The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-12

There was one big bed in it. and mattress
on the floor. Both were covered with dark
calico. A little mirror and a few cheap
frameless prints adorned the walls. A box
nailed to the wall served as a cupboard.
There was a plain pine table between the
two little windows, and on 1t was coal
oil stove, and there were two or three little
boxes sitting about that evidently an
swered for chairs.
II can only offer you box to sit on. We
have no chairs" apologized the woman.
The visitor took the box. and the woman
with the baby sat on the bed.
Are you the mother OF all these chill
dfen ?" was asked
"Yes: they are all mine-dear little pets.
They are having holiday to-day. / am
a working woman and take ts..cm to the
sisters every day when am busy. But /
have no work to-day. so l have kept them
homo with me-"
DO you have TO pay the sisters for car
ing for the children while you work ?"
mo; they take care of them for nothing
for me" -,
Amy kind l can get to do-scrub bling.
washing clothes, washing windows or any
thing. / am glad to get any kind OF work.
/ am a widow and have to support the
children"
"Row much do you make usually9"
Sometimes l earn dollar day. but
often not that much. Sometimes find 1t
hard. When l can't get work and we
have to eat just the same hardly know
what to do. But. some way, God never
lets us starye; and, do you know, i have
lived in many cities, but l have never been
in one where poor people were as nicely
treated as they are in San Francisco. /
have never asked anybody TO give me any,
thing, but several times people from char
table societies have come to me and
helped me"
"How many rooms have you here?"
"Only this one. l cook on the coal-oil
stove. We don't eat very much-just mus h
for breakfast. The children have lunch
with the sisters, and in the evening |
nearly always cook little meat and pota-
toes, or if l don't cook potatoes buy a
loaf of bread"
Don't you always have breadp"
mo. we don't ICED bread when we have
potatoes"
"But you have butter. don't you?"
mo, we cannot always afford butter
sometimes we have it,"
But isn't meat expensive?"
"Well. l generally pay or 10 cents for
meat-encugh for one meal OF course I
cannot buy beefsteaks or anything that
rich people eat, but / always buy sweet
wholesome meat and L know how to cook
il so il is as good as anything we could
want"
How much do you pay for your room ?"
"Three dollars a month"
"How do you manage to clethe the chill
dren and yOurselfP
''Well, when | am out working people
give me clothes that | can make over. |
sew in the evenings after ! get the chill
dren to bed. My life is really not hard"-
and determined look came into her face
II won't let it be hard"
Then she smiled cheerfully and said ::
"Just look at my Johnnie; he likes draw
ing and painting and such like-dainty
work Pm afraid he won't get after a
while"
Johnnie sat ON the floor with an i'm
mense piece Of brown paper before him.
With his little face puckered into thought
full wrinkles, he was busy moving pencil
over the paper.
What are you drawing. Johnnie? ?"
asked the reporter.
"a picture of big house | am going to
build for my mamma when / AIN a man."
why. you are almost a man now. How
old are you?"
Il am years ole. The rest OF the chill
dreD are girls and hitler than me. Just
see how big l am" and the manly little
fellow stood up and tip-t0ed to make him.
self taller.
The baby the woman held in her arms
had begun fretting again, but it did not
seem to annoy her. With the same cheer
tul face she walked up-and down her one
little room, cOoing to baby and making
excuses for il, saying:
"Baoy is teething now. She is a real
good baby when she is we'll"