The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-03-10


another form was caught up dexterously
thirty seconds later Fl u the machine
although seemingly the same instant.
However, as the machine manipulated
thirty pieces in minute il followed, as
matter of course, that the small boy
was not singing the same piece of iron
at himself through the machine as rap
idly as appearances indicated. The small
boys eyes were never off the machine:
his hands seemed to be a part and parcel
of it. 1t made the doctor tired TO look
at him He looked at the boy machine.
or machine-boy fully ten minutes before
he discovered that the boys foot was q
part of the mechanical operation
Hands. eyes. feet-all were going-alf
on the jump.
"Curious. isn't it?
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: QUILL 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
fifty-two weeks in year, sixty working
hours in a week In round numbers.
Nearly 50,0O0,o9 motions in a 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 puileys; the clamp,
clamp. champ ssf iron: .srssslee the oil
that CREASED THE unSiIioe bearings in
Dow's factory The impression made
by slla Sery gsaf buy and the ravenous
machine was ACT s Iteasssns one
Hewas sitting alone before a ruddy
fire fhe was a bachelor) when the calcu-
lations growing around the small boy
were broken By summons. The sum-
|
was one of the professional men who be-
lieve they owe something to their fellows.
He accompanied his visitor to a squalid
part of the city, ascended a long, dark
fight of stairs, and was ushered into
meanly furnished room, provided with
lounge and an old fashioned truckbed.
The lounge was falling apart. t. 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 q
sour smell. - The walls were damp.
Wretched poverty was stamped on
everything in the rpom. there was
sound of drunken reyelry in the upper
and lower rooms and in the alley.
What is the matter with himY
An old. old woman, with snow white
hair, eyes dilnlned with age and palsied
hands. rose from the lounge with diff
Guilty. and i'll II voice scarcely louder
than whisper said
''It'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 DIR. 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 crime: shameful crimel Over
tasked-murdered-s murder-mur-
dered by inchesi' Then, turning to the
old woman. What made these marks
on his wrists and arnlsY'
{ 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 himp'
,'Whati 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 couldn't help
it, sir-i couldn
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