The Florida agriculturist., 1907-07-10
THE HEART OF THE WORLD

baby is! All, what trouble there is il
the wOrld!'
She seized wrap, and the two wo
men went down the walk together
At the corner they were met by boy
of perhaps a dozen years.
Some children say they met little
boy like yours goin' down TOWARD
North Beach," he said
They hurried down the hilly street
"Have you seen anything of little
boy, about four years old, playing
about here?" asked WHY'S mother o1
a home-ward bound laborer. my little
boy is lost"
"Shure, mem, now, that's very bad
an I'm sorry" the man said, hating;
''mebbe he'd be at the p'lice station?
mo, I've telephoned all the stations
Some one thought they saw him down
here. What shall [ do?"
The face of the big, rough mar
worked sympathetically.
It'll kape me eyes open ez [ &C
along home, men," he said ; ''an
mebby I'll see tn little feller. Tut
now! What if 'twore me own little
Tim? He's just four years old, the
rascal, an twad kill Z mother shure
All, but it's wearyin' and comfortin
to tn heart, mem, the children bez.' ,
The way grew more squalid as they
kept on toward the beach, On a door
step woman sat holding a little child
and looking anxiously down the street
"Have you seen a little boy?" the
older mother began, and again the
sad little tale was told.
NO." said the other woman; "but
| hope you'll find him lady. | know
how you feel Me heart is sore over
me own little Joey, here, and me man
away looking for worruk. The baby
is that sick! an Jim, the other lad
he's gone for the medicine I don't
know what's keepin' him"
LET me see the baby" and the
mother, whose little one lay dead at
home, reached out her jeweled hands.
The child was placed in her arms.
"Why, he is very i'll indeed!' she
exclaimed. The little ones face was
livid. The baby's fingers we're clutched
over each tiny thumb, and the tiny
body shivered convulsively.
WHY'S mother eyed the little form
knowingly. "The child should be put
into warm bath, at once," she saio.
The three women entered the house
and busted themselves over the sick
baby. She whose child was lost found
battered kettle and put water to
heat over the single-burner lamp The
other one dressed the little form,
while the wee sufferers mother stood
wringing her hands in helpless pain.
They worked rapidly, tenderly; but
it was nearly an hour before the ter
rible convulsions were over and the
baby resting on the bed.
God bless you, ladiesp' the poorer
woman cried, as she saw relief creep
ing over the drawn face; ''you've saved
my baby's life!'
"But oh, my own little boyr and
the other mother fastened to the door
1T is quite dark, and I do not know
where he is.'
''Sure, lady, the good God'll never
let your baby be lost!' But the two
strangers were gone.
ooh, where will he sleep tonight ~
murmured WHY'S mother. "Your boy
is safe with God, but where, where
is mine?"
Up the street an older boy. came
tearing. mamma! Mammaw he
cried, while yet afar off; "a policeman
found Willy and taken him homep'
ooh, thank Godw said she whose
child was with the All-Father-" thank
Godv' But the other could not speak
It was triumphal progress back tc
the more aristocratic quarter
"They've found yer bebby, ma am, y
a street urchin cried, who was calling
papers on the street corner. A Mexi-
can tamale vender volunteered the
i1afn Il.