The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
DRAMA OF THE TENEMENTS
,,,s spEIeLEs,s QUEST FOR HER
TUO LITTLE ONES.
,,,,. Helpanhope shsu. = sereiy Asuses wirs
90 ,Iotber How Jnstico May ne Obtained
- ,,e roor or New York without Cost
souo or the work or the Legal Ala Society.

the rear ~ n, SMrs. SPECIFICS seated dejectediy by
the wlnaGw; with an infsntiis Hcipsnhope perchod on
81 arm. beating n tattoo on the niotheriy cheek aao
piayiuily clawinE Mt her hsr'
urs uelpanhope-Any news. Mrs. SpeiRlesi
,ho.rd YOU como home, and as soon as I could
lave the supper l ran up to hear what the word
was.
,.,oivl-I don't know nothin'. Mrs. Helpanhope.
nothin' no more than "hoh l s'aruou OUT from
here at | o'clock.
Mrs Helpanhope-Did you see the matron
hersclfl
Mrs speigles-Yes, and she said they had
,,,.lv had A couple OF children come in together
AZ rho aee of mine. and maybe 1 had better look
Al them. She took ne up to tho room where all
the cribs we're. and wherc q lot of babies were
srssnin' and playin' about, but no ono of them
vas my baby. Then we went downstairs to
xbcre some little girls were playing. but Minnie
,asn't there. They wero all bigger nor Minnie.
Mrs. Helpanhope-And you como straight
home from therel
Mrs. Speiglcs-No, the matron told me about
.no,her home where the children might be, and
7 won't there; but those people hadn't heard
nothin' about a little girl and a baby boy. Tho
matron said I could got a transfer going there.
but I must have got on the wrong car. because
Tho conductor said that line didn't transfer. and
had to nay my fare over again. Oh. l don't
know where Mr.. SPECIFICS is got them children
hid off to, and the weather SO changcable. and
The baby liable TO take down with the Group
most any time. feel like I'm never to see the
deorie again; me that's his own. dear mother.
and has a born right to him!
Mrs. Helpanhope ,dodging from her hopeful's
meddlesome fingers that yank at the curling
locks on her neckI-Wcll, I'm sure 1 feel for you.
Mrs. SPECIFICS. We all feel for you. Mrs. Manly.
from the front house, was in this afternoon, and
she SAYS she's certain that Mr.. SPECIFICS amt
tucked the children away at his mothers. Mrs.
Manly was to see old lady SPECIFICS this very
afternoon. and she made it her business to get
hack into the kitchen a-purposc so as she could
,ee into the bedroom, and there wasn't q chick
nor a child there, nor no sign Of none. l wish
YOU could 20 to law, Mrs. SPECIFICS. Tho law
would give you your children. There's enough
on this street willing to swear 20 your character.
Mrs. Speiglcs-If I knew where to put my
hands onto Sl5 or $50. maybe a lawyer would
look into my case and l could get to see the
children. 1t would cost that much. Mrs. Help
anhopc. wouldn't it'll Morel You think $25f
Well, where AM l to get tho money! Wherei
~lrcachlng out her arms with a motion despond-
ent and deprecatoryh.
Mrs. iIclpanhope mot knowing wherep-well,
WU5l ECU vi uoNEh aiiA "a Shio " 40 oup
per. He'll yank tho last bit of hair Off my head.
Oh, Mrs. SPECIFICS, he took two steps this noon
oil by himself. my Johnnie did. and he only eight
months old. He's just the smartest BOY In the
country. l tried to make him do it over again
for his father, but he wouldn't. You know how
laey are when you want them to do anything.
Mrs. SPECIFICS (enviously)-My Jimmie might
be trying to take steps, too, now. for all know.
He could stand to q chair when they took him
iway from ME. that day when 1 was out.
Mrs. Helpanhope (the tears Of sympathy gath
bring in her syes)-Poor soul! There, there.
don't fret Mrs. SPECIFICS. Frettin' never helps
nothin'. I'll send Liza up with a cup Of toa and
abite for you to eat. the first thing when I go
down. It's likely you don't feel like botherin'
tocook none tonight. and after that long jour
ney 10 the home you need heartenin' UP. IT,.
but one more place Tor me to search. and that's
10 that woman's in Williamsburg 1 told you
bout. Mr.. SPECIFICS might have given her the
both With colds and no kind Of attention,
cause she's one of these people what never
thinks about nothin' besides dress and fnery.
later. Mr.. Helpanhope smoking his pipe. while his
wife talks to a neighbor who has dropped in.
self to skin an bone. frettin' bout that baby.
Johnnie was taken from me sudden like and
kept that way I wouldn't know what I was
dom. Ia he out OF my head.
Mrs. Scrubhard who has lately moved into
the street)-That husband of hers must be a
bad feller.
Is no better, Mrs. SPECIFICS says that she told
her ono day that Il wasn't any more likely that
shsd let let xG girl like ( her ;r i've n with a her h son thar than
The people, who live in the house where. SPECIFICS
lived say he, used to beat his wife often and
and his mother together. and so far as can see
snes a righteous actin, woman, entirely too
Mrs. Scrubhard-Ifs she could go to law now.
Mrs. Helpanhope-That's what l say; but, she
soul and body together, besides unless she got a
very smart lawyer she'd stand no chance. be;
that husband and ddI mother herr can tell eliza awful likely
sopndin' stories. She says that II they would
only tell her where the children are and IL they
mind so much. She would be willing to wait
until her husband is in q different mind and
be left in the dark about them for more than
Two months Is %tryin,.
The heart out Of any woman, and II, as you say,
shes one OF the meek sort. why. It's hard on
her. must say.
Scene 3-Mrs speigles's room carly in the morning
that much. put upon person preparing breakfast.
Mrs. Helpanhupe tentering radiant, Johnnie
cIowing on her arm as though he had moi
previous eyeningl-A fine piece OF news for you
Mrs. Speigles-News for me! Have you heard
urine baby
Mrs. Helpanhope-No; but Mr.. Helpanhope
met a man last night who goes to n jewelry
htore round in Houston street and no says that
i y9q 90 there to the store they can give you
the direction OF a lawyer who will fight your
case for you. The man will put down the name
oithe place on a paper so you won't mistake II.
mrs. SPECIFICS ther face, which had Frightened
AZ the first words. having fallen perceptiblyl-I
wouldn't he no use for me to agree TO pay a
lawyer. Work all l can / don't make any head
way to save nothin'.
Mrs. Helpanhopo tconvincingly)- But this
mwyer don't ask for any money. don't under
can tell YOU. =
baby for met
Mrs. Helpanhope-Hen find out where it ID
ana what they re doin' to 1t. and this man told
NV husband that very likely there would be
come papers made out fixing for you TO get sc
many dollars each week to live on. You had
Desier get ready right off and go to the store.
mrs. SPECIFICS hesitatinRl-I don't mind going
10 me store. hut II they tell me whore the law
ger Is and you can manage to leave homo to
usN VII YOU 20 with me to see him
VIE Hcipanhopc-Well I've got an awful biz
mnsh on hand and part of the clothes IN soak
~ seem as you're timid III get Mrs. Manly
Ttle girl to come in TO see after Johnnie while
am away. expect we'll have to take the car
maybe two cars. You make the man put dowI