The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-01-06
Manned Youth
Is Assured
Welcome
I'll Work for Francis Day
and Night Says Mother
of Long-LOSt Son.

FRANCIS Murray, 10, In q Houston,
Texas hospital, with both hands
blown off, is assured a welcome rich
in love and tenderness by his mother,
Mrs. Margaret Murray Long, 4S4 w.
St., today.
Mother and son have been sepa-
rated since the boy was baby.
Francis did not know he had a
mother. TITS worth losing my two
hands if I've found her." he said in
a message from Texas Tuesday.
',T'll work for him day and night.
I'll do everything 1 cam said Mrs.
Long.
you see I lost him when put
him in the orphans home, when he
was a baby" she explains. II had to
work and when I went for him once,
they told me he was gone, but
would give no further information.
thought him dead. Now that
know he is alive, it will be a labor
of love, taking care of him."
No Way to Go
But Mrs. Long Is torn between
difficult circumstances. In her hum
BILE home she voices the question
over and over, How can 1 go to
him? That hospital is away off in
Texas. / haven't the money for
such long trip" She has three
small sons, and her husband, who
is Francis stepfather, is crippled.
The four need her here. Francis
needs her in that far-off hospital.
"If they will only get Francis here
to me, the rest will be easy says
Mrs. Long. Surely there will be a
way-a fund or something, that they
can draw upon to SEND him. If
they'll just get him to metz
When it was suggested that the
lad, with both hands off, might be
a great care, the mother was quick
with assurances. mo, indeed" she
declared. I'm only too glad that
it wasn't worse. Why, think. He
has his sight, and when he gets well
he can walk about, the dear lad.
Oh, it could be lots worse"
Artificial Hands
''Why some time perhaps we can
get him artificial hands," she point
ed out. There are lots Of jobs like
watching that he can get later on.
He's welcome a Thousand times.
Having him with me; making up
to him, not in money for we haven't
got that, but with love and care
that's what I want"
Francis stepfather,. who is en-
ployed at the E. c. Atkins Saw Com
pany, has never seen the boy, but
is most willing to do everything he
can for him.
1T will make my wife so happy .
he says simply. And Walter, one of
the young half brothers of Francis,
carries The Times and feels that he
can help. Francis can have half
of my room and my bed he de-
clares eagerly.
IT can't express it-only mothers
will understand, Mrs. Long said.
II want my boy. Hundreds of
nights I've Jain awake, wondering
il the poor child was somewhere in
the world, or if he. was dead and
lost to me forever. Even under the
circumstances of this terrible acct
dent finding him is more of a joy
than a sorrow--far, far more" and
the mothers face wreathed into
tenderness.
The boys history after his father
died and his mother lost track of
him, was a hectic one. Taken from
the orphans home by farmer, he
ran away. and Joined circus. From
one travelling show to another he
finally arrived at the fair conces-
sion, where some days ago he was
examining the pockets in a pair of
old -overalls. A live" torpedo,
which he touched. exploded, injur-
ing his hands so that amputation
was necessary.