Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-05-28
WHOLE NO. 1882.

Bless We for it ! am ashamed to have
rale lady see my house. Things didn't
use to 90 so wild me No indeed! And
the poor woman poured her life's history
into the stElngers ear.
Tears filed the loving listeners eyes,
and she replied:
81 think l can understand Your feel
inSs, my good woman. A poor weary
body must require rest after she has been
out over a wash-tub all day; but this
smart little girl, who swept the walk so
nicely the other day, could make a capital
housekeeper, am sure. Won't YOU try
it my little girl? Won't you place every
thing, and scrub everything up clean, and
keep clean and tidy? Try, so when IcaH
again, can say how nice you look here.
Wash your dear little baby brothers face.
and brush his hair, and have his clothing
clean, and | shall love to tend and kiss
him, for he is a beautiful baby, / think"
Mrs. Baldwin called upon every family
in Howard street that afternoon. None
treated her rudely, and many opened
their hearts to her, as the baby's mother
had done. They promised to follow the
kind advice she offered while her tears
fell with theirs, and the kind look and
encouraging words left sunbeams in the
cherries homes after she had gone.
In two or three weeks Mrs. Baldwin
called again. Baby's sister bounded to
meet her, exelaiming with delight<
:" The sweet lady has come at last! she's
come at LAST
The ''sweet LADY, could hardly believe
it was the same place where she had call
ed before. The cobwebs had been brush
ed down-the old broom instead of doing
service in the mud-puddle, had swept and
scrubbed the floor. Everything was in
order. A few weeds and common flowers
formed bouquet for the table, and the
growing, capering baby, was perfectly be-
witehing in his wholesale cleanliness
:" Well done my brave little girl. 1
hope you will keep on"
" Keep-onl lndade, an III keep on,
ma'aml Father says he won't stop away
nights, as long as everything IS so nice
and pleasant here-and my mother says
she can rest great deal better when she
comes home, and her face looks so happy,
too Oh, amt it nice to be eleani"
Some had failed to carry out their plans
of reform but Others had succeeded, and
testified to the delights of neat, orderly
home. The indolent and discouraged
housekeepers were reused by the good
example OF Lnelf nel9nDOrS, anu one Oy
one they followed suit, until at length the
leaven had leavened the whole lump.
After two or three such friendly visits,
Mrs. Baldwin took some tracts with her.
They were not only kindly received, but
different families met together to hear
them read-not so much for the good
they might get, as for the kind lady's
sake. The tracts produced good effect,
however, and from time to time there were
added to the various city churches from
the inhabitants of Howard street, Of such
as shall be saved.
1t was two years ago that Mrs. Baldwin
made her first call at the dirty alley, and
now the walk which shortened the way
down is lined with neat cottages, with
flowers in the yards, and vines curtain
ing the windOws-the homes of sober,
eontented working men and women
Mrs. Jefferson wonders, and many others,
what can have wrought such happy cham
ges. Mrs. Baldwin has never blazoned
her successful work abroad, but she
thanks God that He made her the hum
BILE instrument of beginning the work in
Howard dstreet.-1fo0re's R,Tal lNeae Yorker.