The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-04-27

side. The physical breakdown which
ended his life was directly due to his
efforts to help others similarly handi-
capped in life, Dr. Charles Lyman
Greene, his attending physician, said
today.
Collapses After Lecture Tour.
The exertion Of ar international
speaking tour during the war, followed
by a return to the demands of his pri-
vate business and many other inter-
ests, overtaxed his energy. Two weeks
ago he returned from lecture tour to
his home in Olivia, where he collapsed.
He was taken to St. Paul and, shortly
after entering the hospital, he was
stricken with an attack of apoplexy.
The stroke was due to his weakened
condition, DR.. Greene said.
The life story Of Michael j. Bowling
has been told in the palaces of royalty
and the homes of the poor. 1t followed
the flag of the Allied armies and
brought cheer to thousands of men
who were manned and battered in the
world conflict. It is known to thou
sands of crippled children througout
several nations and in Minneapolis Mr..
DoWling's name was perpetuated in
designating the school for handicapped
children as the Michael j. Bowling
school,
Born at Huntington, Mass.
Michael John Bowling was born at
Huntington, Mass, Feb. II, 1866. His
parents were John Jerome and Honora
Barry Bowling His mother died when
he was 10 years old. His father, being
rover by nature and carpenter by
trade, struck for the west after the
death of his wife and and soon sent for
mike" to join him at St. Louis.
Soon firing of that city he moved to
Chicago and. it was there that the
boy had an experience that was used
as a basis for Mr.. Dowling's future
code of life.
Benig ambitious, he was attending
school during the day and selling
flowers and newspapers at night, out
side McVicker's theater. One night a
luxurious carriage drew up to the en-
trance . and we'll dressed man and
woman stepped out. Young Bowling
had just one boquet left and offered it
for sale. The man peered at the flow
ers, turned to the woman and asked it
she wNuld like them. Receiving her
assent he sharply asked the young
salesman to show his hands. As, Mr..
Bowling later said, II had figured out
for myself that clean hands were an
asset in this business, and SO | was
proud to show that they were clean" !"
Aspired to Be Cowboy.
The sale was made and the youth
was privileged to pin the flowers on
with his own hands. In payment he re-
ceived S. bill and the advice Railways
keep your hands clean-clean in every
way"
In his lectures he usually smiled
broadly at this juncture and then re-
marked, "the time soons came when
the problem of keeping my hands
clean in a physical sense was nil but
there was always the other way of
keeping clean hands to be remembers
ed"
Aspiring to become cowboy, he cut
loose from his father and came to Min
nesota two years later, and until the
winter Of 1880-81, when he was IA
years old, he. worked as a farm hand
and cowherd. He got together herd
of between 500 and 600 cattle which
he was to care for during the season
at $1.50Sa head. This was his chance
to make stake. The day before he
was to turn his herd over to their re-
spective owners, Oct. IA, a rainstorm
set in which turned to sleet. The sleet
and the frozen breath of the cattle
rapidly formed a mask over their
heads which if let alone would have
suffocated them to death. But Mike"
went among them for 48 hours, knock
ing the ice from the faces of the cattle
and saved every one. Other herders
lost heavily.