Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-12-29

tor Dow DR.. smiled
I'VE have them at ali ages" Then
addressing the boy: You'll have a hoIi
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
hfty-two weeks in year, sixty working
hours In a week in round numbers.
Nearly 50,000,0C motions in a year
Then the doctor drew a mean in esti-
mating the pulse what looked like a
very neat calculation caused the doctor
toponder profoundly liza man or wom-
an had 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. whir-
ing whirling of the pulleys; the clamp,
clamp clamp of iron, smelled the oil
that creased the million bearings in
BOWS factory The impression made
by the very small boy and the ravenous
machine was not pleasant one
He was sitting alone before ruddy
hire Che was bachelor) when the calcu-
lations growing around the small boy
were broken by summons The sum-
mons was unexpected but DIR Jayne
was one of the professional men who be-
lleve they owe something to their fellows.
be accompanied his visitor to a suualid
part CT the city assembled long. dark
flight of stairs and was ushered into A
meanly furnished room. provided with
lounge and an old fashioned truck bed,
The lounge was falling apart The
truckbed had a thin straw tick on it
and ragged quilt--no blanket On the
tick lay hoy with his face to the wall
| There were foul smells in the alley
below the window The house had a
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.
| An old. old woman, with snow white
hair. eyes dnnmed with age and palsied
hands. rose from the lounge with diff
Guilty and in II voice scarcely louder
than whisper said
"lts-like- Il fever sir"
She stood beside the bed az the doctor
spoke to the hoy 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 BOWS FAC.
tory The dOta;Ir looked at him intent
ly. felt his Dnfse. then. in low. measured
tones
"A criyfel shameful crime Over
tasked murdered slow murder -mur.
dered 10y inchesr Then, turning to the
old woman, What made these marks
on his wrists and arrns?
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 himI"
WHAT Beat little fellow like that?" /
The doctor, in spite of his Familiarity
with degradation and brutality, was very I
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 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 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 I
whispered wringing her bony hands
helplessly
The doctor looked at his patient, who '
was tossing his hands and moving his {
head [
Hes Eighty all the time"
The doctor turned the torn quilt down. {
elt the boys body, his head: timed his {
'ulse-then suddenly turned to the win t
low and looked out I
When the old woman spoke to him he q
net her look with steady gaze There s
vas no slS1 of emotion. his voice was I
rifle lower perhaps.
"Do-you -think"- =
1T is very hard to determine. The r
hances are against him Have You any I
Their means than this boy supplied t
CUP |,
The old woman shook her head The {
octor made mental note Then he q
administered "a powder looked long and /
irnestly at his patient, turned and left Y
he house with preoccupied air I
He returned again at noon.
A bleary eyed wretch. with bloated
ice and stumbling gait-a creature
HON prolonged debauchery had robbed >,
all that is noble and spirited in man :.
lrched against him in the entry. :.
Are you-you the-doctor's been =,
ending my kidg''
Dir .Iayna ehovad hin, .,.;1a ..-:.l = IL