New-York tribune., 1917-07-10
Neglected Little Mother"
Needs Vacation in the
Country
S6 Would Help Her
Money Sent to Tribune Fresh
Air Fund Brightens
Many Lives

Here Is the epic or Etnei, the sau
story Of a little girl, true as the gospel,
told BY a woman who knows her. II
you read it, you will send six dollars to
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund to buy
her vacation in the country.
Ethel McC-- lives in West --
Street. Although she is remarkably
pretty and bright, think she is the
most neglected looking child have
ever seen.
"She was playing with a group Of
other children on the sidewalk the
first time saw her. say playing
she was really trying to play and at
the same time hold the hand Of her
little brother. she was so attractive
and she smiled up at me so pleasantly
stopped to talk to her
"Her name was Ethel and her sisters
(age eight was Helen, and the baby's
was frankie and he was four years old.
The reason her hair was not comoed,
so she confded, was because her big
sister had the comb.
Sister Needed the Comb.
"Her big sister, it seemed, was now
fifteen and had a job as cash girl IN
one of the stores. She took the
comb because if she didn't keep looking
nice she'd lose her job.
IN consequence EthePs hair was in
a dreadful state, all matted and
snarled. Evidently it hadn't been
combed for a couple Of weeks. Her
mother combs it out on Sundays II
she amt too tired
The mother works in cigarette
factory, and now, since the big sister
has been working, Ethel has charge of
the family. | asked her if she could
cook.
"T en- make tea she answered
nroudly. hate to think Of the poor
little family's meals, don't you?
"A year ago the children had two
'aunties. One stayed home and one
went out. The one that stayed home
'coughed awful and on the 26th oil
MAY she died. The one that goes out
coughs. too. but she didn't die. That's
cause she goes out says Ethel
"'You don't sleep with your suntie'
do you?' | asked Ethel.
"'No; not with her. she sleeps higher
up.' emphasizing the with
"'But do you sleep in the same
room?'
"'Oh, yes, ma'am; we got only one
bedroom
"'You have the windows open these
warm nights. don't you?
"'We haven't any window In the bed
room. We have one in the other room
and mamma opens it when she's home.
"Think of it-four children and their
mother. their only support, sleeping IN
the same room with that cougning
auntie and. until she died, with that
other auntie in the last stages OF con-
sumption And the room with no WIN
"Tbe children are thin. pitifully thin,
and dirty and ragged. fet tney seem
bright. gentle little things, well worth
trying to help.
Not Sure About the Country
"When | asked Ethel if she would
like to 20 to the country, she WASH I
quite sure. She didn't know just what
the country meant She had never
been out of the city. But after she d
heard a little about the country ana
the things one sees there, she said she
would love to 90, If | can take Helen
and the baby"
"Can she go? And can't she take
Helen and the baby? | believe that
among all the children that need the
country this summer there are none
who need it more than these three: II
they could only 90 to some place where
they could stay for more than two
weeks, or even only two weeks, it would
do them a world of good
How about il, Mr.. Reader, Will you
help the Tribune Fund avert a tragedy
in the lives Of these youngsters 50
for two weeks for each of them?
Contributions to The Tribune Fresh