Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-10
Story 81 an Orphan.

The Butler correspondent of the
Pittsburg Times sent the following to
that paper, for Tue esdays edition:
While orphan a8ylums are usually
fruitful fields for the production Of sad
life stories, at times cases develop which
stand out prominently in earnest appeal
to the people for aid Such case can
be found at present in st. Pauls Orphan
home here.
-Four years ago last October applica-
ton was made by the Children's Aid
Society Of Allegheny county TO Rev J..
G. Prtigh, superintendent of St Pauls,
for the admission Of Melvin King, then
less than ~ years old, TO the home as a
pay child, the society agreeing 10
clothe him and contribute $40 year
to his maintenance. When the boy ar.
rived he was suffering witha complaint
known as hip disease. and his left leg
was unnaturally small and five inches
shorter than the other The little fel
low suffered untold agony day and
night 5upt Prugh, feeling that the
little life would soon leave the frail
body, and deeply touched by the suffer
ings Of his young charge gave him his
personal attention and spared no effort
4
time, under proper medical care the lad
began 10 improve in health.
Rev Prugh learning from the Aid
Society that the boy was q soldiers or
phan. set about TO secure for him the
pension Of S2 per month due the child
rem Of deceased soldiers He found that
the boys father had died about ak
years ago in the soldiers home at Day
ton, o. His name was james Leroy
King On mnlting application for the
pension, after being appointed the boys
guardian, he discovered that the moth
er Of Melvin had au application pending
for the pension She IA now Mrs Sarah
Guy, having married again. and lives
In Jeanette. Rev. Prugh then com
menced u systematic investigation into
the reason Of the mother neglect Of her
boy. who. during the four years spent
In the home here. had never rec eived
visit from her He discovered il iB al
legged, that MIRA King had deserted her
husband and child when the latter was
aix years Of aRe. and that the little Grip
pie had been public charge almost
constantly since With this inf0rma.
tion he visited Mrs Guy ut her home IN
Jeanette and informed her that he was
her sons legal guardian md that she
must cease her efforts to obtain the pen
sion due him She expressed surprise
Mt this turn Of affairs said she loved her
boy prayed for him nightly and thought
that with the money she received from
the government she could buy him
property 40 that he would have n home
Of bis own when he needed IT,
Rev. Prugh. however, insisted on his
rights. and learning that the woman
had made the application for the pen
sion through John i. Eicher a justice
Of the peace at Grecnsburg, notified
him not 70 press the claim Justice
Eicher replied that he had received no
answer from the Pension department
and did not desire to do anything 10 in
iure the boys chances The case has
been stated plainly to the department
by Rev Prugh, but he has not been able
10 get any satisfaction. He will now
place the uattcr IN the hands oi Repre-
tentative J. e ShowHltef and hive him
press the claim Rev Prugh was mn
ablc 10 give the regiment iuwhirh King
served. haying sent all his data to the
Pension department, but he is Of the
opinion that it was recruited in ALE.
gheny county.