The evening world., 1892-08-23

John MarkOwitz lived In rear tenement,
on the first floor counting from the top. lie
had not chosen this location because he liked
fresh air, for there was very little OF II even
under the roof, nor yet for the sake OF seclu-
sion, for that Is not to be found In any puit OF
a tenement-housc. lie lived there because
rents In the rear are sOmew what less high than
In front, and because they are progressively
less from the ground upward.
He had not always occupied this room.
Until few years ago he lived In the front
house, and only one night up. lie was
carpenter and earned lair wages. He had
wire and family and they lived very happily
together.
As the children grew up they left him one
after another Some went to other cities;
some TO that iar.ofr country IRON which none
ever return. Then John and his vile lived
alone, except for one little granddaughter, u
constant reminder IN name, in features ana
In actions OF their own youngest chlI. Last
OF all his wife, the long companion OF his
Joys and sorrows, went also, and he and little
Rachel were lett alone.
Then happened most remarkable and
most distressing thing. Markowitz 1ell victim
to a rare surgical lection " hich necessitated
he removal OF bis foot lie underwent the
operation una after . time went to work
agaln. The disease REQUIRED in the other
foot, and again he submitted to operation,
and after an interval resumed such work as
he was stilil able to do. Then followed u
series Of operations, each performed as the only
means OF prolonging his life, the last OF
which left him literally without u leg to
stand on. Both had been taken on Gloss to
the trunk The surgeons mounted him In o
kind OF chopplng bowl, and seated in
this and with the aid OF an
implement not unlike tiatiron held In either
| hand he made his way up and down stairs
| ana over the stones Of the street, as clipper
as a lark. OF course he no longer worked ut
q carpenters bench. lie had a little stand on
= corner near his homo and, seated behind
this, sold morning and evening journals,
Can:y, Cheming.gum and dime novels. lie
had smile and u good word for every pur-
chaser, and . Joke or u story for any one who
! would stop TO hear. All the LeighbOi hood
knew him and liked him. The sordidness that
comes OF grinding poverty was not 50 com.
plete in his neighbors but that any OF them
would go out OF his way or down into his
pocket (the latter, perhaps, to very little pur.
pose) TO do this crippled neighbor IL kindness
but Markowitz ana his newsstand and his
jokes have within lew days become things
OF the past. lie has gone to place where
the paving-stones are not OF granite. He has
gone where everybody is happy, as he has
always teen, where, II Is not to much to as.
sumo, he has the orthodox number OF limbs
and where, in case the walking is not good
progression may Do accomplished by means
OF wings.
Little Rachel, the grandchild, has been
taken into the family OF q kind neiIhbor. She
is not penniless She has few dollars, q
very few, left by her father but they viii
not last long, and she Is hardly old enough tc
earn more. She Is now recovering from Ill
ness, and has TO some extent been made q
beneficiary Of the Sick Babies Fund. He,
little history serves to show the misfortune:
that meet some children on the very thres
hold Of he, and 1t is entirely with unfortun
ates OF this kind that the Sick Babies Func
has to deal