The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-04


"Do they live far from here?" ASK.
| Just two blocks" answers Daisy
| WRAP the comfort up say, as Tie
| my bonnet and button my coat. we iea'e
| the pleasant kindergarten room, wneie q
beautiful Christmas tree hangs fuii oi
| toys, dolls and candles.
| Tomorrow the children will be there.
! so will their mammas and iriehos' anu
| wha. a happy time they Will have!
| we turn the corner OF Broome and Gin
| ton streets and go down n dark. dirty
| alley. into n narrow passage way which
| leads to a back yard. Descending the
rickety steps we rap loudly on base
| ment door, but there is no response.
YOU must knock louder" gays Daisy.
| "for granny's little deaf
| Rap rap, rap. Slowly the door opens
| and the old woman says:
"Komm herein
we enter the cold damp room. Tubs
| OF dirty soap sudsi sit about. while piles
| Of soiled linen lie here and there. Three
white cats are climbing over the tumble
down stove. playing and pulling each
others tails.
Granny says something In German
which / don't understand, but which Is
interpreted by Daisy as follows The
fire is gone out because there is no more
coal until Katie comes from school. She
gets but thirty cents for a large washing.
and can only spare ten cents at time
to purchase coal with"
Gianny returns to her tub, and the old
arms take up the song OF her life-the
rub-a -dub-dub OF the washboard.
Are you not too old 10 wash?" ]
say. as I notice the thin white hair and
the bent form.
Yes. l am old and tired. but I must
not stop washing Katie and I have no
one to help us. Katie is my grandchild.
Her mother is no good woman. She
drinks and beats poor little Katie. I take
her from such bad mother. 1t is hard
for me, but l must work. No, no. no,
granny must not stop washing" and the
tears rain down the wrinkled face and
drop on the soi1ed linen, which grows
whittier in the tired hands.
THE water is too cold,' says granny.
land must wait until Katie comes from
school to bring the coal" and the old wo-
man, In her threadworn, cotton dress,
sits down and. burying her face In her
apron. sobs, Poor Katie! poor Katie!"
Granny is nearly done washing. her old
back aches and she has pains through
her limbs. What will Katie do when
granny can do no more washing?"
There don't cry l say. Here is
nice warm quilt some dear little chill
dren have sent you. II will keep you and
Katie warm at night. We Will try to help
you. What do you need most?"
Katie has no warm dress. She loves
to go to church. but she does not look
like the other girls. She needs shoes.
too. Her little feet are almost bare"
Granny wipes her tears away and sor-
row gives place TO gladness. She examines
the patchwork and then spreads II on
the scant-looking bed, looking at 1t adj
miringly. Soon Katie comes home from
school, and we take her down to the
kindergarten. There are many little
dresses and warm underearments. but
none are large enough for Katie.
What makes you so big?" A look OF
disappointment spreads over the child's
face. "You see." she rays regretfully
"a lady sent me two weeks to the coun-
try last summer. and J drank so much
milk I've been fat ever since"
In the bottom OF a box is a large doll.
with a Powered red silk dress. Katie
eyes II enviously.
"You can have It," / say.
would you mind putting II on the
Christmas tree?" the child says, hest
tatingly.
That night the doll was hung on the
tree among the Quakeress dolls. which
were to be given to our kindergarten
tots.
All the little Quakeresses had been
handed down but one. This one is given
TO Carrie, who hugs It in her arms, and.
in ecstacy OF Joy, runs across the room
to show It to her mother. Her foot slips
and she falls Her Quakeress doll has its
head broken. She returns weeping and
holds up the broken doll.
The old-fashloned red frock doll from
Griggstown is still on the tree. Carrie
reaches out her baby hands and says:
DIV me that one wifi the pity wed
dress"
Little ten-year-old Katie looks at the
kindergarten tot. Her face gets red She
turns her back, and. brushing away
something from her cheek. says: you
can give 1t to her."