Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-09-28


children stood by and watched the
foamy milk dash in rich streams into
the pail, while the farm boy lodged
the long tasseled tail of the COW as she
slapped it sharply about her TANKS to
keep the flies away. The mixer did
rot take his milk pals 10 the pump,
but carried them to the dairy. where
long rows Of creamy-looking pans of
milk were standing. The barefoot
children held their mugs and the farm
boy strained the rich warm milk into
them again and again until the child
rem could drink no more, but trUdged
off to bed smelling as sweet and milky
DIS the cows
Il never have to call on those child
rem, said the Sand Man. forgetting his
disguise; they go off to bed with the
chickens, and fall asleep before 1 could
blow half a breath of noppy seed.
That's what 1 call Il good kind of a
summer home"
We are very sorry to have to tell it,
but Norton Handy sang out, You bet
it is
Then the view slipped, shimmered and
was gone. and a narrow city street
came out upon the screen. 1t was not
a nice street, and little New York
boy cried
Ugh, the Bendr while 4 Boston girl
said, Isn't that the South Cove, Mr..
Snoozer?"
Wherever it was, it was very, very
hot in the narrow street, and hotter
still inside the tall shaclly houses.
Most Of them were ScOrched with
the hard-faCed V omen Who were gasp
ing about, washed and iro1ed for Il
living. Though it was difficult to see
it in that light, the women who had no
fire thought themselves much worse
off than those who had, for it meant
that the people who usually employed
them were out of town. and there would
be no money coming in. Heavy-brOW-
ed men in their shirt-sleeveS sat with
their feet on the WindOW-sillS and
smoked dingy, ctUmp pipes; wondering
where their next rent money was COM
ing from. A few Of them had heavy
hearts as they thought how hard it was
for the wife and the sick children ia
those brOiling rooms.
a tOusled-headed little girl in one OF
these houses was finishing the ironing,
and as the hotel children looked the
poor, tired 10-years-old worker took
up the Wailing baby-there was always
a baby in these brick-girt furnaces
and took it out on the bliStering pave
ment The bricks still radiated heat
and tOddling children We're bowling
or wailing, according TO the strength
that they had left. Small, weak. grimy
heads, that were doing their best during
the long, hopeless days to lift the bur
cen of want from these WretcheC
homes, were folded over little ill-feC
stomachs, and in all these streets nc
one seemed to know that summer is
vacation time.
| Every hotel child was glad when these
! scenes Of misery shifted and a beau
/ tiful suburban home flashed OH the
/ screen.
That's my home" cried Mabel Rich
don't you see, it's my home in Peeks
kill
NO, it's mine" exclaimed Harry
| Niles; that's in Brooklyn, just outside
Of Boston,
Wherever it is, it seems to suit thu
people who are in it," observed Mother
/ Twilight, waving a hazel branch tina
came out of the rose and amethyst bag
and all the children showed surprise
for there on the grounds were a dOze1
of these sun-baked sufferers from tht
slums. The hopeless, detected, haggard
faced women who had vanished from
the other screen were here, looking
peaceful and happy, as they swaye(
bac.> and forth in the rocking-chairs OF
/ the yerandaS, or wheeled their babies
under lie deWy, sWaying branches OIL
the lawn. The tired men were lying
at full length Oh the cool grass, happy
! to see their wives and children looking
neat and comfortable. Half-growr
boys were hoeing the foWer-beds an(
! sidewalks and those small, weak
hands that had been pitted agains
! the world were full of clover-blossOmS
and sweet peas. Even the dreadful
| old women who had been so frightful
! in the other picture as they went along
the sidewalk with pitcher, looking as
| if they had nothing in the world save
| their pitchers and their sQualOr and
! their miserable old age-tWO or three
of these old women were sitting on the
steps, and toddling little children were
bringing flowers to them, and calling
the poor old smiling creatures Gran.
NY
The scene shifted slightly, and the
children saw inside the house. There
had been good dinners and suppers
there, and hands well used to work
had scrubbed and polished and busted
till no sunni er spiders or other yermin
could hope to find a lodging there.
Poor, thin, freckled children were dress
ed up in these hotel children'S night
gowns. and some Of them were kneel-
ing by the rich children's soft white
beds. The listening group could not
quite hear these children's prayers, but
whatever form they took they must
have been heard by the one who loved
little children, and who made the rich
man who would follow him most sor-
rowful by bidding him give all his sub
stance to the poor.
'Where are we going to Hve?" gasped
Mabel and Harry, as they saw these
wonders.
AT summer hotels, perhaps" answer