Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-11-26

,'-l< ga 5 . 4 -sA-,a.'-s's-
sbi.It0 ca!e for Ter bit d fittfe grand
daughter eight years old. Tie child
went to school. so the sick woman was
absolutely alone for hours every day.
And she WAS SO feeble she could
scarcely lift herself from the bed.
Philip turned into q dark hallway
with greasy green walls; they climbed
four fights OF stairs to tiny room
at the back. The floor was bare OF
covering, aud the only furniture was
cot bed, two chairs and little stove.
There was one window, and the walls
were painted red.
The dying woman lay propped
against pillow. and her thin face
frightened as she saw Philip. No.
she wasn't lonely, and, anyway, Ella
mustn't miss her school. Oh. yes, they
were comfortable enough. Ella didn't
mind sleeping on blanket-Over there
in the corner. The rent? Why, 81 a
month. 1t was a nice room, only she
wished the sun could shine In. She
loved the sun. There were q few
weeks in June when the sun did shine
In, but June was a long way off. She
closed her eyes YEARLY and lay still.
"Well?" asked Philip.
There's nothing to say" replied
Haggleton. "She's going to die. We're
nll going to die"
"But that child-only eight years
old?"
"It's life" said HaggletOn.
The next case was farther down the
street-an Irish longshoreman about
thirty-five. who also was nearing his
end-consumption and cancer of the
throat. He had been in the hospital,
but had come home for his last days.
He wanted to he near the wife and
the kid-a little fellow Of five, playing
about, barefoot, on the cold floor.
The sick man lay IN a foul back
room where there was no window. de
knew that he was dying, but he was
happy to be home again near the vile
and the kid He was in no pain.
Haggleton beckoned the woman into
the front room and questioned her.
1t was exposure to bad weather that
had caused his sickness, not drinking.
Did she work herself? Yes; she did
cleaning.
AS they came away Haggleton dis
cussed this case. What could you ex-
pect? There must have been some
faint In him. A sound man doesn't get
cancer and consumption. He didn't;
Philip didn't. This lrlShman was evil
IDENTIFY unsound.
Haven't you any pity for an I'M
sound MANI protested Philip.
whats the Use Of pity? An I'M
sound man TX unsound. He's sure to
perish; better he should. The way to
improve the race Is TO prune away the
weak and unworthy. That's what pov-
erty does"
And the weak ought to perlsh-you
really mean that?'
Certainly. whether they're weak In
body or mind.
"My God" exclaimed Philip. That's
the most brutal talk ever heard!'
Brutal. yes, but-think 1t over. ]
say the weak and the unworthy ought
to perish. It's true when you grow
fruits. when You breed animals, isn't
It? Then why isn't 1t true II you want
to build up race Of men,"
Because" - Philip hesltated - be
cause the greatest authority In the
world Is against you"
what authority is thatT
"The authority that says. Inasmuch
ms We have done it unto the least
these my brethren, ye have done II
unto me-"
Him" grunted Haggleton and fell
into silence.
They had come to block Of better
looking tenements and made their why
to a four room fiat with signs of rel.
atlve prosperity II not of cleanliness.
This was the home Of a strong Italian
woman who supported her family by
taking in washing The mother ex-
planned that her husband had tempo
rarily abandoned her. so she had taken
two Indy bOarders.
The two lady boarders presently ap-
peared. one showing q hand bulklly
bandaged ard the other very queer
face. 1t was the girl with the band
aged hand who had stirred Philips
interest. She was clipper" at th'
gold dust factory In which Jenny
Moran worked and had contracted tu-
bereulosis OF the joints. This had
shown itself In her hand, which had
swollen to double its size and had just
been operated upon at the hospital
She unwrapped the cloth and exposed
a sickly, whitish mass with deep red
cuts where the knife had gone. The
hand looked dead and useless.
Philip whispered to Haggleton that
the doctor had told him the disease
would probably spread through the
girls body and ultimately Kill her. II
was clearly n life put in jeopardy by
a dangerous trade.
But IIaggleton's curiosity was moi
vet satisfied. He wanted to know
what was the matter with the other