The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-04
THE SAD STORY OF
81. JOSEPH. LARKIN.
A~PoOr Boy Turned Out of the
r; City Hospital to Starye.
Pfsifal Experience of q Lad Connected With
RObinson's Circus-Appeal for Better .
-, System Of Organized Charities.

OF all the days Of the year in which to
afouSe the charitable, feeling OF every one,
certainly the eve of Christmas, with all its
attendant preparations; would be the most
appropriate and the most suggestive. And
the following story. narrated by a young
lady Ayhe. called at'CHE CALL office for the
express phTpose of telling it, will arouse
every feeling Of kindly sympathy within
the breast of whoever reads it. She says
that every word is absolutely true, and the
events just.as they Qccarred. Her story is
told in the following language:
81 1 was walking through Jefferson Park
the day before Christmas when my atten-
ton Was arrested by the forlorn and despair
Ing expression Tn the face of Young boy
who was sitting On one of the benches. /
asked him'if i could do anything for him.
and his reply was: If you can give me
something 10 eat; am very hungry |
took him home with me and gave him A
good meel. After he had finished, in an
swer to questions which l put 10 him, he
said lie had. been a rider connected with
Reb Isou,s circgs, but that in August last
while riding, his horse had fallen on him,
breaking his arm, and that he had been taken
TO the County Hospital. He lay there un-
conscious Tor many days, and while under
going treatment his arm had been broken a
second and yet "a third time by the doctors,
in order to reset it, SO. that it Nould be
straight. When, finally, he had recovered
sufficiently to. realize nis situation he found
the circus had gone, and he was left here
W4thEHt a cent Of money or a'change Of
clothing.
Zen the 22d Of December the hospital au-
thoiIties Informed him that they could do
no more for him and that he must go, as
they were very. crowded. He left, and had
since wand cred about the city, sleeping in
dryg-Oods box on the nights OF the 22d and
I'D He Is a well-grown lad of l6 wears
6nt very thin and haggard from his long
ntinu-d sickness. His right arm and
hand are entirely helpless, although the ply
sicians told him that in course of time he
wonld recover the use OF them He has
GOOD lace, ana. appears to be an honest. nm
sophisticated boy. His first act uDon ieay-
lhB Tug hospital was to write, as best he
could, to his relatives living in Cincinnati
Hestld that when ne Joined the circus he
was 4 O. have returned in four months. but
that IN consequence OF their moving so fire.
qnrntly from place TO place he had neglect
ed to write heme, and in consequence his
family did not know where he was, He
thinks they will be able to do something for
MN as soon asthey hear from him, but the
question as to how he shall be fed aud shell
tered until he hears from them is upper
mcst IN his mind at this time.
IS family history, as he related il to me.
10 briefly as follows: His name is joseph
Larkln: Ills great-uncle, Thomas Larkin
OF Lexington, XIV, came to California in
early DAYS and died here. His father, Ed
ward Larkin, lives in Cincinnati. and he
mas an uncle named John Larkin. who lives
I'VE miles from Lexington. KY, upon whose
farm ne learned to ride and handle horses.
PUN - We simple story of this unfortunate
lad And now let me ask you some ones.
lions. There Is money enough spent in
charity in this city by indiyidnals H., an an
CARNATIONS, by the State and by the mHnici-
pal authorities to care for every honest
need that comes to light. Through whose
Iault is 1t that boy is turned out OF hos.
pital, helpless, dirty, without a cent of
money, and without even knowing The name
of living soul IN this great city? Why
arc not tile people of San Francisco smart
enough and humane enough to apply bust
ness principles to this matter of CHARITY?
why should any one pride himself upon the
doing Of a charitable act anyway? The
Christian has no more right to disregard the
command TO care for the stranger within
my gates than he has TO diSobey any other
OF the commandments.
:. t you'd seem very easy matter to
district the city, establish an Office or sta