The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-03-17
PEG.

he first came out Of the hospital and
began to stump about on his wooden
leg. Peg was name the boys gave
him. ..
Three years ago there was terri
BILE scourge OF yellow fever down in
Florid a-the smallest child who reads
the Times will remember about it.
Hundreds OF people died, and hun
dreds OF little children were lett father
less, and motherless, and homeless 1t
was sad Christmas time in Florida
three years ago.
Pegs father aud mother lived in
Jacksonville, right in that part OF the
city where the fever was the worst,
and, seeing their neighbors one by one
carried out and buried, they grew
frightened, for they Thought their turn
might come next. So one nj ght they
crept out OF the city, and got on a
train bound for the north-Chicago.
Peg S father was music teacher, and
he had an idea that in the great city
he had read so much about, where
there were 80 many rich people, he
would find plenty OF work. Anyway
there was no yellow fever in Chicago
and that was something. But they
had stayed in the South too long Be-
fore the train was half way to it's des-
tination they were both taken sick,
and when it was whispered about that
they had come from Jacksonville
there was panic and the train was
stopped in order that the sick ones
might be carried out.
The instinct OF self-preservation
leads people TO do selfish and cruel
things sometimes. Surely it did in this
instance, for these poor people were
left alone by the side of the railroad
to die.
1t happened in the night, and Peg.
who was fast asleep in the corner OF
the seat with his fathers coat around
him was overlooked by the people
who were SO anxious to get his sick
parents out of their way that they
never thong hit OF the child.
The train ratified on and on until it
was morning, and then Peg woke up.
Poor little Peg, he was all alone. His
father and mother were gone. "They
got off the train in the night" some
one told him. Nobody had the heart
to tell him the truth and he wouldn't
have understood if they had, for he
was only years old. But he did un-
derstand that he was alone and that
he was hungry. So he began to cry,
just as any little boy would have done
under the same circumstances. OF
course the people were sorry for Peg,
but their fear was stronger than their
compassion and they dared not 90
near him.
The conductor got him something
to eat and told him that when they
got to Chicago he would send him to a
big house where there were a lot of
children, and Peg began to be COM
Portable, for he was only a baby, you
derstand what a sad plight he was in.
On the seat opposite to Peg lay his
fathers violin, carefully done up in it's
case. This violin had always been his
especial pride, and the little boy womb
cred how his father could have forgot
ten it. Anyway, it must not be left in
the car, ne thought, so when the train
stopped and the conductor came to
take him to his new home, Peg car
ried with him the violin, and that was
all he had in the world. 1t wasn't
much capital to begin life with in a.
great city, was it? But then, you see,
he didn't understand.
On his way from the train Peg lost
sight Of the conductor, and while run
ming about to find him he slipped and
fell. A truck was passing with a big
iron safe upon it, and one of the wheels
rolled right over poor little leg that
lay in it's way. Peg didn't remember
any more until he found himself in a
big room lying on a little white cot.
Around him were a lot of other cots,
each with a child upon it. 1t was the
chlldren's ward in a charity hospital.
Peg wondered if this was the place the
conductor had told him about, and
then he wondered what made all the
children so pale, and why they were
all in bed in the day time. Suddenly
he became conscious that his leg was
hurting dreadfuIly. He put his hand
down to see what was the matter and
found only q stump with bandage
about it. The leg was gone. Awhile
capped nurse was standing by who
CClu HILL llc llluSO Uc Uul6U.
"Where's my leg?" he asked.
'"The doctor had to cut it off, be-
cause you fell and a wagon crushed
it,"
won't they put it back On again."
asked Peg.
The nurse did not snlile-she was
too sorry for her poor. little patient
to do that, but she had to tell him,
"No."
"But how can I walk?' asked the
little fellow, pitifully.
. "You will have a nice wooden leg,"
said the nurse. NOf course, it won't
be quite like O. real one but you can
walk, and now you mustn't talk any
more. Hero is nice bowl of broth
for you, and then you must takeyour
medicine &nd 60 to Sleep"
There were many long days in the
hospital, but at last the little boy
was allowed to get up. A wooden peg
was fastened to the stump where his
leg had been, and he learned in O. few
days to walk upon it.
4 One day the little boy heard ahand