The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-18
CHILDREN WHO STAY IN TOWN.
Some Of the Joys That Poor Young
sters Have In Sumrner Time.


The children OF tho poor who have to
stay In town all the summer are not
necessarily unhappy. For many Of
their pleasures the children OF the well
to do. who are smartiy dressed and hur-
ried Off TO the country to play under
the eyes OF nurses. would swap all their
dolls from Paris and all their expensive
|. toys. For one thing. they do not haro
to so to bed Just whcr the world is get
ting Interesting. Fancy the resentment
OF a tenement house child az being pl.t
70 bed at the time the chickens in tho
country 60 to roost. The city boy and
girl know that the best part o. the day
is when the hot sun goes down and the
fresh air comes out OF the west. When
the moon and stars appear In the clear,
fathomless blue sky overhead the moth
ers gather on the steps and gossip.
while the children play for hours In
the streets. %
There may be many Joys in life. but
few equal the completeness OF playing
hide and seek around ash barrels and
the using of passersby as a pivotal
point in game of tag. Then the game
Is broken by the return OF picnicking
lodges and political associations. with
two bands and red and white calcium
lights throwing into fascinating char.
oscuro stalwart young fellows swinging
along linked by shoulders. preceding
big politicians in open carriages. Now
and then red and blue lights are burn
ed, amid a shower OF rockets and stars
that blossom and fade to nothingness
In the air above.
This is only one of the spectacles OF
summer nights that the little children
or the poor enjoy. Now that the polit-
zeal campaign will soon open. there will
be bands and endless delights around
the tails OF carts. as II the selection OF
officials was only the entertainment of
Cherry Hill ana Hell's Kitchen.
One night each week band plays
popular music In the nearest square,
and on other evenings lot OF the boys.
inspired doubtless by the patriotic tunes
they had heard, will march down the
street singing "The Star Spangied Ban
ncr" or "The Red, White and Blue"
These songs they know by heart. for
they were taught to them in the schools.
They are not so familiar with the whole
OF the popular songs OF the day, but
they know the choruses, anyway, and
you will often see row OF children SIT
ting on the edge OF the sidewalk with
their feet in the gutter singing ION
the Banks of the Wabash. Far Away"
THE Mother OF the Girl Love-" MY
Coal Black Lady" LET Bygones BE
Bygones, Il Love You In the same
Old Way" sally Warner" or Just fer
the Sake Of Our Daughter"
You go down the block little way
and you come across three girls pkrched
on big milk cans almost as tall as they
are, who are drumming with their An
gers on the window sill of the shop In
front Of them, while they sing the very
latest song about the boy who was
wounded in battle while saving his COM
pany's flag from the enemy and who
asked his comrade to "break the news
to mother.s 1t is an interesting group
and you pause and listen to the .cts
sing the hero's dying request.
1t is queer enough to hear those ba-
bies not yet old enough to get the street
twang into their voices. singing the
pathetic song in plaintive tones When
al last the children are called in--no
easy task-and put to bed, they are
tired and happy and drop right off TO
sleep that is sweet and sound. Their
clothes may not be whole or even clean.
their food may not be nourishing. their
toys are few In number. and they sell
dom have pennies to spend: but they
enjoy the unrestricted delights Of COM
panionship, the charms OF usually do
ing as they please. and they do not
miss the things they know nothing
about.