The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-09
oToes Out. Jos, Like Me. J

ETo the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER,
 The following pathetic story taken
 from an exchange so forcibly illustrates
 the value of early training such as is
 given in the mission kindergarten that
 we are glad to give it to our readers:
 Some eight or ten poor, miserable Ihangers-on of dram shop were gath cred in a corner grocery for their night | ly carnival.
 Presently a dingy door opened and In bounded a bright, b1ue-eyed little l girl, scarcely four years old. She ran behind the counter, where her father
 was just answering the call for drinks
 all around As soon as he seated him
 self little Posey' (that was what they Icalled her) capered about his feet, clam Ibered into his lap, kissed his burly face.
 and toyed with his unkempt, bristly Ihair She would occasionally dart away
 in answer to some beck or call from one Iof the company, for little 'Posey' was a | pet with every one of these poor, delud- ed victims of drink. Once they, too, Iswere innocent children as blithe and Eartless as she.
 "All at once the scene changed. 'Po- sey' had inaugurated new game. Obe- dient to her summons, every man of | them joined in the circle, in the center of which stood little 'Posey' issuing her orders. Toes out jes' like me-" was the first command. Immediately eleven lpairs of big, clumsy feet, with big clum- sy boots, did their best to toes out ali the while watching their little kinder fgarten teacher with tacit obedience.
 Then there was a series of marchings
 and r-marchings, not with sol
 dier-lkie precision, it is true, but with
 implicit attention to orders.
 And now the circle is forming again
 and the order comes from Posey, Fold your little handsr and, suiting the ac-
 tion to the word, her own little mites Of hands are placed in reverent attitude Iof devotion. This was grain too much flor big Jake and he was about to slip .out of the ring, but Posey's eager en- treaty prevailed, and he stood it like man, repeating with all the rest the lit- tie kindergarten prayer after the tiny child teacher, word for word:
 Father, we thank Thee for the night, And for the pleasant morning light; For rest and food and loving care,
 And all that makes the day so fair; Help us to do the things we should, To be to others kind and good,
 In all we do, in work or play. To grow more olving every day.
 By this time a large group of curl ous okers-on had gathered at the open doorway. There was nothing of rude hilarity, but grave thoughtfulness came into those hardened faces as if the memories of better days and early child hood years flooded the heart. Who shall say what may be the result of little Poseys Kindergarten in the cor ner grocery?"
 Many another little one has carried similar sweet lessons from the kinder l garten to homes of vice and sin, and l thus awakened thoughts of better days l in hearts long hardened to sin and l crime. Not long ago in this city the | simple singing of the kindergarten good | bye song, "Be Always Kind and True, was the means of leading @ father to | give up drinking and to stop beating and | a abusing his wife and children. It is not | likely that any other evangelist coudl | have turned a corner grocery Into | prayer meeting even for a brief inter- val as Posey did, but the lessons learn ed by these little ones in the kindargar- ten find their way into many hearts and homes to brighten and to bless.