New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-08-17

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. .z.
"One summer woman began bring
ing sick baby to me. A small boy,
about 8 years old, always came with
them and seemed to be fairly strong and
we'll, but the baby was pitiful little
thing, with thin, white face and big
blue eyes with look of pain in them.
The woman seemed an ignorant, honest
soul and generally wore thick, dark
veil to hide black eye or great blue
bruise. It's easy enough to figure out a
thing like that, you know, but she never
spoke of her husband or complained, SO
I didn' ask any questions She brought
the baby often, and each time it looked
more waxen and scrawny, but I couldn't
find out that the child had any disease,
and all the symptoms pointed to lack
of nourishment.
cat last one morning said to the
mother that I believed the baby was
starving, and that I didn't intend to
allow her to leave the Office until she
had told me the truth about the affair.
She looked stubborn for 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-
ry about the heavenly nature the fell
low had before he began to drink.
"Finally told her I would give her
quart of milk every day. Iwouldn't
give her the money because didn't
covet the privilege Of buying bad whis-
ky for the husband, but would pay
the nearest milk depot to supply her
with a quart day. That would feed
the baby and leave some for little
Joe, who didn't look quite so we'll 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 g face was a patchwork in blue
and green, but little Joe was quite rosy.
! didn't understand. The baby was in 8
bad condition, and did what could
for it. After I left my Office went
down to the milk depot. The man sale
my woman had had her quart of mill
) every day. 5-.
i II puzzled over the thing that night
q The next morning the trio were at my
s Office. The baby's blue eyelids were
$ closed, and thought at first that i
n hutter. I couldn't see any reason 70
e such state Of things, SO once more
e led the woman into my private omc
d and shut the door. Then said:
}. "'Now, look here. There's myster,,
IL about this, and you've got to tell M
IS what's the matter. That baby's starv
r ing to death, and want to know wha
+ you've done with the milk.
j. "The woman looked scared and turn
n ed pale between bruises Then she CAV
IS q sort of vail and jumped up, stil
IS holding the baby.
y 8. No, the baby didn't have til
is milk Z she said in a frantic sort of way
s, Il gave it to little Joe: There WASH
I'd enough to feed them both, and Joe b.
D. gan to get sick, and loved him bette
or than did the baby. amt had q cru
al: to eat myself, but Icouldn' let Joe di,
d The baby's only girl, and if she do
live she'll be unhappy like me, and
don't love her like do Joe. though
Il both of them were going to die, and
= couldn't live without Joe, so ga,
him the milk and just let the baby ha,
| IA little. Maybe you think I amt SUITE
. ed watching the baby, but I couldn
spare joe. couldn't. Some day he
ilbe man, and I'll be proud Of him.
man can do anything, but agirl won
Just do what I've done. Joe shan't die
81 '.She was screaming the words o
! and seemed almost crazy. The thi1
was awful, It made me feel heartsic
! Fl se.sWhy, you idiot I said, wi
didn't you tell me? I'd have looked o
: for Joe too.
t Just then the baby opened itseyes
great, uncanny, weird eyes in the til
face. It stared at me in miserable ";
that made my heart come into =
throat. Then all the light died out
the eyes, but they still stared
s'There was no use saying anythi
more to the mother. She sat down q
looked at the baby in quiet, stunn
way. Then she reached out and put
arm around little Joe and held b
3 tight. told her I would keep on ps
I ing for the milk as long as she want
: it, and she and Joe and the baby We
. home.
: II - y
8 III 81 never saw them again Whe1
went to the house. they had moved. 9
no one seemed TO know where they }
J. tone. Joe's the fellow who has j
III murdered 9 man il Bowery saloon.
wonder what the girl would have Be
- It's 8 queer world; New York.sau'