MRS. H.-He was, son; and he could play the violin, too, wonderfully.

DAVID-Oh! could he? I'll soon learn to play that well. I wish I could see him just once. I never saw him, did I?

MRS. H.-No. He died in Colorado the week after you were born.

DAVID-What made him die? Did he have a lame knee, like me?

MRS. H. (Evasively)-No; he-a-he had a cough.

DAVID-Oh, I know. Whooping-cough. I've already had that. I'll bet you're glad you married him, aren't you, Mother?

MRS. H. (Hesitant, then firm)—Yes, David, I am glad.

DAVID-'Cause if you hadn't, you wouldn't have had me to take care of you after he was dead. For I am going to take care of you, Mother, after I get well. I'm lots better now, don't you think? See how much farther I can reach with my lame leg. (Moves feet under cover.) It has grown ever so much. Look, Mother.

MRS. H. (Turning her face away to conceal her tears)-Yes, dear.

DAVID-It 'll be all well after I come back from the hospital. I wonder if Uncle Watt got his money to-day? I forgot to ask him.

MRS. H. (Hastily, much moved)-Tell Mother all about the picnic, David.

DAVID-Oh, it was the grandest picnic! Better'n the Fourth of July! The boys all gave me their balloons to hold an' played close to my chair so I could watch. The balloons 'most

lifted me up. An' eat-you know yourself, Mother, I didn't want hardly any supper.

MRS. H. (Laughing)—I noticed that. DAVID-But before that a big man made a speech, an' there was the grandest music, an' then they took bunches of us through the hospital. They rolled my chair right into the elevator, an' we went up ever so fast. Oh, Mother! The halls had rubber carpets on them that just seemed to make you feel like talking in a whisper, an' the beds were so white an' clean an' had buttons to push when you wanted some one; an' the nurses were just as sweet an' quiet-just like you, Mother, only you don't wear a white apron an' aren't so young. room had a glass roof an' lots of lights an' cases full of shiny scissors an' things an' a table. Billie says that's where they'll fix my knee all good 's new. Oh, Mother, do you suppose Uncle Watt will get his money so I can go right away? (Mrs. H. staggers to her feet, unable to answer. David does not notice her emotion, however, and presently speaks drowsily.) I'm tired, Mother. If you'll bring me my violin, I'll play you the

One

piece Miss Campbell taught me this evening, and go to sleep.

(Mrs. H. brings violin, lifts David to a halfsitting posture and puts more pillows behind him, and he begins a soft, sad melody. The mother sinks to her knees at the bedside and buries her face in the counterpane. The music gets softer, the violin sinks down, the boy's eyes close. The mother raises her head and clasps her hands in silent prayer.

A familiar clatter outside rouses Mrs. H. and David with a start. Mrs. H. opens the door. Enter Billie pushing the wheel-chair.

Mrs. H.-Why, Billie! David told me you had gone to take the chair home long ago.

BILLIE. So I had. But on the way I met Uncle Watt. He was a-wavin' the evening paper like a banner and marchin' down the street like he was a whole reg'ment o' sojers. "Comp'ny, halt!" he yells when he sees me. "Right hand, salute! Amb'lance, 'bout face! March!" An' before I knew it he caught me in one hand an' the chair in the other, whirled us both around an' started us back down the street, lickety belt. I thought he was plumb crazy. 'Sonny," he shouts, "double-quick it down to Mrs. Hathaway's and tell Davie that the new hospital will open its doors to-morrer and take patients free till the beds are full. This paper says so. blind, but I read that much without my glasses under a street light." Dave, do you hear? It's a new knee for you to-morrow. I'll be here before you're awake to wheel you to the head of the line.

I'm

SCENE III: The same. Morning. David is still in bed, hidden by screen from other side of room, not from audience. Mrs. II. has arisen. Her cot is loosely spread, not made up.

Enter Mrs. H. from door C., carrying a tray with David's breakfast. A knock at door R. Mrs. H. puts tray on table and opens door. With smile and gesture and finger on lip she communicates to those outside that David is still asleep. They stop their conversation and file in silently, faces bright with excitement. Miss Campbell and Mrs. Moriarty slip into chairs near table C., Uncle Watt sits R., Billie takes his place at the wheelchair R. C. Mrs. H. Takes up tray and tiptoes around screen to surprise David. The others wait, breathless.

Something about David's appearance causes Mrs. H.'s face to change. Placing the tray on the foot of the cot, she touches his exposed hand, starts, pulls back covers, bends her ear to his breast. He is dead. She rises with hands high above her head and crashes down against screen, which falls and reveals situation to the rest. Curtain.

(As mother is speaking, father goes to shelf, picks up an almost empty whisky-bottle, drains it.) FATHER-Why, he's all right, Moll, he's all right; I got to go down-town, anyway. I think I got a chance to earn a little something to-day." MOTHER-Yes-and a lot of good it does us, Jim, you coming home so drunk on it. Why don't you buck up and quit it, Jim, and try to find some work? Maybe you could get your old job back, and we could give the children decent clothes and food at least.

FATHER-Aw, quit your jawing. I'm going down-town.

(Mother sighs heavily, wipes her eyes on the corner of her dirty apron, turns to washing; but baby cries so hard she wipes her hands on her apron and says)

MOTHER-Yes, yes, child; I'll fix your bottle for you right off.

(Picks up the bottle father empties, turns it upside down to see if it is empty, fills it with condensed milk from an old can on the shelf and water from a teakettle on the stove, looks around for a nipple, finds it on the floor, picks it up, gives it a rinse in the dish-pan, tastes it, takes baby on her lap, but baby still continues to cry. A neighbor, Mrs. Jones, walks in with a pamphlet in her hand.)

MRS. JONES-Hello, Mis' Smith! Did you get one of these here papers? How's the baby today? Looks awful sick, don't it?

MOTHER-I dun'no' what I'm goin' to do with him. I can't make out what ails him. He cried the hull night through; I hardly shet my eyes a minute. One thing, I can't find any food to agree with him. I tried that Mellin's food that Carrie Brown brought up her Tom with, but it wouldn't stay on his stomach at all, and that Eskay's food wasn't much better. I'm givin' him condensed milk now, and it's as bad as the others.

MRS. JONES-Now, Mis' Smith, you gimme that baby. I'll hold him awhile and you just go on with your washin'.

MOTHER-If you'd just as leave

MRS. JONES-O' course I had. (Talks to baby a little.) Do you know, Mis' Smith, when we lived in Slowville twelve years ago when Jim was a little baby, we had the best doctor livin' there I ever heard of; old Dr. Good, and he showed me how to fix up milk and cream and water for Joe that worked just elegant; why, that baby he fatted up so quick you wouldn't 'a' knowed him in a week's time. Lemme think. I give that receipt to Mike O'Hara's wife before we moved, so I ain't got it now; but I'll tell you what I'll do. (Rises up with baby in her arms.) I'll run right over to Pike's store and call up Dr. Post-they say he's a fine baby doctor-and find out just what that was.

MRS. SMITH-I'm mighty glad you dropped in, Mis' Jones; it's a big load off my mind. The condensed milk is 'most gone, too, so I'll start right in on what you say.

MRS. JONES-I'll come right back as soon as I've 'phoned.

(Enter Mrs. Black with a neighbor, Mrs. Yorke.) MRS. JONES-Hello Mis' Black! Jest hold this baby, will you? I got to go out and 'phone for Mis' Smith.

MRS. BLACK (Takes baby)-How is he this morning, Mis' Smith?

MRS. SMITH-Oh, about the same; don't have any luck feeding him.

MRS. BLACK-Land! Did you see that? He just put his little hand up to his ear. I bet he's got a earache. Just get your old man to blow some tobaccy smoke in his ear to-night. That 'll help it, won't it Mis' York?

MRS. YORKE-Sure; and baking a onion and putting the hot core into his ear will stop that aching quicker than scat. (Looks at baby steadily a moment.) You don't s'pose he'll rupture hisself yelling so, do you?

MRS. SMITH-Öh, my land! My land!

What 'd I do if he should?

MRS. YORKE-Now don't you worry about that, my dear. Jest call me in right away and I'll show you how to fix it up in no time. Nothin' to worry about at all.

(Mrs. Jones returns.)

MRS. SMITH-Did you get the doctor? MRS. JONES-Yes, I got him and told him about your baby, and he asked me how old is your baby and how much does it weigh; and I told him it is six months old and weighed eight pounds when it was born, but that it only weighed six now-you know that's what you told me the other day-but he said he didn't know anything about any receipt that long ago, but if your baby weighs less now than it did when it was born, something ought to be done for it. (Looks around for pamphlet.) What's become of that paper I had when I come in? That was something about babies. (All look around for it. Mrs. J. spies Jennie with it on the floor, who has just started to cut it, calls to her sharply.) Hey-Jenny! Don't cut that. I want that. Gimme it. (Takes it and reads.)

(As baby has fallen asleep, Mrs. Black lays him in his cradle and rocks him.)

MRS. JONES (Reads)-It says here "The milk must be kept clean and cold."

MRS. BLACK-Why, he'd have a stomachache sure if you gave him cold milk to drink.

MRS. YORKE-I should say that meant to keep it in a cold place between feeding times; not when you give it to the baby, Mis' Black.

MRS. JONES-"The clothing should be light in hot weather, and on very hot days only the shirt and band and napkin should be worn.'

MRS. BLACK-The idee! Baby 'd catch his death o' cold.

MRS. SMITH-I don't know about that; the little darling would be pretty comfortable, to my way of thinking.

MRS. JONES-Listen here. "If the movements are more frequent and there is vomiting or fever, stop all food at once and give only boiled cooled water and call a physician at once."

MRS. YORKE-There, Mis' Smith! Didn't I tell you last night to send for a doctor? I'll go right now and get Dr. Post if you want me to.

(Exit.)

(Mrs. Smith nods her head as though to say "All right." Mrs. Gill enters, sees all the neighbors, looks rather startled.)

MRS. GILL-What's the matter? Baby ain't worse, is he?

MRS. JONES-She's got an awful sick baby, Mis' Gill.

MRS. BLACK-Terrible sick baby.

MRS. GILL (Walks over toward_the_baby)— Land o' love! he sure does look sick. Jest look at that arm. You pore leetle mite.

MRS. BLACK--Guess he ain't for long in this world.

MRS. YORKE (Returns)—The doctor will be up right away; he was bound for this direction, anyhow.

MRS. SMITH-I feel awful nervous about having a doctor come. I never have had many of 'em in my life.

MRS. BLACK-You needn't be, Mis' Smith; they're that absent-minded about anything except their profession, they wouldn't know whether you was nervous or not to save their lives. All they'd remember was that you had a sick baby-probably wouldn't remember you at all.

MRS. JONES (Watching out the window)Here comes the doctor now. Just get a look at the automobile he come in. He must doctor the swells.

MRS. YORKE-Oh, he does.

(Doctor knocks. Mrs. Yorke answers the door.) DR. P.-Does Mrs. Smith live here? MRS. YORKE-Yes, sir; that's her right there. (Points.)

(Doctor glances around, takes in the situation, walks over to cradle, looks around; neighbors act self-conscious, giggle, etc.)

DOCTOR-Will you kindly ask your friends to leave the room?

(As neighbors go out, Mrs. Smith goes to door and says to them)

MRS. SMITH-He wants to have a good talk, you see. (Low tone) Come back when he's gone. DOCTOR-How old is baby?

MOTHER-He was born on St. Patrick's day; that makes him six months old about, and he weighs six pounds.

DOCTOR-What did he weigh when he was

born?

MOTHER-I guess about eight pounds. DOCTOR-And he weighs only six now? What have you been feeding the baby?

MOTHER-Well, I've been giving it everything under the sun, 'most, trying to find something that would agree with him. I've got some good neighbors, so I just have been doing as they said. But I guess it's no use; it's the good Lord's will to take the little angel. I nursed all my other babies, and they came up all right-red and rosylike, with cheeks that you could bleed. But there's my Jim there under the table. He was just as fat as a pumpkin until a year ago when he had a cough come to him, and it's stayed by him ever since. What do you s'pose it is? The poor boy just loafs around, and I ain't got the heart to make him work, he acts so sick; can't get him to eat anything.

DOCTOR-Well, Mrs. Smith, we will look after the baby first and then we will see about Jim. Now tell me, did you nurse your baby?

MOTHER-Yes, sir, for three weeks I nursed him, but I had to get at the wash-tub again, for my man's been drinking so much of late, he ain't helping out a bit. And then my milk left me and the baby got sick.

DOCTOR-Was your baby well until you stopped nursing him?

MOTHER-Yes; as plump as a little pig, and good, too-never a peep out of him from night to morning; but now I'm up all the hull night. Seems like I never get any sleep any more.

DOCTOR-Will you remove the baby's

clothes?

(Mother, very nervous, pulls the clothes from the baby and holds it between two dirty blankets. Doctor examines it.)

DOCTOR-Now tell me just what you fed your baby, Mrs. Smith.

MOTHER-Why, first I give him cow's milk boiled and he threw it up. Then I give him Mellin's food, and I tried pap that Mis' Jones told me about, and a sample of Eskay's food which wasn't so bad, but I didn't afford to buy it. So I gave the little mite cream off the top of the milk, but it cried and had diarrhea. Just now I'm giving it condensed milk, but it ain't agree ing with him at all, so Mis' Jones mentioned a receipt she had, the one she 'phoned you about, but if you think you know of anything better I'd be glad to try it.

DOCTOR—Yes, I think I have something better for you to use. What kind of bottles have you been using?

(Mother flourishes the whisky-bottle that she has fixed for baby.)

DOCTOR-Your baby does not need medicine, but he does need right feeding and proper With these it will have a chance to get strong and healthy again.

care.

MOTHER-No medicine? Why, land! I been giving it everything-gin for cramps, Winslow's Soothing Syrup, Save the Baby, and

DOCTOR (Interrupts)-That is just the trouble with your baby, Mrs. Smith. Everything is bad for every one. Don't take the advice of all these women. Now if you wanted your clock repaired you wouldn't take it to a blacksmith; or if you needed your shoes tapped, you wouldn't take them to a plumber, would you? You people seem to know what to do about these things. Why don't you use as good judgment about your babies? What your baby needs is right food properly prepared, baths, comfortable clothing, pure air and sunshine. You know, Mrs. Smith, every baby should be breast fed until it is nine months old. Babies thus fed have a greater chance of growing up to be strong, healthy children. If you are willing I should like to send the child-welfare nurse around to you, for she can help you about these things.

MOTHER-Child-welfare nurse. I've heard of her. You see, my sister is up-stairs maid at Vanderhuyden's on Lake Avenue, and she told me that every time their baby is sick they have a nurse for it right away, they're that particular about it, so I would kind of like to have a nurse

come in if it ain't too expensive. We people down here on Ferry Street can't afford to pay very much, you know.

DOCTOR-That will cost you nothing. MOTHER (Looking startled)-She ain't a charity nurse, is she, doctor?

DOCTOR-No, no, no; no more than your teachers are charity-workers, or your firemen are a charity. The city has a fire department to prevent destruction of property. It has public health and school nurses to prevent the destruction of human life.

MOTHER-I see. Send her around any time,

doctor.

DOCTOR-Oh, that is another of our fire departments to prevent destruction of life. MOTHER-Would you believe it! And I never heard of it before.

(Doctor leaves. Jim wanders out to see him start the car.)

MOTHER (Calls to Jim)-Jim, I guess you better go down to that place the doctor spoke about. We'll ask the nurse just where it is when she comes and you can go down there, so don't go far away.

JIM (From outside)—All right. (Neighbors return.)

NEIGHBORS-What did the doctor say? MOTHER-He said the baby don't need medicine, but some right feeding and pure air and lots of rest and quiet. He's goin' to send the child welfare nurse up here in a few minutes.

MRS. JONES-Welfare nurse? I shouldn't think you'd want no young upstart nurse comin' in to tell you what to do. She'll discombobulate your hull house.

MOTHER-She can't make it any worse.

MRS. GILL-Humph! Guess we've raised enough babies, and could tell her something instead o' her tellin' us. I raised nine of 'em, if I have only got three livin'.

MRS. YORKE-Well, the baby needs something. So let's see what this new-fangled nurse with her high-falutin' ideas will do. ALL-'Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!

I'll

MRS. BLACK-Here comes some one. bet it's her now. Look! She's got on a spick, span white dress and a sailor hat, and she's carryin' a doctor's satchel.

(Nurse knocks and enters. All stand aside with arms akimbo, in a critical attitude.

NURSE-Good morning. Does Mrs. Smith live here?

MRS. SMITH-Yes, ma'am; I'm Mrs. Smith. NURSE-Dr. Post tells me you have a sick baby here.

MRS. SMITH-Yes, nurse, my baby is awful sick, cries all the time and don't keep anything on its poor little stomach. Perhaps you'll know what to do for him. Here is the paper Dr. Post left for you.

darling?

MRS. BLACK-I'll get you some barley flour, and I have a half-dozen bottles and nipples, if they are any good for you.

NURSE-The bottles would be good, but we need new nipples for the baby.

MRS. BLACK-Well I can get them for you. (Mrs. B. leaves the room.)

NURSE (Looks at the fresh unbottled milk and reads)-"Grade A." This is the best milk you can get in town. Do you know, Mrs. Smith, that milk should be kept on ice or in the coolest place possible as soon as it is left at the house, and the top of the bottle wiped off before it is opened? (To neighbors) Did you ever try pouring milk through a filter to see how much dust there might be in it? (Nurse makes a filter with piece of paper and absorbent-cotton, and pours some milk from old milk in pail on the table through it. Neighbors crowd around to watch; the filter shows some dust and dirt.) Do you see that dust? Well, that milk is not clean, but I see it is not graded. Now that dust contains a great many germs, and would be bad for the baby, or for any one, in fact. Use nothing but the very cleanest and best of cow's milk for your babies.

MRS. JONES (To neighbors)-Who would 'a' thought of doin' that?

(Mrs. Black returns; displays bottles, barley flour, and nipples to nurse.

NURSE These will do very nicely. And now, Mrs. Smith, I need some hot water, and we will sterilize a pitcher, strainer, and these bottles, also this graduated funnel, while we cook the barley flour. (Goes to work over the stove, with Mrs. Smith near.)

MRS. GILL (To neighbors)-"Sterilize." What's that?

NURSE (Continues to work)-That means washing thoroughly with soap and water, and then boiling for five minutes. You see we must

have the baby's food very clean. And there is a difference between just clean and surgically clean. Surgically clean means killing all the germs that cause disease. Now, Mrs. Smith, do you understand how to make these feedings? (Nurse holds up a couple of the bottles filled and stopped with the absorbent cotton.) These must be kept on ice or in a very cool place and given to baby every four hours, from seven in the morning until eleven at night, and not a drop of it betweentimes, but all the boiled cooled water he wants. Keep the baby quiet and let him sleep as much as possible, although you must be sure to wake him at feeding-time; always feed him regularly. (Takes a bottle.) I'll give the baby his first feeding. It is now eleven o'clock, and the next one will come at three. Let him take it for twenty minutes, then take the bottle away, rinse both the bottle and the nipple and put the nipple in this glass of soda water; the bottle can be sterilized when you make up to-morrow's feeding. I'll run in to-morrow morning to watch you make them up. (Packs her bag ready to leave.) Remember, Mrs. Smith, always keep your baby cleanclean body, clean clothes, clean bedding, clean food; all this and a regularity in everything will result in your having a happy, healthy baby, and your work being easier for having a system to it. And now good-by. (To neighbors.) You send for me, too, if you ever need me.

MOTHER-Oh, nurse, will you please look at Jim's cough before you go? (Calls out the door to Jim.) Jim, come here.

(Jim enters, coughing.)

MOTHER-Nurse, this is my Jim. The doctor said he ought to go to the Tubercular pinchery and maybe they could help him. What do you think?

NURSE (Writes address on piece of paper)— Jim, will you meet me at this place at two o'clock this afternoon? I'll take you in to see the doctor at the dispensary.

JIM-Yes, ma'am; I'll meet you if you think they can do suthin' to help me.

NURSE Of course, we can't tell how much they can help you until they have examined you, but we will go down there and see just what they think about it.

JIM-I'll be there.

NURSE-If you will, at two o'clock. Good morning all. (Leaves.)

MRS. BLACK-She's a right smart-appearing girl, ain't she? I'd follow her advice to a T, Mis' Smith, if I were you.

MOTHER-You bet I will.

MRS. JONES-Well, I must get home and start dinner goin'. Anybody comin' along my way?

(All go out but Mrs. Gill.)

MRS. GILL-I'll run over after dinner, dearie, and help you to get some clean things together for baby. I've got the nicest pair of little blankets over home that I'll bring along, for I h'ain't a bit of need for 'em.

MOTHER-Thanks, Mis' Gill; you're an awful good neighbor. (Curtain.)

(Curtain lowered thirty seconds to show lapse of time.)