River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-03-14

uONeu Il 10 De a Mucous QetOrmltF,
and perhaps this had helped to embit-
ter The mans spirit Poor Mrs. MILAN
had a hard time OF it often with
this cantankerous husband Of hers;
and her speech had grown very
sharp, her nature hard, through
constant collision with the man she
had married from love and pity. She
had to work to keep the home togeth-
or; and snail room though that home
consisted IF. It was often difficult to
pay the rent, So nurse made no COM
plant Of the untidy close room. but
wrapped her cloak around her. and
nOdding goodbye to jim, went forth
into the storm-driven streets again.
That very afternoon she applied to
the matron of the District Nursing So
ciety, and secured an Out-patient's let
ter for Little Bow-legs. She scarcely
thought the surgeons would attempt
to straighten such crooked limbs; but
the boy might become more content
were he once persuaded that his
burden was inevitable.
Mrs MILAN took Jim to the hospital
the next Saturday afternoon. They
found many friends in the out-patients'
w2iting-hall, and bIrs. MILAN enjoyed
a good gossip before Jim's turn came
TO enter the surgeons room. At last
the porter passed her in; and a nurse
in a whit. cap and apron came for
ward and took the letter, and after
glancing 1t it, stripped of Jim's shoes
and stock ngs and set him on chair
before the surgeon. ) few rapid ques-
tiOns were asked. and several of the
students examined the legs.
My boy, do you want your legs put
straight?' asked the surgeon at last.
''Yessir."
You are quite sure you are willing
TO bear some pain?'
'.Yessir?''
Give him ticket for the children's
ward, Smith. Next case. nurse"
Jim's heart failed him for a moment
when he found himself in the long
ward with 50 many curious eyes fixed
on him as ne walked along in his un-
calmly manner. Every one seemed
very busy; aud nurse whisked a
screen round crib and slipped Jim
into bed in no time, and then dismissed
his mother. telling her TO come again
the next afternoon. Jim pulled the
clothes over his head and cried lit
tie; but presently . baby girl in the
next crib began Growing at him, and
Jim played bo-peep with her through
the bars. Gradually he gathered cour-
age to look around. There were such
lots of pictures and toys and flowers
about in this large. bright room, that
Jim thought il must be like the fairy
palace in the book Nurse Grant had
lent him. Presently there came down
the ward a tall woman in dark dress,
but wearing a soft white cap with long
floating strings. and a dainty apron.
She had the most beautiful face Jim
had ever seen, and she was always
smiling. There We're some people who
knew Sister Mona well who said that
when she wasn't smiling her face was
the saddest face on earth. But Jim
never saw Sister without a smile: and
because of the love and compassion
which dwclt in her ewes, he always
thought she looked like the photo
graph Of the Christ which hung oppO-
site his bed. The Sister stood beside
his crib while she read his entrance
ticket; then she had look at the poor
crooked legs. She talked cheerfully
to Jim all the time, but seemed to I'M
derstand, as no one else had done,
what a grievous affection is an ever
present deformity. However. the next
day when Mrs. MILAN came. Sister
took her into her own little room and
asked her seriously to consider wheth-
er she desired her son to undergo an
operation before she came to a final
decision.
Bless me, Sister, / brought him
here for an operation. l certainly amt
a-going to take him out again. He
gave me no peace till brought him;
now here he must stop till summat's
done.
Sister turned away and went to ques-
tion Jim; but he only reiterated his
mothers statements. His one wish was
to be like other boys.
Il was Tuesday afternoon when the
celebrated surgeon, Mr. Pell Taylor,
came to make a thorough examination
of Jim. He was followed by a crowd
of students. TO whom he pointed out
the most remarkable features of the
case. He babe them notice the absence
of all signs OF ricketts,; he commented
on the strangeness of such a dcfOrmity
being inherited; and he told them that
the outside word would say osteotomy
was cruel operation. not to be I'M
dertaken merely for the cure of
defOrmitv; Yet it was at the express
WISH not only of the parent. but of the
small patient himself, that he was
about TO perform that operation. And
in conclusion lie babe the dresser of
the case make a east of the legs as they
then were, and told Sister to have Jim
IN the theater the next day at three
o'clock
After all. poor Little Bow-legs was
only child, and was very frightened
when the time for the operation drew
near. But he knew nothing about it.
He remembered waking up and feeling
very sick. and his legs panied him, and
he cried "A great deal. Then he slept
again; but when he woke, the pain
was still there. and his head ached.
and he cried again. Then Sister came
and tried 10 sOothe him. but he scarcely
Needed her till she said: Look at
your legs. Jim
He dried his eyes. aid Sister threw
of the bed-clothes- there were two
straight legs tightly baudaged up b.
tween thin wooden boards, and slung
from an iron cradle. He gazed in
amazement
That's right. dear: don't cry any
more. for yoI are no longer Little Bow
legs. Drirll some milk. and go to
sleep"
Frc the next few days Jim was very
quiet; his legs were rather painful.
aud he had to lie flat on his back
always Then gra52Ily he got more
cheerful than he had ever been IL his
life before; he chatted with the other
and played with the toys the
nurses gave him. and whenever his bed