Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-04-01
Little Alice.

ting on little wee bit of chair, busily engaged
in putting her dolls hair in paper; for her doll
was going TO large party that very night and OF
course, like all fashionable ladies, she must look
like perfect fright all day. So ten great paper
horns stuck out on one side of her head, and ten
more were getting twisted upon the other, and
poor dolly looked for all the world just like an in
sane porcupine.
Now will tell you and nobody else, where Alice
lived; for this is to be ''reai true" story, and
everything happened just as / shall relate. Well
she lived in house very near Calvary Church in
New-York City, and the next time you walk that
way just look into all the windows and when you
sec little girl with large soft gray eyes, and light
curling hair, who bobs up and down the whole
time On the window seat, why-thats Alice; and
between you and ne, though she does nothing from
morning to night but scamper about and bob up
and down in the ow-seat, and wear cut ever so
many pair of Shoes she is sweet little thing, and
if you knew her you would love her dearly
When Alice had finished her dolls hair, she look
ed up at her mother who was in the room and
said:
Mamma! my child isn't tubblesome, she don't
squeal and say don't when pull her hair just
little bit Isn't she good?
Her mamma made no answer. She was so
much interested in something she was reading in
the New York Ii nes, that she did not hear the
little one speak-so Alice ran softly up, and leek-
ing in her mothers face, saw tears streaming fast
down her cheeks and dropping on the paper
"Mamma, dear littte mamma" and that was
all she said.
Well look about you, first, and see the bright
FIRE, the nice warm carpet, the thick curtains: and
all the comforts that surround you, and then listen
to me-"
In the very midst of this city there is a dread
full place called the Fve-Points, ..where great
many people live poorer, and what is worse, more
wicked than it is possible to describe-al crowded
together in damp cellars, and miserable garrets,
cold, hungry and almost naked; and among them
are ever so many poor little children, some only
fou. years DID, like you Alice, who are shiyering
with cold Low, and crying for hunger. But not a
great while ago, good man who kept Gods first
and great commandment, and loved Him with all
. lis heart and soul and mind, and by humble doing
this was enabled TO keep the second great COM
nlandment which is like unto it, ito love his neigh
bon. as himseIf-thi8 truly great and good man
went into this fearful place to live and picked mp
the po little ones out of the cutters and wretched
Loles al, having first scashed them eeaa and fed
tben he c. .ommenced to tell them of the Great God
aboye. who would love them and care for them if
=. ,Iv Ioya nd caak Him
And did they do it?" said little Alice, "and
why don't they run right out OF the dreadful place
and live with good Mr.-what did yon say his
name was, mamma ~
"His name is Mr.. Pease, said her 1notbcr,
oand great many do live with him. znd many
more want to ome but oh! ny darling. he cannot
help them all; ugd to-day, in the newspaP ers, he
hers US all to give him something for they misera
ble beings, TO morrow, which you know is Christ
mas-aud Mr.. Pea sc wants them to hav e a merf,
Christmas for once in their lives. tSow, Alies
what can you do? Perhaps there is some poor lit
tie girl whose name is Alice, like " ,urs, and whc
is four years old like Gu; is it not sad to thinE
that perhaps that little Alice is s-hV-e Rim G
s-hi-ye-rin-g in CORNER, with ne thing to eat?
The child shuddered as her m other spoke, hel
large eyes filed with taals, and the little rosy lips
trembled She looked at the W indow and Up al
the wintry sky, from which 1e lthery snow flakes
were beginning to fal, thes at the bright FIRE
aad then began softly to sDoIth down her apron
with her little fat fingers.
Mamma" at last said the soft little voice, "thai
poor little Alice must h ave some clothes" and
then locking down upon sr dress, may give her
this frock and apron, please mamma =
"You may, my dear" replied her mamma;-AL
ices face frightened, she cut little caper bali
across the room, tumbled down, scrambled up again,
and danced in Zig-zag direction back to her moth
er, and turning quickly round, and jumping up and
| down ali the time, desired her mother to unlock
her dress, which you may be sure was not done
| without difficulty although the jumping, after it
vas unlocked, helped it Of in double quick time.
"Weil now, said the mother, .'what vii! the
poor little girl do for petticoat?"
sPeEkitote :" exclaimed Alice, and she folded
her hands and put her head on one side and looked
demurely out of the cornOr OF her eyes. 'If me.
JoEy would only unbutton this pkskilote forme. ]
have three, two five more in my drawer
HGs mother smiled, and Alice jumped and sung
little song, and the pettcoat was unbuttoned and
down it fell on the carpet
What will the poor little girl do for flannel pet
ticoat," asked the mother, "you know white one
IS uot very warm
"Fannel pekkitote!" !" and Alice puckered up her
mouth as if she was going to whistle, and made
the letter A with her two fore-fngers; and looked
| through them at the fire.
Bat she could not see any petticOat there-no =
SO shaking her little curling head, she said
Take ii of, mamma, ab do"
So otf came the the flannel petticOat and then
of all the little images you ever saw Alice was the
p5ettiest and funniest, as she hOpped on one foot
to the end Of the room in her little white drawers
What did she look like? Why she lookel just
like a little fat Dutchman
The little girl will be glad to get these clothes,
Alice, but then what will she do for pantalets
know she only has few dirty rags to cover her"
But meant al the time to give her my pant
les replied Alice only was waiting for you to
ask me--thats al-cert ainly she mnst have pant
les, musn't she? She couIdt do without them
Won know, ccalj she?"
Oh" said her mother, and with glance full