The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-07-08


She thought abe would call frat where the ba
by lived, for she felt quite sure Of kind re-
eeptiou.
Twas joyful welcome they gave her, fol
the babys sister exclaimed:
10, here is the pleasant lady, who stopped
TO look at Patsy the other day! o, she il
coming right in here"
at is too dirty place for the like O. ye,
said Patsey's mother.
"Never mind" said our sunsbiny Mrs
B,dwin, Il felt like dropping in, and | tbo''
I would take the liberty"
"Bless ye for il am ashamed to have a
rale lady see my house Thing didn't use .o
go 40 wild me-! No indadp~ and the poor
~on~n poured her lifs's history into the stran.
gers ear.
Tears filed the loving listeners eyes and
she replied:
81 think can undertand your feelings,
my good woman. A poor, weary body must
require rest after che has been out over n
wasl tub all dav; but this smart little girl i,
wi swept the walk 40 nicely the other day
could make capital houseke-per, am sure
Won't you try il, my little girli Won't you
Hlace everything, and scrub everything up
clean, and keep mic" and tidyi Try ~ when
| call again can see how nice you 'ook here.
Wash your dear little baby brothers. face, and
brush his hair, and have his clothing clean
and shall love L. ,enl and kiss him, for lie
is bean iful baby, think.
Mrs. Baldwin called upon every family in
Howard street that afternoon. None treated
her rudely, and manv opened their hearts to
har sIah hak k.t. L.I
promised 10 follow the kind advice .he offer
ed, while her tears fell with theirs, and the
kind look and encouraging words left sun
beams ~ the cbeerless home after che had
gone.
In two or three weeks Mrs. Baldwin call.
ed again. Baby's sister bounded TO meet
her, rxclaiming with delight:
"The sweet lady has como at last she's
come at last!'
The "sweet lady" could hardly believe it
was the same place where she had called be
fore. The cobwebs had been brushed down
the oil broom instead Of doing ssrvice il
the mud puddle, bad swept and scrubbed tho
floor Everything was in ordrr. A few weeds
and common flowers formed bouquet for the
table, anil the Growing, capering baby WAS
perfectly bewitching in his wholesome clean
illness.
"Wel done, nv brave little girl! hope
you will keep on"
Keep on! Indade. an I will keep on,
nam! Father saws he won't stop away nights
as long as everything is SO nice and pleasant
here-anl my mother says she can rest a
great deal better when she comes home, and
her face looks so happy, too! o, amt it nice
to he c!ean"
Some had failed to carry out their plans Of
reform; hnt Others had succeeded, N testi-
Fl d to the delights Of a neat, orderly home
The indoent and discouraged housekcepers
W re rous,d by the g"od example of their
neigi.bors. a I'd one by one they followed suit,
until at lenlt the leaven had leavened the
wh ! lump.
Af~r two or three such friendly visits Mrs.
Ba d yin took some tracts with her They
were not ouly kindly received, but different
families mt 'og,tl.er To hear them read mot
so much for the good they might get as for
the kind lsdy's sake The tracts produc d
some q cd effects, however, AMI from time 10
time there were added 10 the various city
churches from the inhabitants Of Howard
street Of such a. shall he saw d.
i was two wears ago that Mrs. Baldwin
made her first call at tn" dirty alley an new
the walk which shortened Ibe way down is
lined with neat cottages, with A wen in the
yards, and vines curiainiug the windows-,be
homes Of s"bsr, oonI.ntcd working men and
women Mrs. Jeff'son wonders, and many
other, what can have wrought such happy
changes MIS-. Baldwin has never blazoned
her successful work abroad; 5ut she thanks
God that he made her the instTumeut Of be
ginning tb" work it, Howard street.