The Washington herald., 1909-08-01

at him. this will all change! Wen be
so happy"
'Yes-yes. indeed Now go 10 bed. kid
It's an all-Eight Job, Youu go2''
ITO please you, doctor-manP
That's right He kissed her and she
closed the door after him
he walked very briskly through the
Keen air. The streets were empty and
absolutely silent He seemed 10 move
through a deserted city where the foot
prints OF the extinct people stiu showed
IN the thin mud from pavement and gut
ter. A moon glowed cOldly overhead.
and the stars were faint and far Most
OF the windows were tight shut, and very
black and very still.
He buttoned up his coat. turned up his
collar, and tried 70 forget how tired he
was This he soon did by reviewing the
case Of the HiowisIs. They were q very
unfortunate family-the husband a semi
idiot a sweatshop wreck. unfit for even
trivial labor RE was blear-eyed and
frail and a-tremble, and the earth and
her people glimmered but dlmly and IN
watery flashes through his brain. But he
had good heart; he never complained.
The Oldest child-there were two-was
was still Tearing the A-B-C rudiments Ia
the typical class in the public school-a
sweet good-tempered GIRL who loved
needlework and her teschers-a sore trial
TO her mother. who sometimes beat her
unmercifully For II her mother sent her
on a simple errand that required the re-
turning OF change for a purchase the
poor, half-bTained. fat, cherub-faced lit
tie girl would come back pennlless. And
this 70 utter poverty was a terror. and
beyond endurance. The second child, also
girl, was very young. and too small to
help. Hence all the burden OF the fam
ily fell on the fat, stout-hearted mother.
She did washing-and undoubtedly con-
tlnued Il, despite incessant agony. up 10
the last hour. She was a great noble
soul. fitted out with weak flesh and bad
brain. and the world had unconsciously
made bad job worse by overwhelming
her with care and labor and pain. She
struggled down at the sea-bottom
through tons OF black ocean, and vet
through all the years never once stuck
her head above the waters-never once
got the release, the sun and wind the
glory Of vista and scenery, the health Of
the sea. But she was noble and very
great-she rarely cried out. she bore her
husband patiently. she washed vigorous
", she beat the girl only when the last
limit had been passed, she was sober. she
endured pain. Her only real 10Y was DR..
Rast He was the one human being who
was human with her-who ENCOURAGED
her, who held her UP. who sometimes put
his hand in hts pocket TO pay the grocer's
bill, who was always to be had when the
need came. AS he walked along, his
eyes clouded. He knew every fact in the
--#
to the woman.
And finally he said. though Immediate
ly afterward he hated himself for a senti-
mentalist:
These are my helpless little ones
The tenement was in a dark. blind. mis-
erable street AS he climbed five flights
OF stairs toward the cries on the ton
floor he women on each floor opened
doors and bobbed their heads out to
watch him.
''Ach. the sweet doctor" he heard sew
eraI times. but paid no attention.
The atypical child waited for him az
the top. She came forward shyly. smil.
ing sweetly, and put her hand In his. and
her arm timidly about him.
Good doctorl" she sighed happily
She didn't seem to notice the piercing
screams from the back room.
He patted her head.
And my girls all right?" he asked
softly.
Good" she said.
There He leaned and kissed her.
hts thoat thick, and pushed In to the Bat
tie.
At 6with the streets gray, the cold.
dull dawn swirling up from the river
with smells OF mixed salt-Dr. Rast walk