The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-29

: 1 nat tDbu uOFt kIb" the udThttSS,
proves the light.
Weep If thou wilt, but weep not all
too long.
OR weep and work. for work viii
lead to song.
MAcp4NA4.pr-
The little woman who lived her
drab days behind the counter OF
large shop stared out of the window
across the drab street.
Lived her life"--or rather / should
say, endured her existence"
/ was nothing more than that.
From early morntngh when the sun
was bright, and the air fresh, until
evening. when night flung wide his
wLags., and the air was stale and
dustiiy heavy he stood behind that
hated counter.
She measured out yard upon yard
of ribbon. mile upon mile, until her
Yes madam "No madam" Just
moment, madam. We're mechanical.
until every ribbon seemed the Same
color and width unit she cared not
for IA thoughtlessly angry customer or
threatening department manager.
For. the little woman's" feet and
body ached with tiredness; her soul
was dying OF tredness.
Every day-every day and all day.
The same heaVineSs of spirit and body
in getting up. The same hurrying to-
prepare and swallow the mean break
fast, the same oVercrowded car; the
same dusty dead way the same work
and innutrittous lunch. then maching-
like work again and back to the tiny
room IN the tenement.
/ so thought the little woman AS
She sat by the window looking down
the narrow street. If she had
friend, she thought-even an acquain-
ftance who took some interest; II she
knew someone-anybody- whom
she could taik!
Her train OF thought was inter
irupted by the only music she had
heard for months and which for
months had thus arrested her-~it was
the waillng cry OF n, child belonging
10 the woman in the rooms next
| to hers
SO her life went onto nowhere.
one night as she came YEARLY w
the stairs she had heard many voices;
a cluster OF people stood on the land
ing and in the center was police"
man.
What's the natter she asked.
. ''Woman's left her baby. that's
what It's shame, 1 call 1t, leavin
an infant like that:
The" little mother thought fu-
riousiy for moment Wild FFe-
. ject forming in her brain.
Good heavens. Left it." she ex
claimed Indignantly.
, Yes. ] tell you! Left 1t since yes
/ terday-
You're nothing but lot OF busy
bodies" she interrupted. heatedly. II
am friend OF the mothers. She
has merely gone away to some
, friends. poor thing. and has left the
, child in my charge. Its ridiculous
to say she left It: she was here a
few hours ago. Here" Ito the po-
llceman). make these people mind
their own business; you've been trou-
bled over nothing" and she took the
, kiddy out OF another's arms.
But began the officer, then
, | stopped and smiled as he saw the
great happiness of the child and the
little mother
!. Sergeant. does the baby look
starved MOI 1l-treated2 DO I look
+ a criminal No. Very well, I'm sorry
these people have given you this silly
) | bother, Good evening and she
0 walked to her room and cooly shut
f the door.
e Then she sank down upon the bed
+ trembling. half with the strain and
n half with the joy of having some
: thing to love.
+ THE little mother was happy
deliriously happy. She sang In the
. morning, she laughed and chartered
S at work; new color was in her
: cheeks. a new life in her walk, new
: light in her eyes She loved and
r adored the atom she had lied to OBJ
: tain.
II Every Saturday afternoon she took
I her baby In to the nearby park, and
. walked with it. talked and cooed
: to 1t, cuddled, Rugged and kissed It,
:. Oh, they were happy!
" Until in the parry one day she saw
her departmental manager. who stop
q ped, stared, and walked on, with
9 no sign of recognition.
= Next day she felt difference at
! her place of work. The girls cut
i her; they did not seem to hear her
: talking to them; their conversation
died away, Or became whispers az she
9 approached.
r In her pride and the strength OF
. her love for the baby. she made no
A continued effort to break the ice or
I to find out what was her crime.
. Then she was called into the
4 'bosss" room, and went In fear
T. Il am sorry, miss he said, cold >
= ly; we shall not require your SER
4 vices after next saturday"
=. But"
) Il am sorry. Good morning"
i Can YOU tell me why? Let me
: explain"
/; 1t is useless. / regret it," he said
F.! with cold fnality, Good morning ="
Walking homeward through the
park few evenings ago with man.
. / noticed two well-dressed women
one middleaged. the other IA pretty
; young girl--carrying dogs OF the
pampered spaniel kind
ITO me that is one OF the saddest
sights imaginable" remarked my COM
panion. Women with money. ease,
leisure-everything In their power to
make child happX--and they waste
: THAR affections on dogs. fTthey