The Yale expositor., 1901-05-31
Miss SaIome's "Fresh-Air. p"

"Two?" the minister's wife said. She
held her pencil suspended, waiting.
Mercy, no! Ones all / can manage,
and more too" groaned Miss Salome.
Il couldn't get my sleep ont last night
dreading it--but l promised your hus-
band; you can put me down. My life's
insured"
Both women laughed gently over the
little pleasantly but it was Miss Sa-
lome's face that Strengthened to its GUS
tomary sober lines first. The face OF
the minister's little wife took" natur-
ally to laughing curves, and held them
persistently after the real occasion for
them was over. The people of Sweet
water said it was wonder the mother
Of six little children, all of 'em leases"
ever felt inclined to laugh.
1--WE got the TT all made, Miss Sa-
lone. i don't see how / can make TT
into an 90! Besides, one would be so
lonesome; aren't you most afraid so?
Think Of my little Jerry or my Ted or
Mistress Mary being fl somewhere
alone!"
The pencil waited, still, and the min
ister's wife looked toward Miss Salomo
with arch questioning. She could see
beyond her the broad stretch OF prim
lawn and the lilac bushes fringing it.
1t looked like such a beautiful chance
for fresh-air children. And the house
the minister's wife sighed softly, re-
membering the crowded little parson-
age.
Shall write the 'wo' after the IT.?
or could write 'hrce,' you know!"
Miss Salome laughed, but not with
yielding in it.
Write One" she said, land after
my name you can put in a parenthesis
And the Lord have mercy on her
soul!'"
1t was early July, and hot waves of
clover-sweet sunshine crept into all the
open windows. There was scarcely
breath stirring. In the cities, the tene-
ment-house people gasped for their
breath, and the little babies were borne
away in tiny pine collins. The minis
ter's wife was thinking OF the babies as
she rose to go.
My list is counting up" she said. 81
shall send 1t tomorrow. l don't care to
wait any longer. The accounts in last
| nights paper were heart-breaking, Miss
Salome-the tiny ones are dying SOL"
Il don't read the papers in the hot
waves" Miss Salome said briefly. al
| make fans Of them then!" She fol-
lowed her caller through the cool, dim
hall to the front door.
You've said girl, of couTse?" she
called after her. "Of course you I'M
derstand can't have any boy traipsing
round?"
yes; I said one little girl" the
minister's wife answered quietly.
The childr .n-Sweetwater' share
would come the last week in July and
stay fortnight, the city missionary
wrote. They would be the forlornest
waits of the street, and no one was to
expect perfect manners or clothes.
Miss Salome stayed awake Cftener aft
er the minister's wife read her the let
ter. There were plenty of times when
she rallied bitterly at herself for ever
promising.
On the long-dreaded day, she walked
to the station to meet the train and her
fate. The minister's little wife joined
her half way. She had a determined
look in her sweet, tired face.
I'm going to bring home the left
overs,'' she said. There are most al
ways one or two. Somebody gives up
at the last moment, or else the mis-
sionaries can't resist the temptation to
smuggle in one extra at the end. l
shall bring any little leftover home, if
1 have to make field-bed for my boys
out on the piazza! 1t breaks my heart
% read about the poor little suffering
things"
She was not thinking of Miss Sa-
lome's big, empty rooms-she was
thinking of the terrible, crowded rooms
lii the sweltering city tenements. Miss
Salome would not let herself think OF
chose.
Then the train swept in and the little
waits trailed out on the sunny plato m
and stood about uncomfortably. The
minister's wife sorted them out busily,
checking them off as she went down
ner list-these two to Deacon Spooner,
those two to Mrs. Witherspoon-one to
che Wetherell's one to the Greenes,
one 90 Miss Salome-but Miss Salome' s
was a boyi They were nearly all boys.
The one or two girls were mere babies
and Miss Salome had specified no ba-
bies.
Dear me-" murmured the ministers
perpleXed little wife, gazing up and
down the disreputable little ranks in
search of girl to fit Miss Salome. A
touch on her arm made her turn.
Never mind about me-" Miss Sa-
lone was saying, with humorous wrin-
lles round her eyes; 81 can get along.
wasn't really hankering."
But there'll be too many to 20
round, Miss Salome. / haven't dared
to count, but | know there are more
than enough. And so few little girls
Il do believe Miss Trent made a blum
der and sent us the wrong consign-
mentl Poor little thingsl"