Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-18
CEDAR RAPIDS CHARITY.
Fellow Employees Believe in Giving
Unfortunate Lad Chance.

Unfortunate Lad Chance.
| Cedar Rapids, Dec. 1S.--Wednesday
morning things looked pretty dark for
/ Jerry Nejdi Jerry ia II years old. and
| for seventeen years has been making
( fight against adverse conditions that
would discourage a boy with less grit.
! He came to the police station and saw
! his father sentenced to an indefinite
stay at the inebriate hospital at Knox
vile. He saw his mother fined for in
toxicatior. and locked up in cell In
/ the matron's department. at the police
station. At Mercy hospital his little
brothers. II years old. was fighting
| for life against the ravages OF typhoid
fever, after having suffered from the
disease for two weeks in a squalid
room in Sixteenth avenue.
When Jerry left the police station
he was afraid to 30 back to work. His
little brother had told him how the
boys at school had tainted him be-
cause he was ragged and dirty. and
made life so miserable that he was
Obliged 20 quit school. Jerry is work
|, ing at the plant Of the J. q. Cherry
Company, and he did not know just
what his fellow workmen would say
when they heard that his father and
dhat his home was scarcely a At habi-
tation for animals. He worked thru
the day dreading the haunting re-
marks tina: he expected to hear-but
did not.
The employees at the Cherry plant.
however, are not that kind Of fellows.
They read the story in the paper of
the struggle thatSJefry had been up
against, and before the whistle blew
for work Wednesday morning they held
a little meeting At which Jerry was not
present One OF the men who knew
Jerry and knew that he had the right
kind OF stuff in him II he was given
a chance, acted as spokesman. He said
something ought to be done for Jerry,
and every man decided then and there
that something would be done.
II They passed the hat among the
workmen and among the bosses" up
in the Office. The Cherry boys Clipped
In, and every workman did likewise.
When the money was counted there
was s25 for Jerry.
But the men did not stop there. In
the afternoon committee" took Jerry
to one OF the best clothing stores IN
town and bought him new outfit.
They forgot nothing. and when he left
the store ne had new suit. new nit
tens. cap, underwear, shirts and socks.
Then they gave him some money and
!. he had bath and hair cut and put
} on HIS new clothes.
The workmen at the factory also
have some other things in view for
Jerry. They have made arrangements
to have him enter one Of the classes
being conducted In the city by the
, state agricultural college. He thereby
5 Twill learn trade and be q mechanic
) at good wages when he grows up"
One OF the men has said that If the
!. necessary arrangements can be made
e he will take Jerry into his home-a
J tgood home where there Is no drunk
j enness. no cursing and no squalor: q
] home where he will be given a clear
4 bed in which to sleep and clean whole
some food to eat. something which
Jerry has probably not enjoyed during
D his seventeen years Of life.
And in the meantime Jerry's little
: brother, who Is just now very neal
n death in Mercy hospital. IL not beint
q forgotten. Wednesday afternoon mar
e ltelept/hed Chief Of Police Burgin tina
r II the little fellow conquers the attacl
|. lof typhoid fever he wishes the chic
a to telephone him as soon as the boy Il
4 able to leave the hospital. He did no
4 say Just what he intended doing, blu
q he intimated that there will be new
v suit OF clothes an overcoat. some rev
. shoes and cap with nice warm "ea
,. tabs" waiting.
!. All OF which goes to show that Their
I. are some pretty good folks in Ceda
n Rapids.