The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-22
TO EACH OF 700 A GERANIUM.
LITTLE MOTHERS GO LADEN WITH
POTTED PLANTS.

Struggles Against Adversely for the Prizes
OHered to Al Who Had Kept Their
Plants Alive for q Whole Year-And
Some OF Those who Lost still Won.
Seven hundred slittle mothers Of the
East Side, ranging in 6 from 4 to IL
years, marched out Of Webster Hall in East
Eleventh street yesterday afternoon, each
carrying in her arms a potted geranium
in bloom, the gift Of the Little Mothers
Aid Society.
But what a time there was in the hall
before the plants were distributed. The
association offered a prize last year to every
little mother who would keep her plant
alive until the next Easter festival. A
good many won out, and most Of those VIII
didn't had mighty interesting complaints
to make.
please, miss sobbed one little girl,
tears triokling down her cheeks, give
me one that won't do it ag'in. l tried 80
hard-honest and truly l debut they must
have been something the matter with it
when l got it. l didn't do nothin' 'cept
put on water jes' the way you told me
no l d%idn't-but the posy went away. 1t
come back ag'in by and by but in a differ
ent spot. 1t got big when it was gone away,
and Sis, who is older than me-, said 1t growed
les like 1 do. But now land the tears came
fasterl it's gone again an / guess it amt
never comm back, cause it never stayed
away such a long time before. Please,
miss, can't you give me one this time thatn
stay in our home all the timer"
The teacher explained that this was quite
impossible, but notified the little mother
that she certainly had won one Of the prizes.
I'D been in on the win, too" said one little
girl who lives near the Bowery, "if it hadn't
been fur me brudder Bill. He cuts of de
plant fur a full dress bouquet fur his rag
when l had on'y two weeks { CO.
One little Italian girl who lived in q back
tenement at 81 Oliver street had nursed
her plant industriously. On he bright
sunny days she had taken it with her to the
roof. cause 1t couldn't get as much sum
light as it ought t have in our house. In
the cold weather she wrapped it in her dress
AT night and tucked it under her bed. W
weeks ago she had set it on the fire escape
lust to give it it's first spring airing, an
the dirty old wall of the house fell
The plant was buried under the bricks, but
the little girl watched day after day while
the debris was being cleared, herself carry
ing a brick or two at a time when the work.
men would let her. What she found was
scarcely recognizable as the remains Of a
eeranium, but she had it with her at the
Celebration yesterday. There was no doubt
about this little girl being entitled to a place
on the honor roll. Besides the distribution
of the plants, there were singing end reel.
tations by the little mothers" and plenty OF
ice cream and cake.
The little mothers came from all parts
OF the East Side. There was q good sized
delegation from the Syrian quarter in
Washington street. After the festival was
ali over the little girls, in groups OF twenty
five or thirty each, were escorted to their
homes by policemen or the members OF
the aid association.
One policeman from the Delaney street
station who had a crowd Of little girls from
the Cherry Hill district had his hands full
They pulled his coattails, chung to his legs
and danced about him in the widest glee.
But he was the most fatherlv kind Of a cop;
He patted the little ones on the head, warned
them that they would break their plants
unless they behaved and at the same time
shooed away a crowd Of Bowery Ramins
who had been attracted by the fowery
sSay, Liz, put us wise t doze things you're
%lugGin'. What be dey?' said one OF the
ragamufins to a girl in the group.
aGeroiniums, y bloke," said she, her
nose tilted in the air.