Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-06

ne discovered tnat the boys tOOC was a
part of the mechanical operation.
Hands, eyes. feet--all We're going-all
on the jump.
Curious, isn't it9'
Doctor Jayne turned to find Dow. Jr.
at his elbow
THAT boy makes 10000 movements
every day First he picks up the blank
from the tray puts it in the groove
while he removes with his other hand
the piece coming out here. If you notice
every time he reaches out his right hand
he lifts his left foot, presses this treadle
and he has to toss the piece from the
machine to the elevator.
What's his name?"
You'll have to ask him. All we
know is that he runs number eleven"
He doesn't look eleven" said the doc
tor Dow. Jr., smiled
I'VE have them at all ages" Then,
addressing the boy: You'll have holi-
day tomorrow Well shut down"
The small boy blinked both eyes and
nodded and Dow, Jr., led DR.. Jayne
through the other departments.
When the doctor returned to his Office
he tried to estimate the probable length
of time that the very small boy who
| operated number eleven in Dow's fac
tory could keep it up. There were
tifty-two weeks in year, sixty working
hours in a week in round numbers
Nearly $4,000 900 motions in year
Then the doctor drew a mean in esti-
mating the pulse what looked like
very neat calculation caused the doctor
to ponder profoundly If "A man or wom-
an had IA little rest-recreation now and
then--it wouldn't be so bad but the out
look for the small boy.was not encour-
aging.
Somehow the doctor could not dis
miss the small boy from his mind the
next day. He heard the whirling. whirl-
ing whirling of the pulleys; the clamp
clamp, clamp of iron, smelled the oil
that creased the million bearings in
Dow's factory The impression made
by the very small boy and the ravenous
machine was not a pleasant one.
He was sitting alone before ruddy
fire Che was IA bacheloN when the calcu-
Iations growing around the small boy
were broken by summons. The sum-
mons was unexpected but DR.. Jayne
was one of the professional men who be-
vethey owe something to their fellows.
He accompanied his visitor to a squalid
part OF the city assembled a long, dark
flight of stairs. and was ushered into
meanly furnished room, provided with
lounge and an old fashioned truckbed
The lounge was falling apart. The
truckbed had thin straw tick on it
and ragged quilt-no blanket. On the
tick lay boy with his face to the wall.
There were foul smells in the alley
below the window The house had
sour smell The walls were damp.
Wretched poverty was stamped on
everything in the room; there was
sound of drunken revelry in the upper
and lower rooms and in the alley.
What is the matter with him?"
An old. old woman, with snow white
hair, eyes dimmed with age and palsied
hands. rose from the lounge with diff
Guilty, and in voice scarcely louder
than whisper said:
"1t's-like-a fever, sir"
She stood beside the bed as the doctor
spoke to the boy Turn your face this
way and look at me-"
The little limp form turned slowly
over and DR.. Jayne looked down into
the bright eyes. on the burning cheeks
of the boy he had observed in Dow's fac
tory The doctor looked at him intent
ly, felt his pulse. then, in low, measured
tones:
"A crimeI shameful crime! Over
tasked-murdered-s murder-mur-
dered by inches!" Then, turning to the
old woman, What made these marks
on his wrists and arms9''
The boy turned his face away. The
old woman looked distressed. Her hands
were moving up and down her faded
gown; they caught each other and fell
helplessly away as she answered in that
loud whisper that was more effective
than any volume of sound uttered by
human lips
His father-my son--beat him!"
What! Beat little fellow like that?"
The doctor, in spite of his familiarity
with degradation and brutality, was very
angry.
"My son drinks-does nothing but
drink. These holidays. sir-people treat
him-he-gets drunk--somehow - and
scolded-scolded SO. and-l couldn't help
it, sir--l couldn't"
Her wretched gown was up at her
eyes, but the doctor was occupied with
the boy There was something here
worse than fever. The boys nervous
system had received severe shock. He
questioned the boy closely, went to
drug store near by, returned, admins
tered some Of the medicine he brought,
left instructions with the grandmother
and returned to his Office, rejecting
upon the problem of life more seriously
than he had ever done before, and he
had the reputation of very consider
ate, thoughtful man.
He visited the fever stricken boy early
the next morning.
"He-didn't sleep more-than an
hour, sir, all night" the grandmother
whispered. wringing her bony hands
helplessly.
The doctor looked at his patient. who
was tossing his hands and moving his
head.
Hes been tlighty all the time"
The doctor turned the torn quilt down,
felt the boys body, his head; timed his