Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-08-23
THE DOCTORS STORY
TRAGIC HISTORY or JOE, HIS MOTHER
AND THE BABY.

An Early Profesaioual Experience That
was Brought Back to . New York Phy-
sIciaa's Mind BY the Story Of Murder
In q Bowsry saloon.
"It's . queer world" said q New
York physician al he laid the morning
paper aside.
"What prompted that original re-
mark" asked q visitor.
"Well, was just reading an account
Of stabbing affair, and 1t suddenly &C.
CURED TO me that had known the man
who did the killing" The doctor set
tied back in his chair. and the visitor
waited for the story. After few mo-
ments it came.
"When | first began to practice, did
III immense amount OF charity work.
Every fellow does that at the start for
experience, and later he keeps il up for
humanity's sake l had pretty good sue
cess with children and made quite a
name down in the tenement districts
and incidentally spent most Of my pocket
money on my patients. That was before
the day Of free sterilized milk for sick
babies and dozens Of institutions for the
relief Of the poor.
lone summer % woman began bring
ing sick baby to me. a small boy
about years old, always came with
them and seemed TO be fairly strong and
well. but the baby was pitiful little
thing, with thin. white face and big
blue eyes with a look OF pain i'm them.
The woman seemed an ignorant, honest
soul and generally wore a thick, dark
veil to hide black eye or great blue
bruise. It's easy enough TO figure out
thing like that, you know, but she never
spoke Of her husband or complained, so
I didn't ask any questions. She brought
the baby often, and each time 1t looked
more waxen and scrawny, but couldn't
find out that the child had any disease.
and NIL the symptoms pointed TO lack
Of nourishment
.'At last one morning said to the
mother that I believed the baby was
starving, and that I didn't intend 10
allow her To leave the Office until she
had told me the truth about the affair.
She looked stubborn for q moment and
wouldn't answer, but then the tears be-
gan To roll down her bruised, discolor-
ed cheeks. and she confessed that she
didn't have enough food TO give the ba.
by. She worked hard. but her husband
drank and took every cent she made
and beat her every day into the bar
gain. She was fond Of the brute in
spite Of all that and told me long sto-
~ about the heavenly nature the fell
low had before he began TO drink.
Finally ted her | would give her
quart Of milk every day. 1 wouldn't
give her the money because | didn't
covet the privilege Of buying bad whis
XIV for the husband, but would pay
the nearest milk depot TO supply her
with quart day. That would feed
the baby and leave some for little
Joe. who didn't look quite so well as
he did when the two first began calling
on me. After that didn't hear any
more about the case for week or two.
Then my friends turned up again. The
baby looked worse than ever, and the
woman's face was patchwork in blue
and green but little Joe was quite rosy.
| didn't understand The baby was in
bad condition, and did what | could
for il, After l left my office | went
down TO the milk depot. The man said
my woman had had her quart Of milk
every day.
II puzzled over the thing that night.
The next morning the trio were at my
Office The baby's blue eyelids were
closed. and l thought at first that 1t
was not breathing. but found faint
fiutter. l couldn't see any reason for
such state Of things, ~ once more /
led the woman into my private Office
and shut the door. Then said:
Nov, look here. There's mystery
about this, and you've got To tell me
what's the matter That baby's starry
ing TO death, and | want to know what
you we done with the milk.
1.-The woman looked scared and turn
ed pale between bruises Then she gave
sort Of wall and jumped up, still
holding the baby.
mo. the baby didn't have the
milkr she said in frantic sort Of way.
i gave it TO little Joe. There wasn't
enough Ia feed them both, and Joe be-
gan to get sick. and | loved him better
than did the baby | amt had crust
TO eat myself. but couldn let Joe die.
The baby's only girl. and il she does
live she'll DO unhappy like me, and l
don't love her like do joe thought
both Of them were going to die, and
couldn't live without Joe, so ! gave
him the milk and just let the baby have
little. Maybe you think amt suffer
cd watching the baby. but | couldn't
spare Joe couldn't. Some day he'll
be a man, and I'll be proud of him. \
man can do anything, but girl would
Just do what I've done Joe shan't die. >
''She was screaming the words out
and seemed almost crazy The thing
was awful 1t made me feel heartsick-
why, you idiot. said, why
didn't sou tell me: I'd have looked out
for Joe too
Just then the baby opened its eyes
great. uncanny, weird eyes in the tiny
face. Ii stared at me in miserable way
that made my heart come into my
throat. Then all the light died out OF
the eyes, but they still stared
There was no use saying anything
more To the mother. She sat down and
looked at the LADY in quiet, stunned
way Then she reached out and put an
arm around little Joe and held him
tight told her would keep on pay
ing for the milk as long as she wanted
it, and she and Joe and the baby went
home
- never saw them again When l
went to the house, they had moved. and
no one seemed 10 know where they had
gone. .Joe's the fellow who has just
murdered man in Bowery saloon. !
wonder what the girl would have been3
It's queer world. New York Sun.