The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-14
One Little Girl.


She was little girl not more than ten years
old A faded calico dress, not over-clean, pair
OF shoes, with more buttons missing than were
present, made up a by no means fashionable,
toilet. Her eyes were not Large and dark" in
fact, she was very commonplace looking little
girl. If you met her on the street, it is quite
certain that you would not look at her twice,
for in New York there are many little girls not
so clean, and with clothes more ragged than
Rosies.
She came into a courtroom in New York one
day two or three weeks since, leading by the
hand little boy with bare feet, ragged clothes,
and hat with torn crown. He was crying
very hard and once in while would say, be
tween his sobs, 81 won't do it again, Rosie, L
won't do it again" But Rosie shut her lips
tight and walked through the little iron gate,
and stood on the platform before the judge.
She was not afraid of the goodnatured looking
man who was the Judge that morning
PLEASE, Sir will you please take care OF
Johnnyl he is too much for me. l can mind the
baby all night, but Johnny runs away"
Where is your motherF said the Judge.
A crimson wave flashed over the face of the
little woman, and with eyes looking on the
ground she said;
ION the Island"
"Why9"
She got drunk
Where is your fatherF
II don't know and, please, will you take care
of Johnny"
After much questioning the story was told.
Little Rose for eight weeks had been taking
care o. baby sister eight months DID, and
Johnny.
Now, Johnny would not stay at home, and
Rose had heard that there was a big house up
town where he could not run away, and she came
to the judge to have him sent to that place.
Rose really took care of Johnny and the baby.
She earned money by selling papers and mind
ing" the babies of two or three mothers who
lived iE the big tenement house in which she
lived, who had to go away from home to earn
money. She paid the rent of the one room she
called her home, and was father and mother to
her brother and sister.
The Judge did send Johnny to the place up
town where Rose wanted him sent. How he
cried when the big policeman took him away
from Rosel And Rose cried; the great tears
rolled down her cheeks as she went out the
street, and she waited around the door, with the
Johnny go away. Perhaps it was better that
Johnny went out by another door while she was
waiting.
Now Johnny plays on big lawn with a lot of
other little boys His face and clothes are clean,
and when Rose goes up to see him she will be
surprised to see how fat and happy he is.
Some people went down to see Rose and tried
to persuade her to put the baby in home and
go to another home herself. But Rose said no.
She must keep the house and the baby until her
mother got back, and she could not be separated
from the baby. She was womanly, SO mother
ly in her determination, that she was permitted
to do as she wished.
Today if you should go into one of the tene-
ment houses near the gloomy building called the
Tombs, you would find Rose living with the
baby, and if it was the afternoon you would find
three other babies with her. to whom she proves
a good nurse.