and 7 to 8 p.m. and by ap-
pointment. Residence, •Goderich St.,
two doors west of United Church..
Phone 416.
DR. F. J. R. FORSTER— Eye
Ear, Nose and Throat. Graduate in,
Medicine, University of Toronto *97.
Late Aissistant New York Ophthal-
mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's
Eye, and ;Golden Square throat liospi-
tais, London.:At Commercial Hotel,
Seaforth, third Wednesday in each
month from 1.30 p.m, to 5 p.m.
Auctioneer.
GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed
kuctioneer for the County of Huron.
arrangements can be made for Sale
Date at The Seaforth News. Charges
moderate and satisfaction guaranteed
F, W. AHRENS, Licensed Aucaict.
eer for Perth and Huron Counties.
Sales Solicited, Terms on Application,
Farm Stock, chattels and r6a1 estate
property. R. R. No, 4, Mitchell.
Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office,
WATSON & REID
REAL ESTATE
AND INSURANCE AGENCY
(Successors to James Watson)
MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT.
All kinds of Insurance risks effect-
ed at lowest rates in First -Class
Companies,
THE McKJLLOP
Muuai' Fire insurance Ce
HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont.
OFFICERS '
President, Thomas Moylan, Sea -
forth; Vice President, William Knox,
Londesboro; Secretary Treasurer, M
A. Reid, Seaforth,
AGENTS
F. McKercher, R,R.'1, Dublin; John
E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R. G.
Jarmouth, Brodhagen; James Watt,
Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine;
Wm, Yeo, Holmesville,
DIRECTORS
Alex, Broadfoot, Seaforth No, 3;
James Sholdice, Walton; Wm, Knox,
Londesboro; George Leonhardt,
Bornholm No. 1; Frank McGregor,.
Clinton No. 3; James Connolly, God-
erich; Alex McEwing, Blyth No. 1;
Thomas Moylan, Seaforth No. 5;.
Wm. R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4.
Parties desirous toeffect insurance
or transact other business, will be
promptly attended to by applications
to any of the above named officers
addressed to their respective post -
offices.
only man I meet that .knots he is
dreaming. When you do wake, in the
morning, you may .remember how you
thought you came to a certain shop
and made some words with a than as
to whether you were .both 'dreaming,
and you will laugh and tell your.
friends about it. Hold onl I feel the
ship lurching. I believe I. am :going to
wake."
He sat a moment leaning back in
his chair with closed eyes, and a sil-
ence fell upon us in the which I could
hear only the faint ticking of a gall
clock that lifted ' its face out of the
gloom 'beyond me.
"You there?" he whispered pres-
ently.
ani