The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1920-05-28

retting away and the ether hrohsn.
Our knock aroused . SOUND q
scufnfng within. and . minute later
two bright eyes pseped through two
jagged holes In the rags that covered
the pane Of glass In the door. A
cautious scraping OF the key followed
and the door opened a. fast a. the
dirty sacking stuffed under II would
permit
These rags under the door, tmpsd.
inG its progress In opening. attract.
Cd my attention. to the floor of the
room nrst. and consequently to the
feet OF the occupants. There were
four small feet. innocent OF shoes but
we'll swathsd in old rags and stock.
ings; and two large ones In shoes
that bulgsd heavily IT the sides.
The small feet belonged to Charley
and Billie Gnmth. two hriGht-sysd
little boys with black faces and
clothes In tatters. The large ones
wese their mothers. Mrs. Grinith, Q
huge woman dressed more cleanly In
gingham. her hair parted and plated
down her back. II was evident that
. third child vas soon TO be added
to the family Mrs. GStnth had been
crying when We knocked. Ny COM
panion asked the woman II she need.
ed immediate sttsntion Of . pAyss.
clan.
NO" sobbed the woman. trying to
calm herself. but my baby 10 com.
ing. and ] haven't any clothes. not
even q clean towel 70 wrap II In"
Army LassIs Prsmisss ciethss.
Our promise 10 send thinsa tor the
coming little one and shoes for the
two boys helped the woman 70 r..
gain her composurs. little By httls
she confded her story to 10. Lursd
by tho hope Of moro wssk and better
wages. they had lsft their home In
Danville. KY. They had sold every.
thing TO buy tickets for Indianapolis.
But work was hard to GET and now
they are alone and frisndisss In .
strange city. They can barely afford
the $500 . month fer the wrstchsd
place whore they live. The sov Of
them, two active boys ana herself
and husband DO not cot much sleep
In the one bed thai the rem co.,
tains. Sometimes Mr.. GrtmtA, after
shoveling coal all day. ats up or lies
on the floor oil night. The children
90 to sleep on The bed With their
clothes on % keep warm. early q
night and after they Are tight asleep
their fhther lifts them sff s0to . pile
Of dirty clothes sathsss4 In one cor
ner. There they spend the rest Of
the night and the parents soeu>y the
bed. When there 10 foed enough On
hand to be cooked. Il 10 served fer all
on the two china plates they own.
and eaten with four tin spoons or
with the fingers
Ne Water and Little LIsht.
While my companion was getting
this information in hating sentences
from Mrs. Grifath. | made mental In
ventory Of the room. The stencil.
noticeable tho moment the door
closed behind u. 10 almost over.
powering. Il tells It's own story Of
Nth and dirt. lack OF ventilation and
lack OF personal cleanliness. Clean
Illness il made almost impossible be-
cause Of the great distance to the
nearest point OF obtaining water. The
only light comes through the glass
pane In the door.
Patches Of WORKOUT Mnolsum cover
spots on the nosr. Cracks In the vail
paper are pockets for Yeas sccumu-
lation Of dirt G1my clothes and
dirty rags litter the floor. The bed.
three quarter size. with two soiied
pillows and . single eoverlet. sheds
straw from its mattress every time
q gust OF wind shakes the house. Con-
fused voices and fYstf0l walls from
the Inhabitants Of the ekhee room In
the shack are heart constantly.
4 movement from my companion
told me- II VA time to 20. ! Vas siad
OF the stiff March wind that rushed
against W 80 We stepped out Of that
room. cleansing our dotAss q the
hsavV smell o. dirt ana human doors.
But no Wind that blevs will ever
purge my memory OF thS scene Of he
poor helpless mother fAstAg deepest
physical misery In Aist. poverty and
alone. Her one friend 10 the SALIVA
ton Army.