Show u. u A Modern Martyr By Albert C. C CAllen Allen IT was in the little town of of-in of in the eastern part of Massachusetts The night one of those bleak raw ones known only to New England was bitter cold and the streets were deserted save one man man man-a a stranger in in that region region- who bearing in his arms a strange looking looking looking look look- ing bundle hurried along through the cold Though a stranger he seemed to know well his destination for h he passed up the road straight to the farm farmhouse farmhouse farmhouse house of Silas Bradly Depositing his bundle on the steps he pounded vigorously vigorously vigorously vigor vigor- on the door and then turned and hurried away into the darkness Silas Bradley and his wife were an aged couple who had reared a family of seven sons and daughters all of whom had married and left them They The were kind hearted old people and on discovering discovering discovering discover discover- ing that the bundle contained a wee bit bitof bitof bitof of a baby boy at once decided to keep and rear rear the tiny outcast as their own They never regretted their kindness for this wee bit of humanity came to be to their lives as the sun when it breaks through the clouds and spreads its light and warmth on a gloomy world beneath he was to lighten and gladden the hearts of this lonely old couple They chose the name of Alexander for their charge and no wish or desire of the child was allowed to pass un ungratified gratified Years flew by and the baby grew to be bea a bright and healthy boy of eighteen When he was but twelve years old he had the misfortune to lose his adopted father and a year later his other guardian guardian guardian guar guar- dian was carried to her grave After the death of his benefactors he obtained a po position in a drug store and for his fidelity and honesty was soon repaid by obtaining the position of clerk His salary was small but at the end of a few years he had saved enough to carry him through a course in college And so at atthe atthe atthe the opening of our story we find him at atthe atthe atthe the end of the fourth year of his college life in one of the largest medical schools at Philadelphia a balmy summer evening the college is ablaze with light and from out the open windows float the sweet strains of a waltz The commencement j ball is is in in full swing for it is the last day of the academic year and the college j has just turned out a number of ot young J M. M Ds who will soon start on their 1 careers in life J JAll All are light hearted and gay gay all all save j one He stands by the open door watching the merry dancers but taking J Jno no part in the festivities To be sure J he is one of the graduates but yet his h spirits do not rise to the occasion One of his fellow students walks up to him f fand and slapping him on the back exclaimed i What is the matter Wake up Alex old boy You look like a man who had i lost his last friend Come let me i introduce introduce intro intro- j d duce uce you t to 0 some 0 of f t these h ese pretty girls I s. s II i No No Fred II answered Alexander for it is he I dont don't feel exactly like dancing dancing dancing ing this evening But despite te his Fred led him across the hall and before he knew what had happened he was dancing dancing dancing ing like the rest The truth of it is that Alex is sick sick sick- love sick Yes he is in love with Gladys Clark And she well she well had she not been the first to congratulate him upon his graduation Did she not give him the sweetest smile as she shook hands with him And as he held her hand in his did she not give it just the least little bit of a squeeze And now as he dances his eyes continually continually continually con con- seek the door through which he expects her to come Tonight he must speak his mind for tomorrow he will leave for New York to take charge of the sick in intone one of the large public hospitals hospitals hospitals hos hos- and this will be his last chance to know his fate Another dance is in progress and as ashe ashe ashe he dances he sees her come through the doorway She glances roun round the room sees him and their eyes meet In that one glance he reads encouragement At last the dance is over but he has to wait for two others to pass before he has hasher hasher hasher her to himself Now is his chance so he ventures It is very close in here Wont Won't you come outside and get a little fresh air She signifies her cons consent nt and together they hey leave the room ball-room and disappear in the darkness which enshrouds the college grounds They do not i 1 until several dances have passed and when they do there is is' a visible change in the looks of both As they enter her face is flushed and a happy smile plays round the corners of her mouth while l he well her well he thinks he is the luckiest r. r fellow on earth for she has promised t tr to tobe tobe r be his wife and the day is set for Christmas t t Weeks have passed and we ve find Alexander in his new position at the L. L hospital His skill and zealous attention attention attention atten atten- tion to his patients have won for him the admiration and wishes well-wishes of all He is ready at any momet moment of the night or day to answer a call and he risks the effects of any form of disease to save the life of any unfortunate for well does he know the value of life Time never hangs heavily on the hands of him who is busy and with Alexander the months seemed as days At last December has come and one day dayas as he walks rapidly up the steps of the hospital he repeats to himself Only a afew afew few days more and then then But his reverie is broken by one of the attendants attendants atten atten- with with Doctor there is a woman in room 35 with a sick child and I was told to ask you to come up at once He scarcely takes time to remove his overcoat and hat before he is knocking at the door of No 35 It is opened by bythe bythe bythe the matron and he enters There on a couch lies a young child suffering from froma a severe II sore sore throat as the mother informs him He examines the child and turning to the mother asked II How Howlong Howlong Howlong long has she been this way About a week she replies A week My God Why did you not call for a doctor She has diphtheria diphtheria diphtheria theria and of the worst kind Immediate he set to work and soon had the child resting easier It was a fight for life or death but in a few days the child was out of danger It was a ahard ahard hard fight and in his zeal to win he neglected to take the proper precaution consequently a few days later he had a slight sore throat which kept getting worse and worse until finally he lie was confined to his bed A physician was called in and it was found that Alexander Alexander Alexander Alexan Alexan- der had caught the same disease which he had so nobly mastered only a few days before Christmas day The whole earth is clothed in a cape ot of glittering snow The sun shines in through a window t of the hospital and lights up uP the face of J Alexander I It t is IS four days since he was r J first confined to his bed but what a ad r. r difference those four days have ma made d e in In him As he lies there motionless with his pale face sunken and distorted with pain he looks but a shadow of his former self Suddenly he starts starts lifts lifts himself upon his elbow and listens Faintly comes comes the sound of distant church bells that that were to be his wedding bells Oh how s sweet they sound to him How beautiful does the whole world t- t seem to him as he gazes out of the i window Slowly the snow-covered snow landscape M. M fades from his sight The bare walls of y the room have disappeared and he seems to be gazing into a beautiful gar gar- den In the midst of this his garden stands Gladys crowned with flowers and radiant with love She stretches her arms toward him as if bidding him to come A fearful pain shoots through his body and he sees Gladys fading from his sight still bidding him come With a mighty effort he springs to his feet and calls II Wait love I am coming Then all is isa isi a blank i The attendant lays him bim back upon the bed and closing g his eyes she finds the physician and tells him II All All is over he is dead And so dies another martyr to the cause of Christianity May he obtain the reward in that other world which he most justly deserves |