The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1904-04-29
AN ANGEL IN A
TENEMENT HOUSE.
BY II. S. KELLER.


roof of the little tenement house
in the back court. With tire"
mouths to I'LL, not counting her
own-for she thought of the chill
drcn ilrst-coal high and hard to
get, rent and clothing, and now
and then some medicine, the
spring brought her but slight con
ISOLATION when she saw her last
five dollars go to the agent for the
landlord. She turned YEARLY TO
the pile Of clothes on the table
ami said to herself:
ut must be done, so Joe can
take IL home when he comes from
school. The money will help us
ont u little. oh, dear. ! am 80
tired"
She pressed her hand to her
brow before spreading ont a skirt
with fine Ruling and dainty trim.
ming, while her eyes dimmcd with
the pain that throbbrd back OF
them. She applied the hot iron.
and stopped for u second as a
sharp pain dartcd through her
side. almost taking away her
breath. Lifting the iron quickly
she gave a gasp; the pause, slight
as il was, was fatal to the pretty
skirt. 4 brown scorch tells the
story. II was too bad, and III"
tired little woman sat down and
cried, and she could not help H.:
the sharp pains which she had suf-
fcrcd of late had made her weak,
and the tears flowed easily.
at IL too terrible. do not
know what 10 do. The lady will be
50 angry, for 1t was such n fine
skirt. liut | must hurry and fin.
ish the rest"
Again she piled the iron AMI
worked rs rapidly rs she could;
the more swiftly she ironcd the
more intense the pains grew.
With n great effort she finished
the work, and the pieces were
folded and placed IN the basket
with the scorchcd skirt on top.
Then she sank into n chair, pale
and gasping, and when the three
little ones came in sine was scarcc.
~ able 10 speak or move.
"Oh, mamma. r you sick?"
cried Joe. the bright.cycd hoy OF
IL, Fastening Ia her side. followed
by the girls, both youngcrthan he.
Yves, dear; go with the has.
Ret to the lndy's home, Joey. lam
sick, dearic, so sick. Tcll-tcll
the ladythat II scorched one Of
of the skirts, but ] will-will
make Il good when" Her head
fell back and her eyes closed. Tn"
children wcrc scared and began
10 cry; but Joe pulled the chair
close to the bed, and with the help
of the little girls got his mother
upon il. Then he ran downstairs
for Mrs. Murphy, who lived in the
basement. and who was his best
friend in the tenement house, he.
cause he had always been good TO
her Patscy, the boy who died Il
couple of months before.
The poor little mother! She's
faintcd-and ! don't wonder, bye.
She don't ate half enough to kape
the life in her little body. Run
for the doctor, quick, sonny"
When the doctor came Mrs.
Brown had revived and was sit
ting up, pale and weak.
"Nourishment, my dear woman,
is what YOU need; soups, meat,
and a little good winc-and lots
of rest; above all things, rest. IL
you follow my instructions you
will come out all right"
That's right, doctor, dear; but
It's purity hard work for a poor
lady like me friend to stop for rest
when she hain't got the time, yon
see" uttered Mrs. Murphy, with a
toss of her head.
mo doubt, NO doubt. But this
lady must have rest, must have
good nourishing food or-or she
will not need either SOON" said
the doctor, as he made up some