New-York tribune., 1896-01-12
THE SClNLlN FAMILY AT HOME.
A BIT OF TENEMENT LIFE SEEN BY A MIS-
sIONARY WORKER AND A NURSE

sIONARY WORKER AND A NURSE.
The sun was shining full into Cherry Alley and
such Of its inhabitants as had energy crawled out
to the hagstone pavement to enjoy the warmth
BE careful going up them steps" said a yellow
| overcoated to the trained nurse AMI her mis-
sion sister as they entered of the houses. The
pipes is froze and they have to go to the yard or
water They spills it the steps and 1t freezes
over"
THANK you" says the nurse, and up the women
20 to a door at the very top of the tall tenement
Good morning. Mr.. Seaman! How is the VIE
and the baby?'
Fairly well, ma'am: come in to the fire. says
the master of the apartment ana he immeoiate'y
steps OF it. circumstance that is Fortunate
seeing that there only two seats and little room
for movement
THE baby Is better" asks the nurse indicating
the bundle Of wrappngs in the mothers arms.
"Oh. yes. good deal" uncoverins the infants
face a proceeding at which it makes paintive pro-
test which must be hushed at the breast.
"Well. how are you getting on, Mrs. seaman! Got
any work. you or your husband?
"He aint likely to get none, ma'am; Gems as II
he's down on his luck" says the wife dejecteiiy
Il could g.t good place to do washn' by the day
but l don't have nobody to leave the baby with
The creche the day nursery suggests the mis-
sonary
Il have been there, but they won't take BABY
that IS young
How old Is he now?"
six weeks They say they won't take children
under ten months"
II suppose your boy here could not look after it
ION. no. Besides. he Is sick good deal. ana
when it's so he can 20 | send him to school.
couldn't send him to-day. because he's got such a
cold.'
The pas;y-faccd boy standing back Of the stove
moved in the conscious way of a child who finds
himself the subject OF conversation.
Has he got an ovorcoat?'
hut h, 4
him"
Are you certain you can get work. Mrs. Seaman
asked a visitor who sat In contemplation of these
dismal circumstances
"Ycs. ma'am; here's a good reference from the
people worked with for four years am could go
back there tomorrow.
and your husband can't get any work.
no na'am. he's tried. but he's out of luck. some
well, then. why not get him 70 take care Of the
baby while YOU go out to work?
The mother face was study. . -,
He wouldn't 80 It, maam; not be- lie don't Ike
Tho nurse engages 20 see If some arrangement
cannot be made by which the baby can be taken
Of ana the mother left at liberty 10 earn Hdil!
+ hope YOU ladies' will excuse things. says Mrs
Scanlan. glancng around her very disordery apart
'"n nn ar am aI ht' sho no haI not rhere was some
thing in the an Of those stuify rooms that made @
one feel an almost Irresistible impulse To h.ng som
OF the supcrilu1us tides and jmcrack' into the stove
or out oi the window. TO wesh up the place. give
fresh clean wrappings. bathc the paSty-'acei poy
Tx. wise pin a shawl around him and put nm oul
IN On. sunny alley wher" h. might pr@aIhe tne ire"
air: but then the thought arises, how could MrS.
Sr1nlan do this each day with the only aVaIIaplo
water down IN the yard. ami an iraie landladN urs
ing Tor her rent and threatening expulsion uhleSs
II was forthcoming; - ,,,..
But she surely not turn you out IN Such ptt..I
weather as this" assures the nurse. The paoy
mother shakes her head uncOnvinced.
she save when her landlord comes for MS rent
he won't stop 10 ask why she has not the money
ready and that she can't walt on me no longer
owe her nearly three months rent now an l
been able ID work none since the baDy was p9rh,
and I'm falling back worse and worse. - ,,
The visitors endcavOr to cheer the woman anu
promise that by the next day. at least succor snail
come I'm form another . go
1T Is "A very cold day. remarks the librarian OF "A
neighborng free library TO the missionary, VINO mas
stopped into the reading room to get an address,.
"Iery" she agrees. and CHANGING To glance over
the wellnlled rows OF desks before her she catches
sight of Mr. Seaman comfortably reading the morn
inv papcr in the wel'-heaicd. WelNghted apartment.
Fl think he had better bc at home devsing ways
10 keep his family from starving. she says irrita-
bly, ..,,..,. tho .,o,,ie nurse.
"mayhe ne came In to look over the ADVERTISEMENTS
In his line and hunt for work. . ,
But the missionary shrugs her shouli'rS "c'"'"
lously though she nothing.