Coronado Eagle and Journal, Volume XIII, Number 35, 30 December 1924 — Five Thousand for an Ear [ARTICLE]

Five Thousand for an Ear

By ANTHONY REIMERT

(@. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.) GEO HUB, the elevator bdij at the hospital, has a very pretty car, delicately shaped, like a Kiri's. On the other side he wears bis long hair brushed low. Miss Van Uyce, the society beauty, bad shell-llke ears, like George’s. George had often seen her, tor the Van Uyce home Is not fur from the hospital. Everybody knew the beautiful Miss Van Uyce, who used to drive the powerful car. She is driving It again, by Uie way. Miss Van Uyce was brought Into the hospital unconscious. She had been doing social work, had gone into a factory, and bad a piece of her sculp (urn away by a machine to which she stood too close. The ear was missing, too. The girl was disfigured lor life. "(Jan nothing be done?" asked the distracted mother. The doctor shrugged his shoulders. The ear bud nut been found. Every one knew where It was, before they slopped the machine, but — "Unless some person would be willing to give up an ear.” “I would pay five thousand dollars!’' exclaimed the distracted mother. The beautiful Miss Van Uyce without au ear was simply unthinkable. ‘There’s George. He has ears of the exact shape.” said the nurse. Somebody broached the subject to George. ‘‘Five thousand dollars, George, and you can Wear your hair lung. It won’t matter In a man.” “Five thousand nothing I" said Georgq stoutly. “You won't eh, Oeorget Don't blame you,” said the surgeon. “Sure you cun take me ear—both ears—for her,” responded George, “but 1 won't take no money fur IL” A volunteer hod been found. The mother was strictly cautioned not to let her daughter know that It was a strange ear she would be wearing on her bead when she caine out of the ether. To her dying day Miss Van Uyce was to be Ignorant of the heroic George's sacrifice. The day came when George, feeling the ether cone upon hla nose, put bis right hand up to bis ear In last farewell. He awoke with only one ear, but so happy I Two weeks later be was running fals elevator up and down again, and his hair was growing nicely. He was the hero of the hospital. Once, on one wonderful occasion, passing the passage, he peeped into Uie room In which Miss Van Dyte sat with her head bandaged. She was In a chair, reading a novel of heroism and young love. She did nut even glance up when George passed. She was never to know anything about It George was a willing martyr. The thought that he had contributed to Miss Van Dyce's continued social career was infinitely Joyous to him. He went about In an ecstatic dream. The day came at lust when Miss Van Oyce was to leave the hospital. George had been fully Informed of the progress of the Illustrious patient. She was doing very nicely Indeed, the ear had grafted quite well and now formed an Integral part of Miss Van Dyce's physical mechanism. Best of all, the ear resembled Miss Van Dyce's private ear so closely that It wax practically Impossible to see any difference between them. Now Miss Van Dyce emerged from her room, walking a little weakly still, but radiant at the Idea of going home. With her walked her mother. The nurse pressed the elevator bell. George, below, flew up on wings. He knew that It was Miss Van Dyce, ready to depart for home. The door was opened. Miss Van Dyce and her mother stepped Into the elevator. George's hand trembled so that he could hardly pull the .rope. He shot a shy glance at his divinity, hut the divinity's eyes were upon the ground. The mother, who knew all about George, of course, and was afraid he was going to ask for the flve thousand dollars, kept her eyes on the floor of the car. George stole a look at Miss Van Dyce's head. There was his ear, her ear now, growing nicely, and looking particularly pink and shell-like. Conscious that George was looking at her ear. Miss Van Dyce looked at George's. Suddenly she screamed: “Uh. mother, take me away, take me away) That buy has only one earl It oughtn't to be allowed In a public hospital. I shall get father to write to the directors.’’