The evening world., 1889-07-15
POVERTY AND SICKNESS.
Scenes OF Misery Which Nell Nelson wit.
messed.

Scenes OF Misery Which Nell Nelson Wit
messed.
II would nave made YOU you heart ache,
reader dear, and your eyes dim. If you could
have been with us whom we entered fat "a of
Z Norfolk street.
1t was noontime. and the hot sunlight
strenmed into the little kitchen. Not q
breeze was stirring. Plas ererI were patch
ing the walls along the stairway, and the
fumes from the limo were sitting. Over
the cooking stove a saucepan of Cruel sim
mered, aud two little children under four
years stood before the hot fire and fed
themselves from long-handled pewter
spoons. Poor children. they didn't mind
the fiery heat of the stove or the enfeebling
heat of the sun, for they were
hungry, and hunger dulls the senses.
In n corner. his elbows resting on his
knees and his fnce buried in his hands sat
the neutrality-suspicious.. helpless and almost
hopeless from lll-health. At one of the open
windows, seated before the litt.e white table,
was his wife, 30 ghastly pale and so very still
that she looked as if she were dead in her
chair. There was nothing on the table but a
dish of Cruel. and the Door woman was so
weak that she could scarcely feed herself.
The thin white land that held tho spoon
trembied. and most of the liquid was spilled
before it could be carried to her mouth
My good woman" asked the doctor,
what is the matter?"
Thank you, / am all right. My baby
was born n week ago and I got up Yesterday.
To remain in that bedroom another day
would have killed me. l DO not know that |
am alive; / seem to dream, | am SO weak, and
vet | must live for the child. Her arm is
broken. We could not afford a doctor aud
the ~woman-well, she was coed to me, God
bless her. but the little arm is broken. Don't
mind me. If you can only help the child l
will be grateful"
In the crib lay frail little Annie. who came
into being on Independence Day. handi-
capped by poverty and misfortune. while
that glorious bird of freedom lowered above
her cradle. Swaddled in a piece Of coarse
unblcached muslin the wee thing rested Oh
ITS right side. Nothing was visible but the
round black head and the purplish-red face.
The eyes were tightly closed, there was silent
reprcach in every line that wrinkl, 4 the foro-
head, and the stern, almost contemptuous
EXPRESSION about the mouth seemed q mock
cry of fate.
The broken arm had been bandaged in a
careless, clumsy way that was positively
cruel No splint had been used. IL lay
between ,wo pieces of cotton batting and was
strapped to the puny, notified iody. tie
HANDBAGS winding aboat, first under the arm
and tnen around the neck. When tho dostor
unwo@ni the coarse strips the bit of humanity
was irregularly but indeIibly canned with
red and b ne lines. Nothing could lie done.
Splints had to he made. The doctor placed
his notebook unde the tiny arm, took a lead
pencil sketch of it and replaced the band
ages.
In the little ears were knotted brown
strings which were not noticed until the
babe was brought to the light.
What are they for?"I asked Of the feeble
mother
- ach Is q knot in thu devils tail, and
here ls another charm, " size said, raising the
sound arm and showing the bit OF red yarn
tied about tie little wrist, to propitiNte the
evil spirits.
- had to put them on; they can't do any