The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-12-16
STORY or ARCHIE
AND HIS TROUBLE
Should Touch the Hearts
Of All Boys.
THIS LONELY LITTLE FELLOW
Is Isolated From the Outside
World On Account Of
Fatal Disease.
AN APPEAL TO LOVING HEARTS

boy. He went to school, enjoyed
tops, kites, marbles, balls and other
things that other boys like. In va
! cation days he worked when he
could find "a job" to help his wild
owed mother. When he was in the
second year of his high school he
got sick. Several physicians having
failed to find out just what was the
matter with him, an interested
friend one day took him to see a
celebrated physician. The physi-
clan made the startling discovery
that Archie had leprosy, the most
loathsome, the most malignant, the
most hopeless of all diseases.
The laws of the State in which he
lived were very rigid regarding lep-
rosy and so. without goodbye to
his devoted mother and to his
friends, Archie was rushed off to
lonely place called "Leprosarium,"
provided by the State for such
cases. Here he will have to live the
rest of his life, shut out from family
and friends and the big throbbing
world in which he is so much inter-
ested. 1t was doubtless very lonely
| indeed for Archie, especially at first,
and he watched the big ships sail by
and longed to have somebody to
talk to.
A few months after Archie was
sent to this desolate place friend
from "The Mission to Lepers' went
to see him. After they had talked a
while the little fellow said, THE
hardest of all is not to be able to
write to the boys back home.
guess their mothers wouldn't want
them to be getting letters from lep-
ers. But wish could tell them
about my wireless station"
| Imagine the surprise of the Wis
itor when he discovered that Archie,
during his solitary confinement, had
constructed Il first-rate wireless tel
egraph station. OF course when the
visitor went home he saw to 1t that
Archie had what he needed to make
well did his station work that he
was one of the first wireless opera
tors in the world to pick up news
of the great Titanic disaster. The
wireless operators on the passing
ships have become greatly interest
ed in Archie and always signal to
him as they pass.
The other day the friend went to
see Archie again. He found him
eagerly watching for the base ball
score. war news or any other news
from the outside world that he
could catch through his little instru-
ment. When the visitor asked If
there was anything he needed.
Archie said. mo, | have everything
| need" And he hesitated and
stammered little, and then added,
would 1t be too much trouble for
| you 10 Senu dH OSNdsiohti sOPy
of one of the big magazines?' 1t
seems pity that the new law about
amateurs makes his wireless station
ineffective just at present.
Now if every boy in America who
hears this story will send Archie
postcard with cheering message.
Christmas would be happy indeed
for this bright but lonely boy in his
solitary prison.
If you were Archie wouldn't you
just love to have bright, beautiful
pictures and CHEEKY little messages
from other boys out in the great big
world? Send a postcard and join In
the christmas Postcard Shower"
for Archie. His address is
ARCHIE THOMAS,
Penikese Hospital, Penikese Island.
New Bedford Mass