Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-13

The folloing story from a Water
bury, Ct, paper. concerning as it does
two well-known Maine persons, will
grow more and more interesting as you
read. The absolute faith Of the kid
brother in his famous big protector
and the love and care shown by the
champion welterweight from Old
Town, whose earnestness and intensity
in mis- ring tactics has won for him
the title of wild Bill Fleming, for
his crippled brother, presents story
oftentimes read Of in fiction but less
often coming to our attention in real
life. Read it. without fearing that it
is paid matter. 1t is worth reading.
One touch of nature makes the
whole world kin and mans humanity
to man is, after alrs been said and
done, lifes sweetest blessing. Love
makes the wheels Of this old world
go round with rhythmic whirl. Most
boys notion of new suit of clothes
is one with a baseball glove thrown in.
But not so Forest Fleming, brother OF
Wild Bill" the welterweight boxer.
Forest has been a cripple for ten
years, since the age of seven, and his
sole ambition in life was to have an
operation by some able specialist who
would restore his hip and left leg to
their normal state. When Forest came
on from his little home in the quiet
village of Old Town, Maine, to raake
his home in waterbury with his dis
tinguished brother, never before had
he been outside the Pine Tree State
or looked upon elevated trains, or
great steamships, brilliantly lighted
streets and millions of peoHe in the
passing throngs.
Some day when ] can save up five
hundred dollars your ambition VIII
be realized" declared Big Bill. whose
heart interest in his little brother
comprises a sweet and wholesome in
tuence upon his daily life. And so
Wild Bill worked and saved and sac
rihced that little Spike the pal of
his bovhood days in years gone by,
might be restored to health and nor
NAL strength, to fight the battles OF
life without impeachment, with courage
and equipment for mature years when
men who fight the gamest are the
strongest, in mind and muscle.
SO, the other day, they arranged for
the great specialist in hip diseases, DR.
Frank II. Albee of New York. to eX-
anime Forest and ascertain whether
the young man could be restored to
health and brought from the ranks
of cripples toe strong, normal and
robust man. The specialist, whose re-
markable operations have restored
hundreds to health and full posses
sion of their limbs. came to Water
bury and examined Forest.
I'VE will increase the length OF his
limb from two to three inches and
as YOU or L. was the verdict Of the
great doctor. Then came the sa wings
from the bank at Old Town, five hun
dred hard earned dollars saved for
his little brother by many sacrifices
and given with a full heart. Take it
all, but bring my little Spike back
to me well and strong and able to
walk" said Wild Bill. as he turned
over the money to DR.. Albee, and then
they were ready for the operation in
the big glass rooted. brilliantly-lighted
operating room of the Post GRADUATE
Hospital, New York.
Spike" chats a pet name Big Bill
always called him), wouldn't bulge a
step unless he knew Wild Bill was
near, so the welterweight fighter oc-
cupied a chair just outside the door
and waited while the attendants and
nurses and Or. Albee arranged every
thing in readiness for the next two
hours that would mean life or DEATH
good health or perhaps a failure
through no fault Of surgical skill.
Little Spike" laughed and joked
with the nurses and attendants and
declared he wasn't a bit afraid. "Tr1
not a bit nervous" said he. Not
half as much as l am when Fred
goes into the ring for one Of his bat
ties. Say. if my middle name were
pain I'd been in heaven years
ago. Guess I've been cut open TWEEN
ty times up there in Maine. but they
didn't know how to treat it and once
they said to mother, you'd better
bring his Christmas presents in %
him tonight, cause tomorrow he
won't be here to see EN- But
lived. / pulled through all right.
You ask Fred if I didn't tell them
doctors that gave me up, I'd fool
'em. Fred told EN- ALL wouldn't
die and l didn't. Cause life was too
sweet for a youngster like me to
give up, throw in the sponge AMI
quit. / guess if my goddess had been
pain / would have been in heaven
long ago. Say. Doc, you fetch me
round all right, won't you? I've
got a mother and sisters up In Ban
gor waitin' for me and they'll be
waitin' mighty sharp and keen, Doc.
till they get the news it's over and
didn't die"
They put the ether bag over his
face as he laughed and waved his
hands and : some of the nurses
brushed away their tears. They all
took fancy to the kid" because he
seemed so different from the aver
age patient they had in there. so free
from sham and faint and his face
was so honest, his eyes SO frank and
his lips always in a. smile that meant
he loved the world, all its human be-
ings, but best of all, big, kind
hearted Bill who staked him on the
rad to happiness and then, too he