The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-25
JUST A LONESOME SUNDAY.
4 VISIT TO SOME HAPPY CHILDREN
MADE IT ron DREAMY.

n SurGeon-A Brighter and More CHEEKY
Lot of Youngsters Not to BE Found.
81 don't know how It is with other people,"
said the woman with the big gray eyes. but
for me Sunday has always an indefnable. I'M
explainable loneliness. Perhaps It is because
II is an idle day. or It may be that the dinner.
switched of into the lunch hour. with a cold
and insufficient tea served instead at 9 o'clock,
has something to do with 1t. However that Is,
1t ia invariably a lonesome day.
"AcoordinR Ugly when n few Sundays ago a
surgeon OF. an orthopedic hospital-a private
hospital in the suburbs OF the city endowed
BY a number OF rich and phila- thropic women
asked me TO 20 with him on his rounds l en-
brnced the opportunity to vary the monotony
OF the day and went.
II will tell you about that Sunday. We we're
met at the door by a large and comedy nurne.
who ushered us into the reception room where
there were yellow chrysanthemums in a tall
vase on a table In one corner and pinks In a
little vase on the mantelpiece. The polished
floor shone. In the centre OF II was q big rug.
There was n couch with many pillows in an
other corner and comfortable chairs scattered
promiscuously about. The air OF scrupulous
n%eatness prevailing in that room was worth
travelling some distance to see.
1.-The children are oil playing said the
nurse. Must you examine their braces to-
day?'
~ am afraid 1 must answered the sur
seon.
Then we sat down and waited while she
went upstairs to get the children ready for the
examination of their braces. I had congratu-
lated myself upon the fact that my usual Sun
day depression was conspicuousshy its abb
sence; but as l heard theiclatter of heavy little
heels above me. varied now. and again by the
clank OF a steel brace. my spirits suddenly
sank to zero.
~ am afraid l nm going to feel bad when 1
see those children l gasped. I am sorry /
came.'
The surgeon sternly fixed me with his eye.
Try not to be silly he said. and he arose as
the nurse called to us to come on upstairs.
Ascending the slippery steps. we walked
through a long. clean hall with white walls and
a polished floor. The door to the operating
room was open. The elass slab-the length
Of a child Of II. perhaps-gave me q cold and
clammy feeling which 1t was impossible to
subdue. l passed the door with a rush and
went into one of the dormitories, In the centre
Of which was n wooden table. About this
table stood four children in long flannelette
gowns, waiting for their braces to be examined,
Knowing nothing whatever about the ex-
animation OF braces. i supposed it to be at
tended by q certain amount OF pain. l was
accordingly surprised when the children clam
ored for the privilege OF being put upon the
table first. They chung to the surgeon.
Take me flrst!' cried one. and the others
echoed. Take me. take mel
He laughed. and raising the smallest child
Of the four. laid her on the table. She placed
her hands behind her head and smiled up at
him. while he unfastened the screws and took
of her braces. chatting gayly with her.
Doesn't it hurt her? l asked the nurse.
Not at ALL she answered. None OF these
children suffer-
This was a revelation. Splintered and
bandaGed and braced from the crowns OF their
heads, some Of them to the soles of their feet.
and yet not to suffer. 1 breathed a sigh OF re-
lief and watched the surgeon put the braces
back on the child. refasten them. lift her up and
stand her on the floor.
mechanical, doll. while he took a chair and
Are they eomfortabla2' he asked.
She nodded in assent.
Their you may go. he said. but she swune
bread and butter she, pouted.
another "Ths nurse IN Dr e SsTiD q w SSptton nor %he aSS oOn
appeared, took the child by tho hand and van
ished to the region of the bread and butter.
eeon. hS and f'a a f h%iieW Rsy; diabE os' Of FAD Is f left 'R his
place at the head Of one Of the little white beds
up. stretched on his back and his braces ex-
amined. "a. .
1HeTt sctWeu 10 DC very llLtl6 IndC WASH
the matter. with him.. One limb was shorter
than the other. his hip was diseased, so also
was, his spine. 1 glanced interrogatively up
He is the happiest and most cort4nted
child we have in the hospital she said, in an,
don't believe he suffers at all
II was glad of that.
How long has he been like this2' I said in
Since he was 3, she answered.
Il walked, away from the table to the win
dow and looked out, There was snow on the
ground. There were hills and a few bleak
G%nently. been like that for seven years. Wei.
she had said he was blithe and gay. he never
c0mplaIned; she believed he never suffered at
was right. II he suffered he would complain.
sorry l hadn't stayed at home.
When the surgeon put the child on the floor
e eP& In I followed 9 him. ''a'f "n'Sn "e'o Ms
ri" "Het n me help Mb} fTef 6og go hssn ! begged; .w.-
Wardly behind his back in the effort TO button
a button on his waist. dT9pped at his side. lie
'm nj fastened ratI t FIsh batf sSId ah hs' h tso to cam nv glove,
ri hold, them for YOU; he said, and he held
them as il they were china q, something and
break. That little body of his was so square,
50 cent entirely rely. different Gsn hd in share # from what i
was fastening his, clothing. to keen thinking
he doesn't suffer, he doesn't suffer. in order to
able. and his little curved spine made a cruel
hump on his back. He lifted his left foot and
placed it against his right knee. thus standing
on one foot while | dressed him. l buttoned
the buttons very carefully. but it was hardly
necessary to be so careful. There were few
spots on his body that were not protected by
splints or braces Or bandages Of some sort.
He was exceedingly particular In regard to
his clothing. it must be put on and buttoned
Just right. He %grayely gave me directions as
hands. Now and then he would hold them out
in one hand and gaze admiringly at them. 1t
had never before occurred to me that they
were particularly pretty gloves. but / have
them laid away now in the bottom drawer Of
my chiffonier for safe keeping. / finished
dressing him. nut my hands under his arms
and lifted him into a chair.
Now. said l., | will put on your Shoes
Il put on the right shoe. Its sole was Of or
dlnarv thickness. l laced 1t, tied the strings
and took UP the left one. The sole of that
sat down on the floor. put 1t on him. and COM
.nenred to lace 1t.
-" You are doing that wrong said he, lean
HLaL.a No. nd NJ AIAnlaE LLaILIl hnnlla