Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-22
CHAPTER III.
THE RICH MANS CHILD

The world is very big, and contains
hundreds of millions who are strangers
to each other. Yet every now and then
this big world seems to turn small; so
many people whose acquaintance we
make turn out to be acquaintance of
our acquaintance. This concentration
of acquaintance is really one of the
marvels of social life, if one considers
the chances against it, owing to the size
and population Of the country. AS an
example of the phenomenon, which we
have all observed, William Hope was
born in Derbyshire, in a small parish
which belonged, nearly all of it, to Colo
mel Clifford; yet III that battle for food
which is, alas! the prOsaic but true his
tory OF men and nations, he entered an
Office in Yorkshire, and there made
friends with Colonel CliffOrd's son, Wal
ter, who was secretly dabbling in trade
and matrimOny under the name of Boil
ton; and this same Hope was to come
back, and to apply for place to Mr..
BARLEY; Mr.. BARLEY was brOther-in-
law to that same Colonel Clifford, though
they were at daggers drawn, the pair.
married BARLEY, aged thirty-seven.
Each had gotfxed habits, and they soon
disagreed. In two years they parted.
with plenty of bitterness, but no scan.
dial. BARLEY stood ON his rights, and
kept their one child, little Mary. He
was very fond of her, and as the moth
er saw her whenever she liked, his love
for his child rather tended to propitiate
Mrs. BARLEY, though nothing on earth
would have induced her to live with him
again.
Little Mary was two months younger
than Grace Hope, and, like her, had blue
eyes and golden hair. But what diff
ference in her condition! She had two
nurses and every luxury. Dressed like
a princess, and even when in bed SmOth-
cred IN lace; some woman's eye always
upon her, a hand always ready to keep
her from the smallest accident.
Yet all this care could not keep out
sickness. The very day that Grace Hope
began to cough and alarm her father,
Mary BARLEY flushed and paled, and
showed some signs Of feveriShneSs.
The older nurse, a yigiiant person,
told Mr.. BARLEY directly; and the doc
tor was sent for poSt-haste. He felt her
pulse, and said there was some little
fever, but no cause for anxiety. Head
ministered syrup of peoples, and little
Mary passed tranquil night.
Next day, about one in the afternoon,
she became very restless, and was re-
peatedly sick. The doctor was sentfor,
and combated the symptoms; but did
not inquire closely into the cause. Sick
ness proceeds Immediately from the
stomach; so he soOthed the stomach
with alkaline mucilaGeS, and the sick
ness abated. But next day alarming
symptoms accumulated. short breath
ing, Inability to eat, flushed face, wild
eyes. BARLEY telegraphed to tirst-rate
London physician. He came, and i'm
mediately examined the girls throat,
and shook his head then he mnttared q
fatal word-diphther1a.
They had wasted four days squirting
petty remedies at symptoms, instead of
finding the cause and attacking 1t, and
now he told them plainly he feared 1t
was too late-the fatal membrane was
| the air-paSSageS.
| BARLEY in his rage and despair would
| have driven the local doctor out of the
| house, but this the London doctor would
not allow. He even consulted him on
| the situation, now it was declared, and,
as often happens, they went in for
| heroic remedies since it was too late.
But neither powerful stimulants nor
| biting draughtS nor caustic applications
could hinder the deadly parchment from
| growing and growing.
The breath reduced to a thread, no
nourishment possible except by baths
of beef-tea, and similar enemas. Elk
haustion inevitable. Death certain.
Such was the hopeless condition OF
the rich mans child, surrounded by
nurses and physicians, when the father
of the poor mans child applied TO the
clerk Bolton for that empl0ymentW Which
meant bread for his child, and perhap.
life for her.
William Hope returned to his little
Grace with a loaf of bread he bought OF
the road with Bottoms shilling, anC
fresh milk in a soda-water bottle.
| He found her crying. She had con