The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-13
PLAYMATE TO The INYAuDS
a WOMAN-S WORN AMONG Az
FLICTED CHIL DREN.
Cnasle 20 Reeonse Teacher. she FOuna
V0eation Through . chance Ae-
qaaintAnce Win Crippled TlOy-WaJ
20 the GsnndeNce 0G LATHE sufferers.

1T 10 almost six years now since my
eyes became 80 badly affected that Twas
forced 70 give up all hope Of completing
nv course and becoming n teacher. yet
! think earn more money than the ma ority
Of women who have been teaching twice
~ long
The speaker was a young woman who
makes business OF going TO the homes
81 invalid children To- teach them games
requiring the use % their limbs.
Being fond % children made me de
tePSnine to get something tn do that would
! throw me in with them IN spite Of the fact
that the doctors told me my eye~ighi
would never ~ good enough for me "a
teach abe went on. After thinking
Of AL sOrts Of things. possible and Inn
possible. I hit upon nv present work
quite by accident
= saw q little hey in the park who be-
cause Of infant paralysis had to be- rolled
around in = carriage by his nurse. The
child was nearly 10 and 20 sensitive that
nothing HIS nurse could do would induce
him even to make an effort 20 Use his
limbs. Beginning by speaking to him
each morning when We passed, ! gradu-
myrsh to help his nurse in Goa wing him
TO take at least a few steps. Little Nv
little We became such friends that he not
only was willing to attempt a lew battling
steps when there was nobody else around.
hut he would leave his carriage and crawl
and hop around on the grass. playing
marbles and spinning tops with m"
when the time came for his family 10
leave the Ci'V for tho sumner the hoy
had improved ~ much that his physici" n
assured them Of hrs ultimate recovery
provided he could be made to continue
his eHsrtion~ They were not wealthy
people: II thew had been ! am sure my
fortune would have been made Nv their
taking me- ~ ono" as the Child'S COM
panio'' A. Il was his mother came 10
the marx to see mo and finding that had
intended becoming teacher asked u
I would 20 with them into th- country
for the sake of rhe boy. though they were
not able 20 OFFER me any remuneration
beyond my board and room
That was better than nothing and he
cause Of the good felt could do the hoy
accepted and went That was iusi about
the most disagre~able summer ! could
paying me- nothing they not only pro-
Ceeded to make a packhorS. ot me ~ soon
a. W. reached the country. bat within
two weeks my led was moved into m"
nursery 10 make room Tor n young woman
who was Visiting the grown daughter.
Instead % playing with The lame hoy
an hour or 30 a day - nad agreed I soon
found myself in charge % four children
The nurse had packed her things aud iaff
soon after ! was moved into the nursery
and the mother Of the family never found
u convenient to replace h-i
But for two reasons ! would have fol-
lowed the example of that nurse The
first vas the 10y tie had heroine at
tached 10 me and would attempt nothing
for any une else. The Second reason was
that | knew that II the SISTER with whom
lived and on whom ] was entirely de
p~ndent found that I was not comfort
ably sittiats~t she would not PERMIT me -
remain under any circumstances She
10 tea cher ami ~ that 'lfn~ was earning
only g.. - w,-k
As there - an end "a al things ~ there
proved "a l.- an end - that summer When
We returned 10 town J took the boy 20 ss'a
his physician. and stating INV oaSs' Ia him
asked him Il ~ could not tell inc of other
Invalid f-httuFeu WIN WHOM ' sHiAllu gel
engagements To play
lie CRASHED my id.,a 40 once and not
only told me Of Other afflicted children
hut gave me a letter Of recommendation
IN other physicians and psJsnts That
was early in October and before the beS
ginning 81 the new year had every hour
% the day for SIX days a week filed.
Some of the children were bows and
some girls. aorns in their teens and others
ONLY little tots - less than two years
With some ! went 10 the bark and with
others played NJ home.
1T has h.ssn going on ever since Some
oT INV little pupils get we'll and 60 TO reg
ular school while others get no hotter IN
spite of all that their doCtor and I ran do
Thouxh IL 10 very pleasant to watch the chill
dren whO improve and note the various
stages 81 their recovery. ] believe ] am
more attached ~ the little reopl~ who We
know will always remain comparatively
helpless I know that IL ia for them that
I rack my brains trying 60 invent new
Earnes or improvements un IN" old
MANY persons hive suggested that u
was melancholy work On" woman ! 30
member who Was Visiting ~ ~" HOW" III
one Of nv pupil- When -ha hes ~ that
spent every davlgl' hour PLAYING will
| s,,ch children she remarked That ! must
/ 10 ~ very callOtis nttrr" else couldn =
/ he 90 happy and cheerful told her
that abe forgot that ~" work not only
\ occupied nv mind. Wh'Gb ot ITSELF amounts
/ almost to a guarantee Of happiness. hu'
! II made me forget INV own back ~ eve
| sight in helping children 20 help them
| selves and gave me y good income
Then. too. invalid children ~" not
| always melancholy Indeed y - quite
I the reverse once Won got them interested
some ~ nv little pupils Who viii never
/ lie abb. 60 Use their hUi- except very
haltinRly are the msrriest
They r.-alizs the diffsTenc" be;wSen
themselves and he lthier children. hr'
they don't break their hear about ~
SoTnst me. 70 - a very hArvi i~s-on to make
them under~tan nd that they will 30 happier
and make otherr 80 SIMPLY hv irving tn
[ he rhe~rful since ! have begun Z" work
with children I have become strong
belIeysr in the force ~ habit Get q
child in the habit II app~G ring cheerful.
COG 4 Il tn laugh against - will az even
! when Il is in pain. and cheerfulne~s and
laughter become second nature.
4 have 20 resort tn all sorts ~ things.
xATnes. tricks. everything that ! can think
! n. 70 gain this end sometimes Children
are BIl sensitive: they live in the little
world 90 th@ir immediate environment
: and Oncs they come to resslize that they
do a thing more Awkwardiv than other
children u is hard to get them In do u