The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-12
4 IIS/T 70 CHILDREN
 AT THE ORPHANS HOME


 will be served to them in the cherry din- ing room Christmas day. The little ones eyes brighten when the holiday is mentioned, and the trio of ladies at the home last week talked of the coming of good St. Nick to an eager group of listeners.
 Turning, however, to little Mary. who was a newcomer among the children, one said, "Is Santa Claus coming to see you, too?" and two great tears rolled down her cheeks as she. stood and looked at her questioner in silence, for she 1t was whose mother died two weeks ago. And coming home afterwards the woman whose own little 7-year-old daughter just died before Christmas a few years back, said after a period of thoughtfulness, How that dear child's face haunts me! Already, though she is so tiny, she knows the one who meant Santa Claus and so many of the other good things in life"
 The chapel where the children and the seven sisters gather for worship, is on the first floor of the home It is a beautiful place and last week-it, was on a holy day we called-the white altar was decorated with ferns. The long rows of benches are light oak and encircling the walls are medallions of the holy family, with many other religious pic- lures. This is near the sitting room where visitors to the home receive a cordial welcome. On the same floor are the recreation room and the bright class room, with, on the opposite side, the din- ing room and kitchen, each in its un- compromising clean lines, suggesting a vertiable "Spotless Town" The older children take turns assisting in these as in the other rooms of the buildings.
 Ascending the stairs one enters the boys dormitories. The entire floor Is given to them and the rows of little snow-white beds in rooms on each side of the hall leave little space for additions to the household. Indeed, said one of the sis ters, in some of the narrow beds two little fellows are sleeping these days, because there are not enough to go around. The home is somewhat overtaxed, there being ample room for S5. Some times, however, there have been as many as 105. the room in the sisters hearts being spacious. indeed, and no little in- mate has been turned away.
 The third floor, which In the days of the college. was the garret, has been fitted up for the girls and proves a comfortable place ineed, for the steam which heats the building has been extended here. AS we entered the room was unoccupied except for a little girl who stood near one of the little white beds. She was on duty as nurse girl and while many of her com panions played downstairs. she stayed to watch the newest little inmate in the home-a tiny baby of l year old, but sug- gesting hardly so many weeks. It had been there only a few days and having no name, she explained, the children have ] bestowed one. We did not want to call 1 her just Baby, as Sister Leona said, so we named her Mary Agnes, and when
 we tried to think of @ last name we
 called her Mary Agnes Orphan s-Home But the sisters did not think that was
 nice, so one of the children said, lust
 Homes So that is her name-Mary
 Agnes Holmes, and the other homeless | little ones to whom the institution has i been so much, are giving her the same
 love and sympathy which was accorded I small Beatrice who came much the same
 way three years ago, almost starved, al- ! most blind and quite speechless from neg lect. but whose sweet, bright little na- ture has endeared her to children and who knows said the other day, 'Tt would be hard for millionaire to take Beatrice away; the sisters love her so."
 This is the place that shelters so many | of Blrminghams little orphans. It is , supported partly by the county-6 cents a 1 day being paid for each of the inmates i who has no other support-and the rest | coming by private subscription. It Is a noble charity-one of the best and great i est in our big, warm-hearted city.