The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23
OUTINGS OF LITTLE MOTHERS.
ENCI RSIONS FROM THE EAST SIDE
TO HUNTERS ISLAND.
Country Pleasures for Little Girls win
Younger Brothers and sisters TO care
Fora Deserted Baby-A h'te
Mother Who Relieves In Race suicide.

| their burdens
1t is a great deal more fun, especially
if one is under ~ and frail, to gather golden
rod and pick blackberries, to go in bathlne
| and to eat two plates of ice cream Tor an
ner than it is to carry baby up and down
tenement stairs and take care OF 1t all day
long in close rooms or the street Ihat
is why little mothers are so anxious TO go
to Hunters Island that they will resort
to little subterfuges to get there ana 70
stay as long as possible.
On Tuesdays ana Thursdays parties OF
them, marshalled by the chaperons OF
the Little Mothers Aid Society, seek the
Hunters Island woods and shore, and II
was last Tuesday that one little mother
went in spite of obstacles. She had OBJ
tanned an outing badge at the society's
Office in Second avenue, but the trouble
was that there was no one save herself
to take care of her brother, eight months
old, while her mother was away cleaning
windows in an office building. On this
account Jennie didn't dare to ask II she
might 60
At O'Clock on Tuesday morning her
mother went to work. Before Jennie
had the baby dressed and fed and lulled
to sleep and was herself arrayed in her
very best. She had TO hurry in the writ
ing of the little note telling where she
had gone, but she reached the starting
place in time.
Apparently no one enjoyed more than
she did the ride in the cars. and in the stage
through Pelham Bay Park and woods on
Hunters Island up to the big house over
looking the Sound. She went in bathing,
ate plenty of dinner and in the afternoon
filled her apron with apples 10 take back
to the city.
1t was not until Jennie was on the Third
avenue elevated train in the early evening
and near home that she began to cry.
Then the story Of her running away came
out. She was afraid TO face her mother.
Now don't you cry any more" ex-
claimed the young woman who had lent
"a sympathetic ear to Jennie's recital of he
troubles. I'll go home with you myself.
and it will be all right. You see if it isn't
And it was.
I" | heard the little tyke a-hollerin' away"
Mrs. Cassidy, who lives on the same floor,
remarked in the course of the explanations,
land brought him in here and after | got
mm quiet | give him a crust, and he amt
hardly been any trouble all day"
Jennie's mother WAS appeased by the
tactful words of the teacher. and by the
apples, which her small daughter had held
in her apron tightly as peace Offering.
Sure, and we'll get tour or five Messes
of apple sauce out o this, anyhow" Was an
observation with which she COnsoled herself
Tor the danger 10 the baby
. Ia h.,rs .nlA
ting TO Hunters Island, they are even more
anXiOut TO remain when they have felt its
charms. The poorest and most delicate,
who are allowed 10 stay week, are greatly
envied by those who must return TO the
East Side after single day Of roaming in
the woods and along the shore and on the
grassy slopes around the fine stone house
that is the socety's country home.
Teacher, teacher, Annie amt here!"
called out n shrll-voiced little girl in the
train one afternoon when the children were
returning from II days outing on the island.
hasty and agitated count by the chap
erons proved that this was true Ii is ditfi-
cult to keep track Of each one OF fifty young
sters on a trip involving changes. Anne
might easily have strayed away unnoticed,
and visions of accidents destroyed the
peace Of mind ofthose who were responsible
Tor the children.
But they learned that night that Annie
was all right. She was still on Hunters
Island. When the time had come for her
to go home with the others, she had hidden
away, but had put in an appearance when
the horn blew tor supper.
When the stage Was about TO start for
the station on tuesday little mot her, sur
rounded by a group OF sympathiners, ap-
preached the superintendent with tears
rolling down her cheeks.
III came to stay for-for week. she
sobbed, but | got n mark, and the-the
teacher says / must go home"
We'll, we'll" said the superintendent
soothingy, that's too bad. Will you prom
Use me that you'll be such good girl that
you won't get any more marks?"
"Yesm," answered this repentant little
mother, eagerly brushing away the tears
well, then, you just take of your hat
again, and go with the rest out TO the swing,
But, remember shall expect you TO be one
of the very best of my girls all week
at is a rule that if a girl gets bad mark
she has to go home explained the super
intendent; "but l don't send girl home
once in a month. They are very easy
little things to manage if you take the
trouble to put yourself in sympathetic
relationship with them"
Il like this place just-just fierce" re-
marked Lizzie, settling back in her rock
ing chair on the porch, with n little sigh
of contentment over the fact that she was
staying, as she watched a crowd Of the
others climb into the stage. Lizzie who
is II, is busy knitting woollen jacket for
a small sister at horne
But it seems awful funny at night till
you get used to it," she went on. TITS so
dark all around outside, apd the bugs and
things in the grass sing SO dreary that You
feel scary and kind o. wish you was
home But in the daytime you forget all
that"
Within few minutes after the children
arrive at the house on Hunters Island in the
morning they 90 running down the grassy
hill where small waves lap the sand be
tween the rocks. As quickly az possible
they don the bathing suits furnished by
the society, and then the fun begins.
There are duckings and splashings and
screams Of laughter; a few who live in
neighborhoods where there are free baths
can swim The majority have never been
bathing before, and they approach the
water gngerly until they gain courage
from the example of the others
Teacher, are You allowed to get your
suit wct?" asked one of the first little girls
ont Of the bathhouse the other day.
A little while after the bath il over the
horn toots for dinner. The little mothers,
who have heard that there il to he ice
cream, crowd eagerly into the wide hall
way, form in Inc impltiently, and, 10 the
music of lively air on the piano, march
in TO their places in front Of long rows of
plates with meat and pot AT oes and stewed
corn on them, and glasses of milk with |
big pieces of bread and butter on top
After dinner the little mothers 20 for |
bla ciberrieS in the woods, and gather big |
punches Of Eodenrod and clover and black |