The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-18
Little Children With Clear Eyes
See Wonderful Work of American
Red Cross In Aiding Hurt People"

There is home for crippled chile
dren, a Protestant institution in
Pittsburgh, where the little ones
were told something about the Red
Cross, and how it took care Of many
children and soldiers and hurt peo-
pie" who otherwise would suffer. Per-
| haps because their own arms and
legs were so much awry, and they
| had no prospect of the running,
jumping, jubilant youth of other AM
| erican children, their eyes saw
straight into the very heart OF suf-
fering. This is what they did-they
just poured their precious savings,
pennies and nickels which had been
given them from time to time, few
larger pieces and a bill or TWO, into
a white box marked with the Red
Cross.
Some influential men of the city
were seated around a table talking
about raising money for the Ameri-
can Red Cross. That small white
box was there and some made as IL
to drop in contributions. But one
OF them held it up, and said:
''No, no further gift is permitted
here! We could not add to this"
And in the presence of this gift
Il LHS 1NCQ SEObS AEOlAA lAAp
home for crippled hildren, there was
a sudden quietness among these men
| OF the world.
In the convent of the Sacred Heart
in New York.. where two or three
numbered sheltered children, rich in
kindness, received their early educa-
| ton, the Reverend Mother speaks
| often of the children abroad. With
out asking for direct sacrifices, she
has mentioned that sometimes when
one is about to buy a new hair rib
| bon, or a pair Of silk stockings, on
stopping to think one finds they are
not needed so much, perhaps, as food
/ and clothing may be needed for chill
! dren Of the war And so many a
radiant little gift OF girlish sacrifice
has been placed in her hands to send
/ to them. e.
One day-it was long before the
Unitel States too was in the war
these children, girls from to II
years, held a conference among
themselves They decided to ask the
Reverend Mother how much it would
amount to in money or barrels Of
flour IL they gave up their .'gouter
for the rest of the year; that little
daily. treat at half past four, OF plain
cake or toast and a sweet the
party that was at the high point
OF the day. Learning its equivalent,
/ they asked that this be denied them,
and the money sent to those other
children overseas.
Al woman who had done war relief
work in France, was speaking for the
Red Cross war fund, last June, to sew
eral hundred school children in an AM
erican public school. They were
nearly all Jewish children in that
Il hi
Recalls Scene Decade Ago.
The woman had lived in a social
settlement in the center OF the jew
ish district of the city at one time,
and as she looked at the rows or
faces before her, she remembered
with sudden vividness the almost
forgotten scenes of ten years before
of little Jewish boys in the back
room of a synagogue. after public
school hours, swaytng back ana
forth in concert as they shouted out
| long passages from the Talmud and
OF the girls in the sewing classes
| listening hungrily to stories, with
| their quick racial response to any
/ thing dramatic.
Her own imagination quickened,
she felt deeply moved, and humble to
address them, thinking OF their
eagerness for knowledge, their pas
sionate desire to be young Americans
these poor children from many
lands.
Too Interested 90 Laugh.
As she told them about the Red
Cross. it was almost as If in their
childish minds they carried the
remembrance Of the sufrerings OF
/ their people. The speaker stepped
back. and tripped and almost had o
/ funny fall, but not one Of them
L LAUNCHED. With heads bent forward
they were concentrated on the war,
and what the Red Cross did.
And later. to their teachers, from
their scanty earnings and savings,
they brought money that was 70
have been spent perhaps for candy
and hair ribbons and sour pickles
and one pair OF hockey skates; ofrer-
ings that suggested to the woman llll
! who had seen hungry children on
| both sides Of the ocean-gold, ana
frankincense and myFrh.
II In all the beauty and kindness OF
/ this Red Cross Christmas MEMBER
/ ship campaign there Is the thought
Of the children. Perhaps. IL in new
I simplicity the people become as little
/ children, their eyes win be clear ana
Il true to see how Wonderkub now
| significant is the observance OF g
Red Cross Christmas atsthe begin
ming OF this year % anguish ana oH
L service. The people may remember
TOO On Christmas eve ~ candles glow
4 through thousands and thousands Pr
Red Crosses In the windows q the
4 homes, how this new tnouR nttlliEies
is IN honor o. the birthday o. q cai'a.
You win ind th8 Christmas crowds