The evening world., 1891-08-10
DYING BY INCHES.
Nell Nelson Meets with Sad Case
on Roosevelt Street.

Nbi NBlbOn MOeJb WIN u Ddu SdSo
on Roosevelt Street.
Would you care TO SEQ the sickest and most
forlorn-looking child IN the Fourth Ward2
Then uncOrk the sympathy OF your soul and
20 to back nat on the fourth door OF No. II
Roosevelt street.
The parents Of this poor little wreck Of hu-
manlty came from Italy two years ago, and
although they are unable to speak word Of
English, some of the bright, amber-oheeked
NeapolltNn children that you viii meet by the
dozen on every landing Of the Roosevelt street
tenement win be only too happy to act as
your Interpreter.
Last Spring the children of this particular
family had the measles and all recovered but
n little sister OF three, who was left with
chronic pneumonia and an Inflammation Of
the ears, from which there is a proGuse dis
charge.
Though barely more than an infant, the
poor little creature has the wien features OF
nm old woman, and her body is so emaCiated
that She seems to be made entirely OF skin and
bones. Actually, the little limbs are not any
larger round than wax candles. The blood
seems to have stopped llowing, FOR the delicate
and mute little lips are colorlcss and the
pulsc-bcats are too feblc to be counted by an
unprofessiOnal
She breathes with one lung and the other IS
so solid that II would sink In water. The
child has the most implOring eyes you ever
saw. She is too weak 10 utter a sound, but II
you were to approach her rocking-chair bed
those wistful, thoughtful eyes would fnsten
their gaze on your face and with that conscious
tn nl,II
dron she would silently but longingly sup
plicate for pity You would not forget their
pathos or their pleading, and the pinched look
and the wastad little form would haunt your
hours OF rest and thought.
With good food and tender, careful nursing,
with proper clothing and convenient little
wagon or pcrambulatOr to get It into a clean,
pure atmosphere, this wee girl, who is dying
by inches, might be saved.
She wants the luXures Of nursery, warm
baths, tempting soups, grucls and cordals
served In courses OF a tcaspoonful at a time
and Ike II sick hNlt-drowned kitten she wants
transferring to some safe place, warmed by
| sympathy and love.
In her present condition she is sure to drag
out an existence OF misery, suffering hourly
and growing worse day by day, until hel
strength is exhausted and death claims hel
release.
II is hard TO get any OF the open-air organ
izatIOns to admit her TO their privileges. The
manager or ma,ron on the pier will look al
her iu perfect horror, draw back from IN,
small, sunkca face, shak her head and say
! q" It's no use" or al am sorry"
You can't blame them. There is no evi
dencc that the child could reach the SAM
tarlum alive. And there is no doubt but on,
could fan her little life out with palm Leaf
II your bounty Is not already taxed, cam
you go and see her?
or can't you In some way help this one o
the many baby sufferers who languish In thi
big city for Sustenance2
saturday sixty odd tots, more than hal
the entire number OF deaths, yielded up thei
little lives, and there is not an intenigen
person In town who viii believe that the,
| could not have been saved.
NELL NELSON.