The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-15

ullRlllCu w 1G1111 u DAOSA VI LILY OWA
door.
It was what the English call ex-
pressively "a mostly night" A bleak
wind was laden with damp snow,
already ankle-deep on the pavement.
The raw air bit at ones very bones.
I had a glimpse Of faces at my
front windows as I mounted the
snow-heaped steps. Before I could
ring the door few open, letting out
n flood Of light and warmth. I was
borne upstairs with gentle violence
to my own room. A fire cracked
upon the hearth; a lounge, heaped
with cushions and afghans, was
thanked by the afternoon tea table,
with it's glittering burden. While
one pair Of busy hands dragged off
my wet shoes, another pair Invested
me of outer garments and endued
me in warmed dressing gown, and
third poured out a cup of tea.
This swallowed, I was hidden Gle
still and rest quietly until dinner
time" Then the three stole away
softly, leaving me to doze in the
freight.
Lying thus, "curtained and close
and warm" hearkening to the pur-
ring blaze in tho fireplace and the
moan of the east wind against the
snow-clogged panes, there came to
me with the distinctness of a hca-
vcn-sent vision-more wildly pres
ent by reason of the sharp contrast
with the love and luxury that Tapped
mysclf-a long procession Of the
girls l had left behind me in the
EARRING, foul-smelling, overheated
car. They were bound, some of
them, for regions a mile and more
away. What manner of homes
awaited many-perhaps most of
them-when they reached their
journeys end2 A large percentage
were tenants of boarding houses,
and not few of hall bedrooms.
Some had lodgings" They would
let themselves, with their Own. keys,
into wintry rooms, kindlc the fire
in their stoves and get their sup
pers with shaking hands-these
lonely women who had stood behind
counters or run sewing machines
or thumped typewriters or worked
buttonholes since s o'clock A. M,
while I was petted and fondled and
pitied for having sat for five hours
in comfortable private Office do
ing work that I loved.
I have reviewed that twilight rev.
erie hundreds of times since that
night when detained downtown un-
til the rush hour begins, and the
great and growing hosts CT working
girls take up the evening march
."homeward."
BE very gentle with your tired
daughter, 0 mother, whose daily
labor has been within the sanctuary
of that home. Tomorrow the toll
some round will be renewed for her.
Let the love and tender assiduities
of the home dwellers be recompense
and tonic. BE patient if she is ir-
ritable, knowing for yourself what
havoc routine work, long-continued,
makes with women's nerves. In the
shadow of your affection and sym
pathy let her rest.
A S I have been an interested
n reader Of your valuable de-
partment for long time, I feel it
my duty to voice some very firm
ly-rooted opinions on the question
of home study for children.
l consider it little short of
crime to ask any studious child
in our public schools to do rou-
tine school work out of school
hours. | have bright, energetic
sister, IA years Of age, who fol-
lows this programme daily: She
is up at 7 and eats her breakfast
at a quarter past Z. Then piano
practice from half-past Z until
half-past s. Then she gets ready
and goes to school at 8 o'clock.
At - she has an hour and fifteen
minutes for dinner.The afternoon
session lasts until 3 o'clock, after
which until she has for recrea-
ton; then music for another
hour; then she goes on little err
rands or assists with supper, and
J. the supper work nfterward until
Z o'clock. Then she may read or
finish her sewing lesson until 8
o'clock, which is her regular bed
time. Now her home work must
steal time from her recreation or
music, neither Of which it is wise
or healthful to take time from.
AS for the foreigner drought
forward by one teacher), let him
bow down in grateful homage to
n nation that gives him a "fair
show" and not rob her of her flu
ture by taking the health Of our
future men and women. S. A. B.
The best proof of the hold this
question has taken on the mind of
our readers is that letters continue
to flow into this department, all,