Monroe City Democrat., 1908-12-17


life is very hardr
Then she rolled back the shawl
from her left arm, and showed an ugly
wound in the arm where her husband
had stabbed her with a stiletto.
The young teacher lost no time in
taking the poor woman to a surgeon,
who dressed the already infected
wound, and dealt with case so diff
cult that he barely saved the arm
from amputation.
The poor woman accepted the help
stolidly, for suffering had wrought its
work in her embittered spirit. A
drunken, brutal husband, hard inces-
SAINT toll, and the care of three puny
children weighed down her forlorn
life. She lived in one basement, room,
and her washing supplied thQnShil-
drens food, when her husband did not
succeed in getting the money first and
spending it for drink.
There is not dog upon the street
whose lot is not happier than mine,"
she said. NO, there is no God"
To the three children, Leonardo.
Michael and Angelo, "a fourth was soon
added and to Ler was given the name
Rosie; for tie mother did not recall
the names of any Italian artists that
waGld have itteG little girl. And
whcn the little sirl was born, the
worthless fther deserted the home,
which was erhaps the only thing he
had done to help it for long time.
hot oha
the creed of the poor immigrant wom-
an. The simplest necessities of life
were imperalively needed in that
home, and they were supplied. Day
by day visiting nurse came in and
cared tor her. Day by day the chill
dron were tended in the day nursery.
Frequent visits of the teachers
brought simple comforts to the poor
tenement, and life became a little
Of a woman whose hopes we're gone,
and who had drunk to the dregs the
cup of bitter experience,
They had a Christmas tree at the
nursery, with simple gifts for the chill
dren. When the exercises were over,
and the teachers were taking down
the tree, one of them proposed that
they should carry 1t over to @ home
where one of the children was
sick. The tree was too large, and had
to be cut off, but it was still a re-
spectacle tree. And its reception in
the first home was so enthusiastic that
they carried it to another, and yet
another. Nor were gifts lacking; for
a quantity of secondhand toys had
been received, and there was second.
hand clothing for distribution as well.
A few OF tho Aiildren accompanied
the tree to the first house, and the
procession grew. First went the tree
upheld by two or twenty children;
then came the basket Of decorations
then a basket Of presents. and then
the teachers and the throng. It was
long after dinner time when they
came to Mrs. Carrucio's one room-
It was a dark room, with ons eouEt
window, and that window was Allied
with children who could not get in
The table was still loaded with tbs
remains Of the Christmas feast, and
Mrs. Caruccio was holding Rosie
while the three boys gathered about
her. Into the midst of the family
group came the wonderful tree, 70,
the eleventh time decorated with ttn
sci and glass balls, and lighted witt
candles
1t bore wonderful fruit--a shawl foi
the mother, shoes for the boys, white
clothing for baby Rosie, and an odd
collection OF secondhand toys.
The light of the candles found q re
Election in the face of the poor won
an. She had seen the Lord in tht
love of his children. 2 She looked a.
the tree, now bare OF presents, bu
still radiant with candles and orna
ments, and looked again at the facei
of the teachers, and then at the fac,
of her babe. Upon her knees sh,
fell In front of the wonderful tree, anC
over her face, that had been too sac
for weeping, the tears flowed freel.
as she knelt and uttered a prayer
And her face became almost like tn,
face OF Madonna. as she held he
babe and sobbed her sad Magnihcat Ii
her native tongue.-Youth's Com
panion.
crown rfIpce uuBtavus or SweneI
A.S ~. .~~lwaaAi ~kAhfaa ma sNff a.