The morning call., 1893-06-10
DIED, A MOTHER.
Mrs. Fisk Did Not Have a
Doctor.
HER LANDLADY'S SYMPATHY.
One of the Saddest Stories of Big
City's Casuaities-The Baby
Pining Away.

The body of Lizzie Fisk, a young and
pretty married woman, lies at the Morgue,
and her tiny infant is pining and fading
away for want of mother care.
The story of the young woman's death
seems to be one of the saddest that great
city can chronicle. Three days ago she
became mother. and by a strange lack of
human feeling on the part If her relatives
neither doctor nor experienced nurse at
tended her. As might have been ex-
pected, Mrs. Fisk's life paid the price of
this neglect
A CALL reporter who visited the scene
of her death, SCI Howard street, found the
husband stupefed and dazed with grief
and remorse, while a sister and cousin
of the deceased were weeping bitterly over
the tiny. fragile infant
"He feels it now" said one of the
women bitterly, "but it is too late"
''Were you with her when she died ?"
asked the reporter.
mo; | got here this morning to find that
the wagon had taken her to the Morgue,"
and the sister had the same story to tell.
ltappears that absolutely no preparation
had been made for the coming of the in
tdbl' 1HtN Sttlueu IO lUiDK IL was all
right, and that some one would look after
her when the time came" said the land
lady, n kind-hearted Intelligent woman.
L have often reasoned with Mrs. Fisk,
and urged her to engage a nurse or
doctor" she continued, bat the fact was,
the poor creature had no money, though
her loyalty 10 her husband prevented her
from saying So"
1t was the old story of a woman who has
married against the wishes Of her familg,
and who Will suffer any privation rather
than own that she has made IA mistake.
''She felt scared that she might die"
said one of the deceased's relations, but
she was not going to own to us that she
had not two-bit piece 10 pay doctor
with"
did not her mother come to her when
she most needed her?" was asked.
The landlady shook her head. Mrs.
Connor WAS here on Monday night and
did not mean to. ! urged and implOred
the hus band to 60 for d doctor. Later lie
went, but said that not one would come"
did you go yourself?" was asked.
u was doing my best for poor Mrs
Fisk. Early on Tuesday morning. how
ever. l rushed off half dressed to a
physician, but he fatty refused to
come. He had not been engaged, he
said. could not get soul to help TO look
after her. | did my best alone, however,
although [ have h ad no experience in such
cases. She seemed to be getting along
nicely till Thursday evening, when she
took turn for the worse"
did you send for do tor then ?'
II urged her to let me do so, but it was
always her husband she thought of and
would not hear of my doing anything until
Charlie came in. When he arrived he
did not think a doctor necessary.
Did she have absolutely n medical ad-
a ( Tor Aat Z bo
husbands Indifference.
The landlady shook her head sadly ''If
l had guessed how sick she was | would
have sent for some kiHd-hearted doctor on
my own authority" she replied. but poor
Mrs. FISK became little better that even
ing and went to sleep as usual Early on
Friday morning the husband called me up
to say she was dead. 1t was an awful
shock 10 me, and TO him, too, for the mat
ter of that; he has seemed sort of dazed
and stunned ever since"
The reporter found the husband half
asleep on a lounge in a poor. bare little
room. He was big, thick-set young man
OF about "a. His eyes we're red with weep
ing. and he seemed either too sleepy or too
daZed 10 hold any articulate conversation.
When the tiny baby. however, was
brought 10 him to say gOod-by he stroked
its head and kissed it teuderly. Then he
buried his head in the pillow and was soon
sound asleep.
We are sending the child to Mrs. Con-
nor. Lizze's mother" said one of the rela-
tions. 1T is her duty TO look after it. |
have large family of my own
1T is strange" she continued. "how
Lizzie loved her husband. Size would
always let on to US tnat she had not wish
unfulfled In the world. But her mother
knew better and SO did l. Why, the little
cotton frock that the baby has on gave
her, and all the other things it wears the
landIady hunted ~ after il was born"
Sad as the death of poor Mrs Fisk was.
it would have been much sadder had il
not been FIR the practical kindness and
sympathy of her landlady. Like Bret
Harte's heroine in "The Lnck Of Roaring
Camp" the poor woman would have
''clim bed the rugged path that leads to The
stars" without help or sympathy att all if
Mrs. Morris had not stepped in and rem
dered what Impractical assistance lay in
her power.
Evidently the woman who now lies at
the Morgue had been warned Cften enough
of the need for engaging a nurse or
doctor. But her family were utterly
apathetic. and her own love and prid,.
made her disguise all anxiety and pretend
that she was Al willing to trust to chance
as her husband was.