delayed. Therefore, as soon as I was outside the building I
started to run, but when I reached the corner and was just about
to step on a passing street-car a hand was laid on my arm, and I
turned to see who was seeking to detain me. It was a woman in the
most pitiable rags, and on her arm she carried a baby so thin and
pale that I could scarcely believe it lived.

One glance at the child showed me that it was on the verge of
death by starvation, and this was confirmed by the moans of the
mother, who begged me for humanity's sake to give her money with
which to provide food for the child, even though I let her,
herself, starve. You know, my dear, you never allow me to give
money to street beggars, and I remembered this, but at the same
time I remembered the patent nursing-bottle I still carried in my
pocket.

Without hesitation I drew the patent nursing-bottle from my
pocket and told the mother to allow the infant to have a
sufficient quantity of milk it contained to sustain the child's
life until she could procure other alms or other aid. With a cry
of joy the mother took the nursing-bottle and pressed it to the
poor baby's lips, and it was with great pleasure I saw the rosy
colour return to the child's cheeks. The sadness of despair that
had shadowed the mother's face also fled, and I could see that
already she was looking on life with a more optimistic view.

I verily believe the child could have absorbed the entire
contents of the bottle, but I had impressed upon the mother that
she was to give the child only sufficient to sustain life, not to
suffice it until it was grown to manhood or womanhood, and when