The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-03-13
~ HE Travellers Aid of the =
w. G. A. found her huddled

limp dress and scrap of hat were
Of the poorest, and the shapeless
old valise at her feet constituted
all her visible belongings. Weari-
hess and desolation were plainly
marked on her thin. sallow face
and in the droop of the gaunt i'll
rOurished body.
A kind brisk voice aroused her
"Where are you going, my girl?"
ITO Coulee City. Washington"
she answered shyly.
Are you alone?"
Before answering, the girl look
ed up curiously into the friendly
face of the bareheaded woman
standing beside her and let her
eyes rest upon yellow ribbon
with black lettering that was pin
ned on the crisp white shirt waist.
The badge, "Y. w. c. A. Travellers
Aid" meant nothing to her. but the
sympathetic look was encouraging;
so she answered Yes
Her FATHER WAS DEAD; SHE
WAS ALONE.
Further questioning brought out
the knowledge that she had her
ticket and rs cents and was on her
way to a cousin who lived some
where near Coulee City. She was
alone in the world, her father hav-
Ing died a few weeks before. and
this cousin was the only relative
she had. She had never seen him
nor did she know anything about
him beyond his name and the fact
that he lived near Coulee City.
When the small store Of money in
her purse had given out she had
sold her fathers revolver (the only
thing of any worth she had) to a
man on the train. for three dollars.
and now this was nearly gone.
Thus in ignorance and a certain
desperation and misery she had
journeyed on.
Now, Anna, my girl. cannet
let you 60 off in this manner. IT
will not do. I'm going to take care
of you until we can hear from this
cousin of yours
"Miss CARROLL" GIVES HER A
BED FOR THE NIGHT.
Miss Carroll let us call herr
wished with all her heart that the
Young Woman's Christian assOcia-
tion had building where such
strays could be cared for. but at
such late hour she could not for
PHYS sake do other than give the
girl spare cot In her own room.
A little later she had dressed Anna
in a clean dainty nightgown of her
own. for the girl had none. and,
lust think, had never worn one be.
fore, and left her to sleep.
Miss Carroll" called Anna,
"aometimes | have fits, and If I
have one tonight will you put a
spoon between my teeth so I'll not
bite my tongue, and then give me
some of this medicine"
Miss Carroll caught her breath.
She had discovered that this poor
little child knew nothing Of true
cleanliness and had scarcely cloth
Ing enough to keep herself decent
and had fits. She clutched the
spoon and only half slept during
the night, listening for any sound
of the coming of fit, but none
came.
During breakfast Miss Carroll
talked cheerily and helpfully and
had won the girl to her so that
she told her freely of her dreary
life, and then suddenly burst out,
Miss Carroll, never had a friend
like you, nowhere, and ! am going
to tell you something. l reckon
YOU won't think it right and If you
want me to, I'll quit"
AND SHE cHEWED TOBACCO,
SNUFFED AND SMOKED.
Then she told that. like many
women of the poor In the south she
had the habit of using tobacco
chewing, dipping snuff and occa'
sionally smoked pipe, and she
vas but Is years old.
Her new found friend told her
In the simplest way that 1t was bad
for her health, that the best women
cid not do such things, and that
she wanted her to stop at once.
Pending a search for the cousin
Mss Carroll cared for her for some
days. She procured decent clothing
for her and was trying to find q
home, as she felt doubt concern
ing the cousins ability or desire
10 provide for her even If he were
found. One day when she re
turned to her rooms she found An
ma looking troubled and asked the
cause.
"Oh, Miss CARROLL feel so bad;
| tried and tried not to think about
tobacco, but / wanted 1t so dread
full that ] slipped out and bought
s cents worth; took just one bite
and then I thought you would mo-
think tried. and here Is the rest.
She held out small piece of to
bacco with one bite taken off The
corner. And this was the last tim'
she ever touched the stuff.
RESCUED; NO COUSIN WAS
EVER FOUND.
That cousin was never found, II
spite of all attempts. Evidentl!
the simple little girl had been res
cned from the plot of some viii
man, who had hoped by this RUS
10 prey upon her ignorance OF rela
t'onship and her misfortune t
drag her down. However. a goO'
woman was found who was gla,
10 take Anna into her home ant
care for her as a child of her own
Should you see Anna now 20,
could scarcely recognize her. Goo,
food and cleanliness have strength