The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-31

/. 1t was the afternoon Of the Junior
'auxillary. and one by one along the
BLOCK came the4wenty different MEM
bers.
They-were all there that day, for the
head, Miss Mitchen. had had a long
talk with them the Week before Ash
Wednesday, and had told them to try
and keep their Lent in one way: by
being punctuai and regular in their at
tendance at these meetings.
When they were all seated around
the big table. with the scrap book
leaves spread out before them. their
little tongues began to work.
There's going to he a trip around
New York on this leaf" said one. ''in
an automobile"
AN this lis trip to Coney Island. !"
said another.
Soon they were all busy with their
work. and intent. each one. on finish
ing the "trip" first.
"Oh. dear here's breakdown
cried one. as the worsted with which
she was button holing the leaf broke.
i've turned the corner" cried an
other. when the door opened,s and In
walked a iittle4stranger who had never
been there before.
Come i'm said Miss Mitchen,@ but
she only stood in the door and smiled,
What IL your name, dearP Whose
class in Sunday school are You in p
But she continued smiling, and said
nothing.
: BY this time all the children had
stopped their work. and were cluster
ing around the new conner. IN spite of
the fact that they were supposed not
Ito leave their seats TIL the hour was
up.
kurged Miss Mitchen. Children, do
you know who she isr"
None OF them knew and still the
baby stood there. saying nothing.
Then suddenly she looked frighten-
ed. and puckering up her little face,
started - run away.
Miss Mitcheh caught her. and took
her up i'm her arms.
by that time she was crying hard,
and yet even then she made no sound.
Evidently she was a little deafSmute
Miss Mitchen hardly knew what to
do as sheSknew the child was lost.
and she was just instructing the Jun
Tors what to do while she was gone
to make inquiries when the door OPEN
ed again, and in came the. sexton
closely followed by poor woman
VINO. II was easy to see. was the moth
er of the stray baby.
The little girl almost jumped out Of
Miss Mitchen's arms when she saw
her mother: and when she had been
Rugged and talked to In peculiar
way, and was smiling again. the round
eyed children about the table heard
her story.
Little Mary was five, years old, and
lived not far from the church with her
father. and mother. The other chill
dren did not know her because, by
reason OF her great. affliction. not be-
ing able to hear or speak, she was
not allowed to run out as they did.
On this particular day, however.
she had noticed them going to the
church. and. unknown to her mother,
had followed them. y
The story Of the day ended by
Mary's being seated at the table on her
mothers lap, and being given bright
worsteds to play with. and made pet
Of. in general.
But the events OF the afternoon had
made. deep impression on the minds
OF the children who came each week:
and the next meeting found them in
lively, discussion.
what is the best thing you could
do for anyone who couldn't hear or
speak" they asked each other.
They couldn't hear II you. talked to
music for them; and thoy couldn't an
swer II they heard you speak"
There 10 one thing that these silent
people have. however, and that IL their
eyesight." said Miss Mitchen. ,
"Oh. yes" cried the children. They
cAn see pretty thinGs even II they
can't hear or speak them
This opened the way 70 many hap
~. useful hours
or course. one OF the bright pretty
scrap books went ~ Mary hut the
ohillFen Nefc not satielsd wjth hist.