The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-08-17

an. Early, Professional Experience That
Was brought Hack To New York Ply
sician's Mind by the story of "a Murder
In Bowery saloon.
It's queer world, - said New
York physician rs he laid the morning
paper aside
What prompted that original ro.
mark?h asked visitor
Well, was just reading an account
of a stabbing affair and 1t suddenly oc-
Cured To me that l had known tho man
who did the killing The doctor set
tied back In his chair, and tho visitor
waited for tho story. After few mo-
ments it came.
When first began to practice, | did
an immense amount Of charity work
Every fellow does that at tho start for
experience. and later he keeps it up for
humanity's sake | had pretty good sue
cess with children and made quite a
namo down IN tho tenement Districts
and incidentally spent most of my pocket
money on my patients That was before
tho day of FREQ steriliaed milk for sick
babies and dozens of institutions for the
relief of the posr.
"One summer II woman began bring
ing n sick baby To me. A small boy,
about B years old, always came with
them and seemed to be fairly strong and
we'll, but tho baby WAS II pitiful little
thing. with IL thin, white fnee and big
blue eyes with look of pain in them
Tho 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 IL
thing like that. you know, but she never
spoke of her husband or complained, so
didn't ask any questions She brought
tho baby often, and each time it looked
moro waXon and scrawny, but | couldn't
find out that tho child had any disease,
and all the symptoms pointed to a lnck
of nourishment.
At last ono morning | said To the
mother that | believed tho baby was
starving, and that | didn't intend to
allow her to leave the office until she
had told me the truth about tho affair
Sho looked stubborn for moment and
wouldn't answer, but then the tears boz
gan To roll down her bruised, discolor-
od checks. and she confessed that she
didn't have enough food to give the bu-
by. She worked hard. but her husband
drank and took every cent sho mnde
and beat her every day into tho bnr
gain. She WAS fond of the brute in
spite of all that and told me long sto-
ry about tho heavenly nature the fel
low had before ho began to drink
Finally | told her | would give her
quart Of milk every day | wouldn't
give her tho money because didn't
covet the privilege of buying bad whis-
ky for the husband but | would pay
tho nearest milk depot to supply her
with quart day. That would feed
the baby and loave SOME for little
Joe, who didn't look quito so woll MS
he did when the two first began calling
on me. After that | didn't hear amy
moro about the ease for week or two
Then my friends turned up again The
baby looked VERSE than ever, and the
woman x fnco WAS patchwork in blue
and green but little Joe was quite rosy,
| didn't understand. The baby was in IA
for il. After | left my Office | went
down to tho milk depot. The man said
my woman had had her quart of milk
every day.
IL puzzled over the thing that night
Tho next morning tho trio were ut my
Office Tho baby's blue eyelids were
closed. and | thought ut first thut it
n1t lr.nt hmm Ind cAn.tI gai nj
flutter. | couldn't see any reason for
such II state of things, so once more
led the woman into my private Office
and shut the door. Thcn | said
Now, look here. There i mystery
about this, and you've got to tell mo
what's the matter. That babys starv
ing to death, and want 10 know what
you We done with tho milk
"Tho woman looked scared and turn
ed palo between bruises Then she gave
sort of wall and jumped up, still
holding the baby.
No. the baby didn't have the
milki' she said in frantic sort of way.
i gave it to little Joe. There wasn't
enough to feed them both, and Joe be-
gan To get sick, and loved him better
than | did the baby | aim had II crust
to eat myself, but couldn' I let Joe die.
The baby's only girl, and if she does
1.-Two she'll DO unhappy like me, and
dom love her like do Joe. ! thought
both Of them were going to die and |
couldn't 1.-Two without Joe, so | gave
him the milk and just let the baby have
little. Maybe you think amt suffer
ed watching tho baby, but couldn't
spare Joe. | couldn't. some day ho'll
be- man, and III be proud Of him. a
man can do anything, but girl would
just dowhat Ive done. Joe shan't die.
''She was screaming tho words out
and seemed almost crazy The thing
was awful. 1t made me feel hoartsck.
=" why, you idiot, | said. why
didn't you 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 1t 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
moro to the mother Sho sat down and
looked at the baby III "a quiet, stunned
way Then sho 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
II never saw them again. When
went to tho house, they had moved, and
no one seemed to know where they had
gone. Joe's the fellow who has just
murdered man III Bowery saloon.
wonder what tho girl would have been?
It's queer world. Now York Sun.