Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-01
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubincam.
THE wANDi n Frs.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
C,},anter ALvI.

Chapter ALVL
i But something happened after little
time that took Alice's mind of herself
and made her less discontended.
Through the settlement house Mrs.
! Godfrey had chrstcned it Happy Home,
| but it was generally known as the settle
ment house Alice came III contact with
most Of tho poor of Shaifty-town. And IN
| that way she heard about the name
lees family Of wanderers.
II was through the children, OF course.
/ They were the first to come TO the Happy
/ Home" IL WAS, next to q cheap movie
down the street, the only place of diversion
in the section. Groups of them stood by
the hour outside the gate while the dingy
| old houss was being done over, and many
of them helped with the work. Then when
classes began, and little entertainments
were offered, they all came, even the
toughest little bully in the place.
Alice's favoriie. Peppita, was ot course
among them. A devoted small boy wheel
ed her over every day and she took some
part in almost all the classes. Her bright
eyes and her ready laugh endeared her 10
the social workers, and she often acted
as a link between teacher and pupil,
transatinp the foreign speech OF her
nttXnntINs anu iittlb'hhfS tNftAAhtit
10 them the apparently senseless lessons
on orderliness and cleanliness that
the teachers gave.
Alice came upon chatterIng group
one morning. Peppita, its centre, made
herself the spokesman.
There's family living in a cart we
think they're gypsies, she told Alice.
well lots of gypsics come tins time
of wear Alice answered indiffercntiy,
combing back the tendrils of hair that
clung to her hot face. Who's ready for
weedngq | want TO tell YOU today about
making tomato frames.
But they're starving and the old
woman is dyingl' Pepplta insisted, her
eyes sparkling Births, marriages and
deaths were alike exciting to her. They
were the only events that came into her
life
Who's starving? Where are they?"
Alice too forgot her proposed talk on how
TO encourage the growth of hardy tomato
plants.
They've a baby. too. They're over
by Dugan's place, in the lot behind his
house.
Alice turned the house over 10 one Of
the other assistants, apd followed the
excited group of children to particular
iv shabby part of the town There in
field. some distance beyond the one small
house that marked the limits OF the built
up section of the street she found small
cart covered with piece of rough can
vas, and nearby. q scrawny horse tied TO
the fence and eating grass.
Inside the cart or wagon a woman
was living down, and near her was tiny
baby. The mother was not very old, her
i y hrr ha hes .4t,s,I
wrinkled terribly hopeless look that
comes with extreme poverty. She might
have been 70, or So.
She was ANYTHING but appealing
Her mouth was shaped into continual
sulen snarl Alice was really somewhat
afraid, and felt thoroughly helpless be-
fore this situation She wished Mrs
Godfrey were with her. That lady knew
how TO manage anything.
With the children 5 help IN translatlng
Alice found out that The woman was
Polish. that her husband was in the city
hunting doctor. that she herself was not
i'll. but that the baby had had no food
since the night before.
Alice ket her self lf-conseiousness and
asked for more details She WAS told of
lack OF work in some distant town. of an
effort 10 cross the state IN this wagon TO
reach another city. named Norcross where
work waswaiting and at Alice suggestion
that her husband find work At the nearby
factories. she WAS told that "a job was |
ready with good money in the town 80
miles away, where the womans family
lived
But the baby needed attention. 1t
stirred restIessly and cried IN high com
planning KEY. The woman refused 10 move
until her husband came back. and finally
Alice offered TO take the baby back to the
settlement house At this the woman was
overloyed She said il needed nothing
but plain milk slightly warmed, and that
her husband would come for it that after
noon.
10 Alice returned TO the settlement
house carrying small and exceedingly
dirty infant in her arms. She felt very
awkward and helpless for the child cried
continually The joyous troupe of children
went back with her.
She gave the child over gladly 10 Mrs.
Godfrey.
'.At least well return it clean," that
woman announced. Mora, you heat a
pan of water, Peppita, you sew quickly,
you and the other little girls shall make
ii a dress iii cut it out. The poor little
deari Alice, get some milk from the ice
box, and sterilize it-don't you know how?
All right Ill do it"
There was great excitement that day
at the house over the new guest. There
was greater excitement that night.
Tomorroxs--Tbp Walf