The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-12-26
my Introduction to :Ruggles Avenue

MY Introduction 70 >Ruggles Avenue
did not progresses me in it's favor At
every door was collected a. group Of
overdressed women and half-drunken
men, enjoying(a) the holiday evening.
Children visible through the open doors,
sucking oranges or fighting over papers
of cheap confectionery, while their
elders laughed, flirted, or swore, as the
case might be, at the doorway. In con-
trast to all this light and merriment,
was the closed door and shutters of No.
a, the last house in the row. In the
upper room, a light burned; but the
| curtains Of some thick green stuff hid
all inside.
Opening the door softly, my little
guide asked me to, wait, and went
quickly upstairs. A moment later, she
stood at the head Of the staircase, hold
ing candle, to light me.
"Please come up here, sir Mother is
not able to come down." So I passed
through the little entry, and mounted
the narrow staircase, and stood in the
upper rooms Of this little house. Two
rooms above, two below, were all it
boosted, but it was large enough for
this family, had it been transplanted
into purer air and broader space.
Cramped up, as :it>was, in the heart: Of
the great city,4hemmed in by houses on
all sides that overlooked and over
Swallowed it,; shut out from all but the
tiniest patch of blue sky above Ruggles
Avenue was a fair type Of the narrow
foul streets where city, crowds her
poor. 49,. IT.
In the tidy but poor room, where my
little friend led ME, found the mother
and the baby, Alice. The first, pallid
and weak, with the crimson spot that
stamps consumption on her cheek, with
hollow eyes and shrunken lips, looked
already fit for the grave to which she
seemed fastening; the other, sleeping
calmly, was puny, too, and feeble. AL
together a scene to make the heart
weep.
Il nave ventured to intrude,'' said,
courteously, for my hostess was lady
like In attitude and appearance, Ito
escort my little friend here home, and"
here hesitated. Sitting there, in her
armchair, her grandchild in her arms,
~A@~ ANNA>~As
and illness, so little an object of char
1ty that scarcely knew how to proceed.
You are very kind she said. hold
Ing out one thin hand. Meta set
chair for the gentleman, and then take
Allie, dear"
The child obeyed, lifting the sleeping
oabe with a womanly care and gentle
ness that would have made one smile,
only 1t was touchingly said, too
4 have sent her away" said the
mother, as the door between the rooms
closed after the children, ''because I
want to ask your kindness for her. and
Tor the baby. Only" she added, hasti-
~, as was about to speak, that YOU
VIII try to find them some asylum more
tender than the almshouse.' She paused
TOR a moment, then spoke again: II
have not relative to whom I can ap-
ply, and their father was an English
man; all his relations are on the other
side Of the ocean. We stand alone.
Meta has been my scholar from
child, and have been teacher almost
all my life; as soon as she is old
enough, she is competent to- teach. if.
an the meantime. Here a. violent;
fit of oughing broke TIM intencee. He
inner door op ened, nd Meta CAME i l1sef'
:: t"'Who is your: mothers doctor?"
asked.
She gave me name and address.
II Will call tomorrow, when you are
stronger" I said to the invalid, when
she was quiet again, land tell you
what can do. In the meantime do not
think of the rent, or let your thoughts
dwell too despondently on the future.
Good night"
She tried to speak, but I hurried.
away. AT the door I dropped a kiss on
Meta's forehead, peice Of gold on her
candlestick, and started for the doctor.
Ills Judgment only confirmed my
own. For the mother there was no
hope, save in pure air, good food. gentle
stimulates, and freedom from care, for
the baby, the same; and my heart
responded with a similar decree for
Meta.
Christmas day was surely the day
Tor deeds Of gentle charity; so drove
out to the farm attached to my country
house, and laid my plans for the trio
The little furnished house, where the
gardener lived in summer, stood tempt
mgly vacant, and think no pleasure
or my life fingers so pleasantly on nv
memory as the Christmas day when
arranged the rooms for my new
tenants. Mollie Barry, the farmers
buxom daughter, was all interest and
excitement, and readily promised to
keep house for the invalid, and nurse
the baby. Three days later, cleaned.
warmed, and habitable, the house op-
ened its doors for the new inmates.
gave Mrs. Burgess pile of muslin to
cut and make for me, handkerchiefs to
embro1der with initial letters, linen for
shirts, and silk for cravats; and so,
having eased her delicate sense Of un
willing dependence, left her to Mollie
and Meta.
We scarcely dared hope for her to live
through the spring; but she did, and as
the summer months brought roses to
Meta's and Allies cheeks, they came,
TOO, laden with healthgiving breezes for