The evening world., 1889-11-22

went OF with q chorus girl last Winter. leaving
her with three Young children and an aged
mother to support.
"Ilive in a little fiat in West Thirty-sevepth
street with my mother and children. aud its
very hard 10 make both ends meet.
Tin manager rays me IS a week and thinks
l get AZ much In tips, but ! don't.
"The ladies don't give anything. They let
me take of their fnbbera and closkr, shake out
their tkirtr. and things like that, but thanks 10
about all l get for my trouble.
when / give them hairpins or powder they
give me n flower. and once in a while l get Q
dime, but not very often.
II have tu stay here every night until the
play is over. and It's IL O'Clock before l get
home. When I'm not too tirel / work in n
laundry. l can always make sl.2 rs a day, but
you know when ono hasn't bad her sleep it's
hard TO get mp carly"
/ asked II | might 90 to pee her children, aud
this morning ! was presented 10 Growing Jim. a
fat, fun-lovinR baby Of eighteen months, with
chubby hands and bright blue eyes.
Jim was originally hnmed Richard-that Was
his fathers rame; but / don't want him ever to
anGwer to the name of the man who deserted
him, and 70 Ne call him Jim for my father"
There was q girl of three. a tiny thing, with
big, wandering gray eyes and a pair of white
hands scarcely larger than the claws Of a bird.
Her name was Tottio. Her little shoes were
broken and torn Mt tho button-holcS; two bright
rcd spots burned in her pale cheeks. and she was
suffering from a cough that shook and con-
vulsed her little frame.
Tho other child. a boy OF seven, was sturdy Of
build, notched with burns and bruises, and
brimful Of animal life. He had his mothers
gray eyes and black hair, and the superior de-
velopment Of his lungs made ii possible for all
the families on tho floor and overhead to hear
every thing he had 10 say.
When ! entered the little kitchen Tom was ly-
ing Oh his stomach, with his heels in the air,
his round head under the cooking-stoye and his
interest fastened OH q big, green-eyed tom cat
that Glared at him from a safe corner.
Tom often aold papers and knew all about
TIL EVENING WORLDS Christmas treeS.
One Saturday afternoon he made 80 cents,
Slli In pennies, and gave it to my mudder to buy
kindlipg wood"
He asked where the tree would be and IF
newSboys could get United. cause ! know Jim
kelly-hc's only got one ARMAND he wants to
take mo-"
And l want to go. too. mamma" said tiny
Tottie. Cant l II I'm better ~
Girls can't CO." Tom hastcned to remarks;
it'll be dark night and you'll get lost. When
l went to the bonfire the other time / had to
keep hold o. Tim all the time. You'll get lost,
you will-won't she, mamma III bring your
goodies home and l won't eat q one, l won't"
Tottie's regard for big brother Toms judg.
ment was very large, and, accepting his ruling
as final, she began to weep.
Well. Tottie. YOU will get lost. and the
police ii run you in. Ne and Tim II bring you
home something, won't we gran'ma ?"
Without needing her reproof Tom began to
plaster small Jim'E cheeks and nose with kisses,
but the tears and the coughing Of his little
sister troubled him.
III ask the carrier to-day II girls can 60, 4"
and with this concession Tottie dried her eyes
on her Neeve and came q little closer to her in
dulRent brother.
she said. in answer to my question. that she
wanted q little red hood and "a chiny doll with
a bed to sleep In :" she wanted "a dress with
blue spots and a little basket full of candy with
o cover on it,"
Small Jim had but one longing-"a white
woolly dog while Toms wants were as nu-
merous as the scratches that marrcd his face
aud hands.
~ want some skates, that's what l want.
with screw, and l want q Buffalo Bill book and
q pigs-in-clover puzzle; but IL there's any pop
guns I'd rather have o shooter than the pigr. /
want . mouth organ for Jim. l can play them.
and I'll show you, Jim, giving that individual
q tight and sudden squeeze.
Band mouth organs is the best, cause the
plays loudest.'
Poor little Tom had q calendar advertising
somebody's sarSaparilla, from which every date
but one had been blotted ont with brown soap.
Here's Christmas-see? How long is i now,
gTan'ma? ?"
Thirty four days, dear"
"Thirty-four DAYS, repeated the boy.
Thirty four days, " said tiny Tottie.
'Three-four days, >" lisped the baby.
The young mother only sighed as she looked
at the little group.
Perhaps she thought of the miserable mar
who had sworn to cherish and protect her; per
hSps she thought Of the coming storms tina
would chill the hearthfre and freeze the blooc
In her veins; perhaps she thought Of her owl
childhood, with its visions Of happiness, for sh,
dIeW tiny Tottie to her breast. put one arm
about the slender shoulders, caressed the sof
yellow hair with hor hard, red. honest hant
and pressed her lips to the smooth. white brow
Well, hope on little woman. be Of brave heart
for the world is filed with generous people, ant
just as sure as the holly is green aud the bitter
sweet scarlet, the Christmas cheer Of the EVEN
ING WORLD will reach your little ones.
NELL NELSON.