The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-02-13

we nave Lueu DIT dill ages. 1u0u,
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 BOWS fac
tory could keep it up There were
fifty two weeks in year. sixty working
hours in a week in round numbers
Nearly $4,000 900 motions in year.
Then the doctor drew mean in esti-
mating the pulse what looked like a
very neat calculation caused the doctor
to ponder profoundly If man or wom
an had a 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
Ludt XII ctlSCQ UlC OOhi idE5c Ia
Dow's factory The impression made
by the very small boy and the ravenous
machine was not pleasant one.
He was sitting alone before ruddy
fire Che was bachelor) when the calcu-
lations growing around the small boy
were broken by summons. The sum-
mons was unexpected. but DR.. Jayne
zf = yt,Dh n
ieve they owe something to their fellows.
He accompanied his visitor to squalid
part of the city assembled 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 a
sound of drunken revelry in the upper
and lower rooms and in the alley.
What is the matter with himr
An old. old woman, with snow white
hair. eyes diin1ned with age and palsied
hands. rose from the lounge with diff
Guilty and in a voice scarcely louder
than whisper said
"Its-Iike- 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 Dows fac
tory The doctor looked at him intent
ly felt his pulse. then, IN low, measured
tones
IA cri1nei shameful crimel Over
tasked murdered slow murder-mur-
dered by inchesl Then, turning to the
on his wrists and armsT
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-i 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 a severe shock. He
questioned the boy closely, went to a
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 a very consider
ate, thoughtful man.
He visited the fever stricken boy early
the next morning.
"He-didnt 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
He's been ~fighty all the time"
The doctor turned the torn quilt down
felt the boy's body, his head; timed his
pulse then suddenly turned to the win
dow and looked out.
When the old woman spoke to him he
met her look with steady gaze. There
WAS rlo .rgn of enioCson, his voice was
tride lower perhaps.