The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-01

once, while travelling abroad, Wis
he'd family in which there were
hree children. all girls The parents
brafsed highly the intelligence and
hits OF the oldest and the kind heart
81 the youngest OF the third not a
word was said.
The oldest came and showed me her
kchool testimonials. the prizes she had
ron and her faultiess copybook: she
huoted English and French poets.
played the plano and sang very pref
In the general chorus Of praise. but
remained silent.
The youngest. pretty little golden
haired angel, came 10 me win her
hollis and toys. her new dress and lit
he patent leather clippers. And
while she heard IL. the parents toia
|ne how wonderfully beautiful she
looked In the evening when she said
her prayers and prayed for her dolls,
Tor prisoners in jail. for butterflies
and flowers They evidently expected
me to say she was the most charming
child / had ever seen, but i remained
kilent.
Rad been there before and had
seen the three children together. the
1.-TWO OF them showing all their tricks
and turns. the third standing pale
and silent In a corner, her pretty
little head bowed down And re-
membercd when the parents said.
"Rnn down and play in the garden;
how the two had rushed away. while
the third asked In whisper. May
4 play In the garden. too Wnea
she had gone I spoke of the touching
Expression in her beautiful eyes, but
1.-The. parents interrupted me and said
she was the most ill-mannered'
naughty child imaginable. She was
careiess, Wild and noisy. and told the
most shameless lies.
In the presence of this child / fell
the same hopeless pain as when ! see
an animal bei~'s tortured without De-
ing able TO prevent II.
Later on the parents snowea me
In her presence how bad her scsss'
tnon.ais were. how poorly she spelled
and told me how she had recently
been locked IN In the cellar all day
for being naughty. The child stood
with her eyes east down, turning pais
aud red with shame.
This time ! didn't see her and ask
ed where she WIS.
Her sisters made haste TO tell me
~she IL locked up; she has been steal
Ing.
The father had some chocolates IN
an unlocked drawer, and used to al
vide them between the model cnii,
dren. and now they had discovered
she had stolen some OF the choco'
lates.
The parenfs thought of sending he'
70 4 reformatery. II they only coalc
| ara one where the rules were stric'
| enough.
n that girl does not grow up a
| bad woman II will be a miracle.
I remember from Denmark little
| boy who was sent away from home
herause '.he lied and stole and was
wicked child generally" lie was SEM
to the reformatory "HimmelbJerg-
Eaarden," where old Mr.. Budde, the
wen known philanthropist. was man
axer People were sure the boy
&would end In the penitentiary. Then
one day met Budde and asked about
/ the hoy. who had now been with him
/ for four years. The old mans eyes
| beamed. HE Is the finest boy ! ever
had. During the four years he has
been with me II has not once been
necessary to scold him. far less punish
him. asked. ~How can such a
thing be possible, when before ne
came TO you neither MS pafeHtS MOI
his teachers could make him be-
have"
And old Budde replied very gent
sy: .sThe boy was simply starving for
love-
A friend OF mine has school with
500 children. Six hundred little hui
man souls are so safe in her care
that no harm can possibly come e
them. They know II and understand
II. In 10Y or sorrow they go to her
f6r advice, and she knows how e
help them In every case. When the
yourg girls become engaged. she u
tho fIrst one to whom they tell 1t. Or
! the eve, OF their wedding, In the rnidsl
OF their preparations, they write and
thank her for the happy days they
spent at her school,
know this. for / have seen II.
Once asked her II It never nap
pened that bad elements found way
! into her school. She shook her head
81 have never met q bad element, bu
| i have had many children who dis
not md the love every child needs
until they came to my school
asked: What about children WHIT
| ~ ANA steal7' She looked at M