Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-11-06
Row David Found the real Amsr,e. !.

OWN you please have the little boy
read at O'Clock" said the mission
worker 10 the young Hungarian moth
err 10 East Sixth street, "and bring
him TO the church,
] Careful instructions had been given
regarding the clothing to be packed ia
the blue denim bag. There was little
TO be slowed away, but what there
was would be necessary for the two
weeks vacation in the star away
country W here there were no crow ded
streets no overerowded tenement
| houses, no filth.
Little David was not well. His four
teen wears had been spent in poverty
His parents had come here from Hun
gary when he was eight years old, and
David had learned rapidly, but did not
grow. The country would do him good,
thought bis mother, when the vaca-
! ton sub ieet was brosched.
1 There were other children, but none
so frail as David. Four little figures
" ere huddled nightly in one bed in
] 1.-The room where another bed was used
by the parents One window gave all
the fight and the air, and the light
was nearly ooscured by tall tene-
ment house next deor, and the air had
to come through narrow passage
containing the deposit of years Of re-
/ ru--.-
David was ready for the journey to
the church on time, and, clutch'ng the
hand of his mother, left the tenement
home. They were crowded against carts
containing all sorts of vegetables and
merchandise. He slipped on a banana
skin, and was saved from a fall by his
| mothers hand Then hefreed his hand
for did he not know the streets and
the way? He passed friends, who Jeer-
ed him He lodged missiles. The SIN
beat down upon the unclean street,
and he wondered if the country could
be better than the quarters he remem
bered SO we'll He fingered bsfore
cart where soda water was sold for a
i penny glass, and his mother had to
i push him along.
At the church lkere were other
children. David had been there before,
when the tall woman had examined
him as to his cleanliness and health.
i He had been clean, aEd his mother
was indignant when he told her OF
what he had passed through. AS if she
would let him become unclean! On
the train David was staikative. He sat
in the same seat with his teacher.
care the houses so big as here?' he
asked as the train came to the surface
from the Grand Central tunnel. sis
there so many peoples? What for do
we not have the grass here, and what
we get the milk from cows? Where
, does the sun come up in the country?
From the Brooklyn? VIII have to be
very good, and if don't be good will
some man hit me? My mamma said
, aust not talk there, or / will be hit, AN
it used to be country where we lived
an nay mamma says fader was whip
ped once, som etimes, and she was hit
too, and friends said no one hits here.
But they doe. Big Joe was hit by q
cop SO hard he went to sleep"
When David arrived at the Fresh
Air Fund home he learned for the first
, time what real freedom was. He could
, play with his fellows without fear o.
, a patroiman. The ways OF the attend
ants were not the ways of those who
had controlled his ants in the city
There was supervision, but untain tee
by form or circumstance. He was ont
! with all in the big home, and the fet
tiers of restraint were loosed and Davic
was free from care, and became con
siderate of others, for all the boy
seemed to have lost the k cen desire t
annoy, to domi innate, to deceive. Their
was no domination in the home; Their
was no petition, tinged with ma
lice and envy. One day David salt
! thoughtfully:
"When | get home I'll tell mamm
I've found the real America. But
: wish she am fader an all would com
up b ere AN stay here all the time
4 New York Tribune.