Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-09-30
BOY OF q Sees CIRCUS
PARADE FOR FIRST Time
Madison Ray, Stunted by
.Hookworm, Saw First Ele-
phant From Hospital

Almost Il years ago Madison Ray was
born. away hack in the country in Gil
mer county; and yet IL was only this
week when the Hagenbeck-N Wallace
show came to Atlanta. that Madison saw
his first circus parade.
How would Il feel TO be almost OLD
enough 10 vote. and lay eyes for the
very first time I'm your life on an eie-
plant and see your first camel ana gaze
I'm awe on dozens OF other great big Wild
beasts that YOU have never heard OF De-
fore9 And how would II feel, in snort,
To see your first circus parade and near
the music and see the riders ana the
cIowns-best OF alto be struck dunno
By a sure-enough calliope?
How would il feel?
Madison Ray. almost Il years olu'
stunted by the hCokworm. fresh from
the foothills Of GiImer county, tried TO
tell Journal reporter at the Wesley
Memorial hospital Wednesday AFTERNOON
how IL feels TO see your first circus.
But Madison has never had much
s~hoolfns- and he couldn't tell all the
wonderfully new sensations he expe-
rie0ced Moreover. being just feet IL
inches high and hardly more than boy
in development. he is bashful aoout
talking. And in addition TO all this'
Madison has a cataract In each eye SO
he didn't see nearly all that there was
to he seen.
Nurses at the Wesley Memorial say
that while the parade was passing, Maol-
son stood ike one in a trance. Obvious
10 all around him but the magnificent
glorious. incredible procession OF won
ders. ,
Madison RAY. nearly q years old, IS
hardly more than a boy. For years ana
years his body has been fighting aaglnst
- - hfnn lrrT-n n
has been trins to grow, trying TO develop
But the hooSworm took all the cream
of his life. and left him only the skim
med milk. So he didn't grow much In
size. and he didn't develop into a big
raw-boned husky youth like his broth
ers- Nobody up in his neighoorhooo
knew or cared why. Madison was just a
''runt"
But Madison began to get blind Tor
some strange reason. and his parents
finally got enough money together with
,bs helm ~ friends. to send him to the
Office OF a specialist in Atlanta The spe-
cfalist saw at once that Madison had
hookworm too. so he sent him TO Yves
ley Memorial HOSPITAL That was about
the first OF this last July. Since that
time Madison has been receiving treat
ment from the specialist for the cata-
racts in his eye. and other doctors nave
been looking after the hoOkworm- his
board and keep and doctor bills are be-
ing maid by the good MethOdists OF
Georgia. for MadIson's parents are too
poor TO pay them
When Madison first came to the hos
pitaI. says DR.. George y. Mcdonald
the superintendent. he was cOlOrless. Now
there is a little rosy color in his cheeks,
and his lips are getting red He is I'M
proving all the time. The fight with the
hookworm is whipped already. And the
specialist is at the same time giving
Madison hack his sight. gradually.
Last year Wesley Memorial spent $3.50
contributed by the charitable Methodists
OF Georgia for charity work. Once year
in every Methodist church I'm the state,
on Christmas Sunday. a collection is
taken for this fund.