The Republican journal., 1905-10-19
IITTLE WILLIE DOnERTY.
Does Anyone Know This Alleged Belfast
Boy Now at Good Will Farm7

Does Anyone Know TITS Aueged Belfast
Boy Now at Good Will Farm7
A knock came to the door of the poo
house in the CITY of Belfast one day
Going to the door the matron was met
by a man with a little child, perhaps
!, two wears of age, in his arms, says the
Portland Express.
twill you take my baby and keet
, him until his mother calls?'' he asked
i "When will she call?" the matron
questioned.
81 don't know" replied the man, "she
ran off some time ago and left Willie
and me alone. | haven't heard from
her since, but | thought if you would
take him here she would perhaps hear
of it and come and get him.
AS the mother-hearted matron took
the little one in her arms, he looked up
into her face and smiled such win
some smile that her heart was won at
once. EYES," she said, che may stay"
and the father left. Neither father or
mother were heard from again.
| The child was beautiful, blue eyed,
fair haired boy. He was sound physi-
cally except for lamenesS in one foot.
This was of so serious nature that
unless something could be done Willie
| AAuoU alN dyS Uc d CIlpplC.
A year or so after he was left at the
city farm, woman. one of those angels
of mercy sent out by the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union to search
out such little waits and rescue them
from the poor house, brought Willie to
the Maine General Hospital, Portland,
to see IT his foot could be operated on.
| Here he won the heart of doctors,
nurses and patients alike by his Win
some ways and by the fortitude with
which lie went through operation after
operation. Many people, including the
wives OF the surgeons who attended
him, became very fond of Willie. One
OF them used often to take him to her
home to keep him for days at a time,
dressing him in pretty white frocks
and listening with delight to his childish
prattle. He could not speak plainly.
One day ne said to her, Il want
birthday. The teacher gave me one on
a piece of paper, but lost it,
y es, dear, of course you shall have
a birthday she said, What day
would you like"
81 fink l would like George Washing
tons birthday, SO won't lose it," re-
piled the lite fellow.
Very well,' she said, ''you shall
have it." and SO Willie adopted the
22nd Of February as his birthday.
One day after he had been through
several operations he was told that he
would have to go through another.
''Must l take efer?' he said. 81 don't
like to take efer' His childish frame
shrank from the experience through
no other word of complaint passed his
lips.
He was again taken to the hospital
and placed in the mems ward, where he
became a great favorite. When they
came to ask his name for registration
he promptly replied Willie Abbott Will
cult, much to the CONSERVATION of the
lady who had taken him there.
His real name as nearly as could be
learned was Willie Doherty, but he had
adopted the names of the kind people
with whom he was boarded and of one
of the doctors, and it was long time
before he could be persuaded to drop
his self-assumed name to take his own.
Even then he chung to it with peculiar
tenacity as though his little heart were
out working for something of his very
own. He wanted to belong to some
body, and it seemed as though to give
up his adopted name would sever him
from the only tie which bound him to
the human family.
One day soon after this he said, look
ing up from his play, "When l die
want to be buried right side of Papa
! Willcutt." Poor little waif. He seem
ed to feel that to be near one who loved
him, even though in death would some
how bring comfort and kinship.
The day for the operation came and
as the doctor took him in his arms to
carry him to the operating room he
said, waving his little hand to the men
over the doctors shoulder, Good bye
boys, I'll be back in little whie'
Repeated operations under the skilled
hands of the surgeons did much for the
brave little fellow but his lameness was
of such nature that no known skill
could wholly remedy it. After the
seventh or eighth operation they agreed
that nothing more could be done and
he was dismissed from the hospital.
Willie was member of ST. Luke's
Sunday School and bright lovabe
scholar. Speaking of him Dean Yer
non said: Il always believed in Will
lie"
For the past year he has been with a
kind hearted woman in Gardiner, where
interested friends have paid his board.
He is now about 10 years old and in
September was placed at Good Will
Farm.
The many who knew Willie will re-
joice that he has at last found a perma-
nent home with love and care and will
watch his development with interest.
''He will either be very good and clever
or he will be very bad" said lady who
knew him we'll
kodoI Dyspepsia Cure