The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
TUE cAsE OF rnBEBEE
rive views. osc in THE Tenouaeut. the oths
in the Literary.

In the Library.
Tho sun was shining full into Cherry alley.
and such Of the inhabitants az had energy
crawled out to tho fagstone pavement to enjoy
tho warmth.
Better look out going up them steps; there's
water split all tho way up and It's froSe over
and dangerous in tho dark" said q tenant who
was coming out OF ono OF tho houses to the dis.
trict mission visitors about to enter.
water split Why. do they carry the water
up in bucketsi'' asked the trained nurse.
fright about now they do. The pipes all out
of FIX and no sign Of Gcttin' It In shape soon.
Everybody goes to the ground floor for water.
Yes. It's n pretty tough lug up to the top fiat"
The women acknowledg &C the warning and then
pick their way cautiously up tho narrow stairs
to a door at the top Of tho tall tenement.
GOOD morning, Mr.. Phoebe. How are the
wife and baby T. the nurse asks, as the door 10
opened by a tall man wearing a yellow overcoat
and SLOUGH hat.
Pretty well, ma'am. Come in to the frc."
says the master Of the apartment. and he Inn
mediately steps out OF 1t, q circumstance that IN
fortunate, as there are only two vacant seats
and little room for movement.
1.-THE baby ia better r is tho nurses first in
quiry, CHANGING at the bundle OF wrappings in
the mothers arms.
"Oh, yes, ma'aml a good DEAL" uncovering
the infants face, n proceeding at which 1t wakes
to protest, only to be hushed at the breast.
"Well, how are you getting on, Mrs. Phoeble .
Got any work. you or your husbandf
Mrs. Pheeble shakes her head. "He amt
likely to get none,'' she says, despondently.
HE trnmps round early and late, tryin' to find
a Job, but 1t seems as IL hos In a poor streak Of
luck. I could get a good place tomorrow. to do
washin' by the day, but there amt nobody to
leave the baby WITH"
eth c~reche-the day nursery" II 10 sug.
Restod promptly.
They won't take any baby as young as mine"
says Mrs. Phoebe. II went to two that's near
the place I could get work at. but there wasn't
a chance
How old is the baby nowr
six weeks. They say they can't take chill
dren under 10 months; they are too much
trouble
The nurse was thoughtful for a moment. Il
suppose your boy here could not look after the
baby while you were out O. she vontured.
ailing a good deal. and when it's SO that he can
go ! like to send him to school, he couldn't 20
The pnsty faced boy standing back Of the stove
moved uneasily in the conscious way OF a child
who H tlnd Is himself lin, sn t the subject :! , Of sG MYERS
Yes. but he can't get into 1t. It's too little
Yes, but there's q hole in the heel Of EN-. I
was thinking to get EN- mended some way"
Pheeble r. asked the other visitor. who had sat
silent in the midst OF these disma Feekonings.
could 20 back there tomorrow"
And your husband can't get work
mo; he tries hard, but he can't get none.
He's in a streak of tad luck"
well, then, why not get him to take care of
do it. ma'am. He lee don't like issD Babies much. and
the thrash. MI. Pheeblee never was no hand az
tendin' round tho house Matters
m ene ca annss be- sns nade by 70 w SSs n the s0% BABY ST maR Be-
taken care of and the mother left at liberty to
Il hope you ladies will excuse things" says
Mrs. Pheeble, cheering up a bit and RlancinR
around her, very dieorderly apartment. II
And very likely she had not. There was that
In the air OF the stuffy apartment calculated to
Irresistible dcsiro to fling some Of the superfu.
GUS tides and gimcracks out of the window or
into the stove; to wash the place. give the vail
scrub the pasty.faced boy likewise. and pin a
shawl round him and set him out in tho sunny
this each day with the only available water
l~andlady urging her for rent and threatening ex-
pulsion unless 1t was forthcoming.
bitter te@1 w snsh sS as thi sGS s sSTs t YSu nurse oqs IN ssSe
shan't do it."
Baby'S mother shakes her head, unconvinced.
Il couldn't wonder II she did," she admits.
According TO the landlady's story she's got this
big house rented on her hands. and IL she amt
able to pay her landlord when he comes round
he amt goin' to ask reasons why her money
nin't ready. owe her three months rent row.
count of hnvin' been sick so much. off and on,
and the baby coming just in the midst Of Mr..
Phceble's bad streak Of luck. 1t seems like one
gets moro and more behindhand instead OF go.
ing forward and the landlady's patience Is most
to the end"
The visitors say encouraging words. and prom
ise that by the next day or the day after succor
shall come in one form or another.
1T is a very cold day." remarks the librarian
at the Broome street free library. The mission
visitors have stepDed in to get an address, and
are exchanged for n few minutes.
CHANGING to glance over the well-tilled. we'll
warmed room, where men in various attitudes
are reading the daily papers, whom should they
espy but Pheeble comfortably perusing an illus
trated sheet with an expression that betokens
entire satisfaction.
II think he had better BIO d~evising ways to
keep his family from starving" snaps the
trained nurse ilnpatiently.
Don't say that now" interposes the mission
visitor. Maybe he comes in here to look over
In his line OF work"
But the nurse shrugs her shoulders skeptically,
and the two go on their way.