The Prescott daily news., 1915-01-08
LITTLE REDDY RINGLETS
 By Ebert Hubbard

ed; "Why, don't you know? My name is Reddy Ringlets!"
 She must have been four years old She was only half dressed. She were stockings and one shoe.
 When they found her there in Gold en Gate park the third day of the fire she was carrying an old wax doll with a broken nose. She walked around looking, and looking, and looking. A soldier asked her: 'Who are you trying to find, little girl?"
 "I'm looking for my Daddy and my Precious. An this is my Dolly Dim ple She's awful hungry. Have you seen my Daddy and my Precious?"
 And the soldier busy with other things, hadn't seen them.
 When asked her daddy's other name she answered. Just Daddy" Then she said: "My Precious calls him Grosser Reddy."
 She spoke as plainly as full-grown woman. Where her parents were, or where they had lived, or how she had gotten to Golden Gate park no one knew.
 In the Park were many tents. Bed ding, furniture, horses, wagons strew- ed the ground. Soldiers here and there were on guard. Many of the women wore mems clothing-suits of overalls and jumpers. Some laughed and sang. Others wept and refused to be consoled. There were mothers looking for their children and children looking for their mothers. And over to east, over what three days before had been a glorious city, now hung black, angry pail of smoke. It was a scene of dire confusion. The sick the dying, the laughing, romping folks who regarded it all as a big picnic, mingled in common comaraderie.
 And through it all wandered little Reddy Ringlets, fearless and unafraid looking for her Daddy and her Pre- cious.
 A group of people at a bonfire were eating. Little Reddy Ringlets ap- preached. Dolly Dimple is awful hungry" she said.
 Bless her dear heart said a kind woman. "You mean you are hungry" And so the little girl was warmed and fed.
 A curious and strange old woman stood by the bonfire and watched lit tie Reddy Ringlets as she ate and now and then offered her doll some of the crackers and cheese.
 That's my grandchild," cried the old woman, with chuckle. "Ill take her to her mother Come with gran ny, little one, and we'll find you ma
 The old woman had a sharp chin and a sharp nose. She had no teeth, and her voice was high and cracked. Con- fidingly the little girl allowed herself to be led away.
 "That isn't her child or any kin of hers," said the woman who was doing the cooking.
 "Never mind," said her husband, as he drank coffee out of tin cup; "nev- CT mind. What difference is it? Haven't we a few troubles of our own?"
 They entered. The room was all most bare of furniture, cold, dirty, un- kempt. To the left was a little bed room about as big as dry goods box The policeman was about to enter when he heard child's voice. He paused and peered in. He saw ar empty stocking pinned to the wall al the foot of the bed.
 Kneeling at the bedside in an atti. tude of prayer was a little girl. The morning sun sent a luminous ray ot light on her head, golden with ringlets The policeman, big and brave, just stood there. He listened, and these were the words he heard:
 "Oh, God You forgot me and Dol. ly Dimple this time, and there ain't no Santa Claus, for my stocking is empty And I am cold and hungry Hurry up please, Mister God, and fine my Daddy and my Precious, and Fl be good girl and never cry any more even when the old woman whips mel
 And as he listened the tears began to run down the big policeman's nose
 He wrapped little Reddy Ringlets 1T an old blanket and carried her gently down the stairs, and all the time she