The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-08
he was an eye specialist and Trey were
trying to make him a hero.

He was an eye specialist, and they were
trying 10 make him a hero.
That evening the letters began to
come. They came from town and coun-
Cy, and most of them were from wo-
men. The letters helped to distress
Docoor Fielding, vino counted himself
a hard maoter-of-fact man. He benev-
ed IN surgery. but not in sentiment
nave a baby Of my own, and / can
understand how thankful that mother
must be for your kindness to her little
ONE wrote one woman In another
letter it said. are praying for the
blind baby" and there was an enclo-
sure Of two dollars for the Levenska
FAMILY. Some Of the letters Were from
little children. w read about the
blind baby, and We all hope you will
cure her" and three children signed
their. ncmes and the last of the names
was a merely baby scraw1.
From the number of letters arriving
by every mail the doctor learned tina
the "TlleytOwn" baby haJ become the
ONE object of public He fret
ted in his office, and wondered why This
responsibility a been put upon him.
In his u-neasdness, h e wandered over to
"Alleytown" to see If directions were
being followed.
In "Alleytown" the small wooden
house ARE huddled end TO end, two
houses ON one building lot. Ont house
houses ON ONE building lot. One house
muddy and unpaved. The rear house
meets the narrow ALLEY, and the alley
is made to do service as a street. Doc
tor Fielding picked his way along the
dismal chute Through droves of romp-
ing children.
The hot smell of boiling dinners blew
from the open doors and Windows. The
4 between the sQuatty houses was
black and cindery. Women peeked out
at him from behind the painted cur
7ains. A Thought came to him THAT
suppose the baby could see, what was
there to look at bu the u~npainted hurts
and THE dreary smoke wall of the fac
tories
He found Mrs. Levenska ON duty.
The inner room was closed and darken-
ed. She sat at the crib tanning the
baby. He gave his finger to the baby,
and talked With Mrs. Levenska a few
minutes. After all There was nothing
to he done for a while. He went back
nome to be annoyed by new letters
which called Town blessings ON him
He did not go to "Alleytown" again
until it came time for him to look at the
baby's eyes. He kiIelt eside the crib,
and put his head down close to the
baby's face. AFTER arising, he put out
Ac AHSNA NN AVN NANO O0Dy ~
ole it.
Il tell you, Mrs. LevenSka," he said,
you might leave them off for an hour
or so, but don't let amy more light into
the room. Take them off for an hour
of two tomorrow. Next day, that Tues
day. put ON aid the 'bamdages very care
fully and bring her to my office-Tues-
day, ten O'Clock.
On THE way out HE met a bearded
man i'm blue overalls talllimg to three
b~araheaded women. The man was
MaHy's father. One of THE women fol-
lowed him, hesitatingly, and asked,
"HoW'S the ba,by?"
w must wait awhile replied rhe
doctor he nodded pleasantly at the
ragged boys who jumped out of his
way, and starred ait him as he hurried
Through 'Alleybown." They observed
that he seemed to he i'm a good humor.
AS soon as he reached home he told
his wife that the baTby would be
brought over ON Tuesday.
"I've been thinking" he added, II
want ron and the matron to be here.
Surprising the baby can see we'll
enough to distinguish THE larger OBJ
JectS in the room, [ wonder if h
could tell which was which-if you and
tine matron Were here too. You under
stand that she was born blind folded,
as you might say. We cut away the
puuINuIOIu, dilu we ltCpS-l Sdy we 1IOpS
THAT the eyes are all right. It's pretty
hard to say what's going to happen.
OF course, ever if She is able to see
n Will have no impression of dis
ait first, and I'm mot sure that
SHE will be able TO distinguish one OBJ
ject from another. You have the ma
trOn come over"
From the tine doctor o
THESE words, Mrs. Fielding new that
he was confident of his case.
She and the matTOn a ait the Win
dow on Tuesday morning and waited.
The doctor had warmed them to ask mo
more questions.
why, there's a carriage" said Mrs.
Fielding.
Shes coming in a carriage" said
tine doctor. Pull down all the blinds"
At the front door he lifted the baby
from Mrs. Levenska's arms and asked,
How has she been?"
ION, still, sir"
: That's good. Now I'm going to put
her in his cha in h corner. You
three women sit ver there. Keep
away! TN take carr of her"
The shades being drawn, There was
a mild and filtered light in the little
room. Doctor Fielding put the baby in
the soft corner pocket OF a big chair,
and laid a bright colored rattle in her
lap, within easy reach. He shook his
finger at the women, and slowly I'M
wound the fbandages.
As the last one was removed, the
baby gave a shipper of pain, winAHed
2apiday, and covered her head as IL to
avoid the sudden light. She remained
crouched against the light for several
moments, and Doctor Fielding still
shook mis- finger at tire three women,
WHO sat, pale and tremulous biting
their lips.
: While the baby was thus bent for
ward, one hand was seen TO move falt-
eringfy toward the bright coaored. toy.
Then the baby o hold of il.
There was another wait in dead ST.
lsnce, and the doctor whispered, Mary,
Mary"
Tne baby slowly lifted her a to
the light, and the lids moved convul-
sively. Then there was a cry OF yearn-
ing, and the baby held both. arms to-
ward her mother.
Mrs. Levenska, unnatural mother
Che dS7 NOT rz,Sn tr h1r child SA1a