New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-10
ONE DAY OF TONYS
In the Crowded Tenement Dis
trict Variety Is Lacking.
LITTLE ROOM FOR PLAY
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund
Has Helped Many
Children.

Tony is a six-year-old youngster who
| lives in one OF the city's crowded tenement
| houses on a block filed with other equally
crowded dwellings There are eight persons
in Tony's family. and they live in three
rooms on the ground floor Of their tene-
ment.
There are thousand children who live
on Tonys block. to say nothing of pro-
portionate number OF adults.
Yesterday Tony was dressed In single
garment-a pair of jean overalls. His four
year-old sister wore nothing but a petit
coat. At o'clock in the morning the lad
made his breakfast on piece of bread and
a cup Of vilainous coffee. and then his
mother drove him out of the house lest his
noise should awake 100 early brother,
: ged nine months, and sister, aged two
years.
| On the street Tony sat down on the curb
for a while to think things over But there
were other TONES about. even at that early
| hour and he soon became involved In
| game of cat" For two hours he and his
companions played solemnly on. batting
|
innumerable sticks" Then a hand sud
denly seized Tony and he was hustled of
| 10 keep ar eye on the two-year-old sister,
| who had meanwhile awakened, and Vas
now squatting on the curb In front Il
| Tony's tenement.
For three hours Tony stood guard, with
only occasional relapses. BY that time tho
| hot asphalt began to burn his bare feet.
and nc shifted uneasily from foot tn foot
as he stood his watch in the gutter He
saw a street cleaner up the street turn on
| fire hydrant and away he rushed forget
| ful OF the two-year-old. to ease his Bills
| tering soles in the cool stream that gushed
| from the hydrant II was good fun while II
| lasted and after the water was turned of
he sailed boats for while In the pudde5
that were left.
Then he recalled the baby. and stole pack
! In the shadow of some pushcarts to see
what had happeend His mother had dis
| covered his desertion, just as lie had
| feared. and he was received with a cum
or two that scattered In an instant the
pleasant recollections Of his Uadlng and
| his puddle boats
II being now past noon. Tony was
dragged by the arm through tho hall Of the
! front tenement and into the rear one TO
! his midday meal He ate with relish
| some bread and the remains OF the coffee
which had been prepared for breakfast.
BY this time II was hot, unbearably hot.
| I'm the street. but the babies were asleep
again. and Tony had 10 20 forth. He
| tried the street for a while, but his feet
had not yet become usen TO tho heat OF
| tho flags and tho asphalt He went into
! the hall ~ the rear tenement and sat down
| IN dark corner on the stairs. There,
weary and listess from the heat and
| monotony he dozed of for a time, until
awakened by "A companion on his way down
/ from one Of the upper floors Of the house.
/ Together they sat and talked-no one could
! guess about what-untl some ono descend
! ing tho stairs disturbed them and the dis
| cusslon ended.
/ Tony looked IN on his mother for few
moments. a wild desire throbbing In his
! head The fates were kindly disposed. and
| in a short time the youngster rushed forth
With 9 penny" 10 cap the day with
| climax that only few days rise 10.
| Down the block 4 short distance was
a place held In high esteem ny Tony There
! in no time he was deep In the delights OF
"a cents worth OF hockey pokey,' the crown
| ing pleasure OF all pleasures TO tenement
! house lad on a hot day.
At I o'clock II was so hot that the boy,
TO fnd refuge from the street. took 10 an
| omen ceIlarway and helped an old woman
| sort rags and papers which the men folk
| OF her family had brought In from the
days rounds At he started another
| game Of cat" but the tenements eredis-
! gorsing their multltudes by his time and
! the streets were too crowded for the game.
! Until !. when he had his supper, Tony
wandered from place TO place on the block,
Watching pushcart vender here sitting
! on a curb or step in another place. listless
| and uninterested always.
| Ho grew sleepy and sat down I'm corner
! OF the court between the front and thu rear
| tenements and fell asleep. Al II o'clock
! his parents. coming in from the street,
! found him there In the court I'm front OF
one window Of their rooms stood a packing
| case on this Tonys mother spread
ragged blanket and on 1t Tony slept all
! night
There were thousands and thousands OF
! TONES yesterday and Monday. and there
will be during all the hot days Of this
| summer The Tribune Fresh Air Fund has
snatched many Of them out OF such sur
| roundings and sent them 10 gayer and
| better life In the country II will send
| thousand more IN the remaining days this
I week. VIII the generous people who can
feel for the woes Of the TONES help pro
vId. for the lads and their sisters by send
ing their contributions to The Tribune
| fund?