Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-15
The Journey Of the Playthings
BY ALICE BROCK

/ BY ALICE BROCK
Max and Greta had come from the far
west to live with Rose and Harold and
little Don.
The two little westerners were metheriess
cousins. SO Rose and Harold and Baby Don
said they would let them have a share of
their. mother and father and home and
playthings.
Max and Greta had arrived just the day
| before, after wonderful journey, by stage
and steam cars. ferryboat and trolley to
the pretty little country home that was an
hour 8 ride from the big city of New York.
I The five children were al up in the play
| room together and Rose and Harold were
showing all their playthings to the new
| corners, who. in turn. were telling mar
velous tales of the things they saw on
| their journey eastward
| And what do you think we saw right
| in New York" exclaimed iGreta, Just
| when we were walking up from the ferry
boat Is your papa's Officer, Why. there
! were more little children than ever saw
| in all my whole life"
Yes" said Max, land they were all
| playing in the streets. some of them little
| bits OF babies like Don"
| ME not baby! Me muvver's -man!'
asserted Don stoutly.
"Of course you are. darling" said Greta;
but these little children were bigger and
dirty like my old rag doh that Rover used
to play WITH"
yes. but the things they had to play
! with were the worst" said Max, making
| a face.
20 dreadful said Greta. Three little
girls had doll, and 1t was made by stuff
ing dirty old stocking full of rags, and
| the toe Of the stocking was the. head, and
the rest of it was covered with an old
| shawl, and those little girls were taking
turns kissing it. 1t was all the doll they
three had" Greta's tone was Mortified,
but Rose had an expression on her face
| that equaled 1t.
Mamma never let's us walk when we go
| to New York" said Rose. How did you
children"
| We'll. we were tired of riding and
begged to walk, so uncle let US. But he
went so fast we couldn't see half the things
1.-THE boys had just old sticks for horses.
| and old tin cans for pals that they were
playing In the gutter WITH" said Max.
when our playthings come up from the
station" said Greta. ''Fm going to take
some Of 'em into New York and just walk
through that same street and give EN- to
Fthose children"
Harold's eyes were flashing. Don't walt
for yours to comet" he almost shouted.
Take mine! Take 'em now! Mamma
won't let US go to the city, but you're COM
pany, you can do as you please. They
mustn't wait another minute. Here take
my horse, it's newt"
And my doll carriage and dolls" cried
| Rose.
But do we dare to go alone?" asked
| Greta.
"Of course we dor cried Max 1--WE can
ask the conductor and the policemen. Come
| on. let's get ready"
| In less than a quarter of an hour they
We're all ready for their journey.
Mother had gone shopping, but Harold
was so impatient for the city children to
get his playthings that he said Max and
Greta must not wait for mother to come
back. So off they started. The three
cousins went to the garden gate to see
them of; and Rose sobbed aloud because
| she could not go, too.
The two little pilgrims went down the
strange streets, looking like children of
Santa Claus After much difficulty they
went out to the big city.
There they asked the man in brass but
tons" to help them on the train to New
York.
why! Bless my soul, youngsters. YOU
aren't going there all alone. are your" he
So then they told him all about it, and
he seemed to take it very strangely. He
coughed then he laughed. his face got
very red and he wiped his eyes, then he
laughed again. Finally he said:
Now, look here, them children get just
as much pleasure out of their rag dolls as
you get out of your Paris ones, and stick
makes very good horse. 1 never rode on
anything else when was boy. and If you
| SdIiy al tiIdI Stull 10 them lner6 won't be
half enough to go around. and the chill
dren that are left out will be dreadfully
unhappy You just go back and talk it
| over with your aunt
| "Oh, no! mol" Max stamped his foot eve
want to go! We will go!"
But Greta was wiser and maybe more
timid than Max. There were big tears of
disappointment in her eyes. but she smiled
up at the man bravely.
You are good man. she said II
olon thlnk about there not being enough
to- go around. And what if they should
all want the same thing. Max, let's save
up our allowance till we can buy them all
| all in together
| That's a good girl said the man on
couragingly.
So the children trudged back again with
| the piaythlngs On the way they met their
auntie, running and quite out of breath.
| 'Oh, Max! Greta!' she sobbed, II thought
you had gone to the city and would be
| lost!'
The three children met them at the gate.
| delight. "'''
| Then mother gathered the five children
| about her. You are all my children, now"
| she said. What do not consider safe for
! Rose or Harold or Don to do, l should not
I expect to allow Max or Greta to do You
| must not go out Of the yard without per-
mission. any Of you. I want you to be
be generous you might cause more unhappi-
ness than pleasure, so you must talk with
| mo about things. When I was a little
girl, the plaything I loved most Of all was
a corncob doll, with only a bit of bright
red calico for dress, and was very happy.
The fathers and mothers of the little ones
| on the street cannot afford to buy them
| playthfngs like yours, SO they are happy
with what they have, and you would make
| them very discontinued II you gave away
| all yours. But l will take you out to our
| Childrens Country Home, where the little
i city children come for two weeks at a time
there are only twenty of them at time
| and you shall select what playthings you
l can spare to be used there"
THAT will be just lovelyr cried Greta.
IF there were only country homes enough
SO that all those little street children could
/ come" We all wished there were.