Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20

that the mother refused to remain home
fo care for her children. although ar
ranaenents were unde. taken by the asso-
ciated Charities so that 1t could be done
She preferred. however. to be OUTSIDE
where she was able to earn enough to Sc
cure good clothes and enjoy ire. AS
result the two oldest girls had reached
vomanhood prematurely. neither OIL tneH
ha1rinr an o1cupation, with TO knowledge
Of the sweeter side Of life. and what was
far worse, deadened to all sense of desire
for it.
.swhat do YOU do with yourself? asked
The agent of the Younger OF the TWO.
'Just stay in the house in the winter
time" was the uninterested reply. A room
full Of rickety furniture and in a condi-
ton of unutterable squa1or formed as
background for this remark suggestion
far from pleasant.
Wouldn't you Ike TO pelons 70 sii's
club?" was asked.
II don't know" replied the girl. and her
tone implied surprise that there were such
things in the world. Further remarks
and It was not until the agent questioned
her about work that the girl responded:
IT did work In Laundry once, sH =.
said, but If I had to do 1t always IL
would kill me-
r. was not the spirit of laziness speak
ing. the girl appeared to be simply stat,
ing facts. After talking to her several
minutes the agent was able 10 impress
,,pon her the fact that there was other
ennloyrnent, better both as to the class OF
wnrL and the payment. The girls world
appeared to have been so small that even
this fact had escaped her, but with the
promise of help from the agent IN secur
ing a place the girl frightened, and as the
agent left q faint smile touched the cor
ners of her mouths smile that seemed
unused to being there.
+ 4
In strange contrast with this case IS
that Of an old and feeble negro who Is
blind. Although his case is beyond cure
the agent decided that 1t would be a good
thing to have him go to the hospital ana
secure what relief he could. She sug-
gested it to Uncle Jim, and he approved
most heartily. The next step was TO Sc
cure a conveyance in which 10 take hini
there The weather being bad, the agent
had secured the aid of a colored undef-
taker, who promised to take Uncle jim
in his covered buggy. He called Tor the
old man the next day. met his daushter
and, telling her his errand. waited re-
suits. Whether out OF a. spirit OF 1un VI
unknowingly, matters little. Suffice it to
saw that the child went to her father ana
Informed him that 1.-The undertaker's walt
ing for you Uncle Jim" did not make
the trip that day, nor the next. but spent
both in bed in state bordering upon
When the agent visited the olu man she
said nothing against the superstitious be
lief which he had displayed, and Whicn
was so characteristic of his race, nor did
she withdraw her offer of assistance. She
EXPRESSED her regret at his discontinue,
and asked him If he would go the next
day.
"Yas'm, sure will
And you won't mind going in the buggy
this timer
Uncle Jim" baked very perceptibly.
Standing first on one foot and then on
the other, he fingered his hat and cane.
His mother was possessed of no such reti-
cence.
"'Deed he won't. That there wagon jes
hatchery plum upset him. The idea Is
too much for him.
1t was then simply a question Of secur-
ing a conveys nce in which the old man
would consent to ride, and without any
apparent displeasure the agent set out to
make the arrangements all over again.
An old woman. crippled with rheuma-
tism. was among those visited. She was
unable to care for herself. the house was
filthy, and she had no money with which
to buy food, her only help in this con-