The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-09-23

Il ~
day from the wagon into house nea,
by. live over there in the courtyard
My child has been sick since yesterday
to you at once"
| Ihesitated somewhat; the disenchant.
ment was so great.
| The woman wiped her face with he,
blacl,ened hand.
1t was a face which already showed
many burrows caused by sorrow an6
trials.
81 should have gone for the charit,
physician she said, wearily, "but
your servant, doctor, is a child of the
shoemaker of our courtyard, and hs
has told every one that you are such q
good man. Oh, do help my little girlr
decided to go with the woman. AT
ter all, one is u man, and most of all |.
he man who has learned to do duty
So l went with her, after had gath.
cred together the necessary instruments
with pomposity which astonished and
half shamed even myself.
Across the street we took our course,
into great courtyard lying behind a
row of houses. Then she led me up
FIVE flights of stairs, each one darker
and sleeper than the last, and finally
through a badly-fitting door into lit.
tie room with slanting roof and little
windows. On miserable but neatly.
arranged bed lay a child of perhaps
fourteen months Her limbs were
fever-heated and her eyes were wander.
ing and inexpensive.
The woman bent down to the bed.
side. ''She does not know me! She
does not know mel" she moaned.
The child coughed 1t was a Group
GUS cough of the worst sort. / tore a
Leaf from my book and wrote my first
prescription as a practising physician.
TO the nearest apothecary," 1 said.
The woman looked at me, embar-
rassad.
Can take it to the one in the
Konig-strasse?" she said.
mo, no." cried; 'it requires the
greatest haste. Why will you not GO
to the apothecary in this street?"
The woman Redeemed perceptibly in
spite of the charcoal dust. Finally she
stammered: '"The apothecary in the
Konig -strasse knows me; carry coal
there, and he will, perhaps-I have no
money"
A heavy tear dropped on the paper In
her hand.
"These people who can pay no ply
sician and no druggist" said 1, angrily,
but inaudibly. took out some money
and said aloud: "There, take that and
go quickly"
The woman kissed the hand of her
child, and then, before could stop her,
she kissed mine also, and FASTENED
away. j looked around the room for a
seat A rocking chair, a red chest, an
old table, some miserable dishes on a
poor, cold oven, which occupied the
place of a hearth, comprised all the
furniture. Hanging on the wall in
corner was threadbare woolen gar
ment, and also child's cloak and lit
tie hat with ribbon around it fin
gers breadth wide; on bracket hang
ing next to the little window was a
withered myrtle tree, red geranium
and hymn book, with disgusting yell
low edges. That was everything that
the room held.
sat down beside the little girl She
was apparently we'll cared for. Her
limbs were round and pretty, her golden
halr soft and curly. She was uncon-
scious: her blue eyes stared straight
before her. as if she were looking into
the far, unknown distance The room
was cold. l went to the oven and
found only some splinters of wood.
There were so few that did not at
tempt to build fire. sat down and
waited for the woman and the medi-
cine. Ever and anon my glance would
wander around the miserable room.
Here was poor, hard working woman,
who carried charcoal on the street,
while her child lay in want and sick
ness, and yet she loved her baby ten
derly.
Suddenly the thought shot through
me that could not save the child. 1
had been called too late. / had not
resolution enough to try any doubtful,
energetic effort to save her, to snatch
her from the arms of death My heart
was heavy. sprang to the door and
listened for the footsteps of the mother.
She came finally; my reproachful look
'L'S" iti ''o"u uCdSU one. mere were
so many people in the store. A woman
like myself did not dare to press for.
ward"
An hour cf torment went by The
medicine uvailed nothing. Little Marie
could nCt swallow it. An operation on
the throat was of no use The child
died, died before my eyes on the bosom
of the mother, bowed down by her
grief.
She finally looked up in terrified
manner; tear had fallen on her hand,
but she had not wept
You are weeping, DOCTOR" she said,
softly. 'Ah, don't weep, sir; you will
stand before many sick bed as you
have stood here, where the Lord will
not help"
She looked fXedly at the little corpse
II have loved her very dearly. have
done for her what i could in poverty.
Whenever came home from my work
found her so pretty, so charming!
For hours she would lie in bed or on
the door and play with almost nothing,
and she laughed for joy when / came
home. God has taken her from me lie
loves her more than ] do, but, oh,
shall be SO lonesome"
pressed the woman's hand, but
could not speak. dropped some
money on the table, and silently went
out. At home | laid my instrument
case uway.'and sat down disneartened
| could not eat sumner want IN he'd