San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-27
Arthur, Taken Care Of
Since Babyhood, Finds a
Gift for Visitor-Fou
Mourning His Mother;
Kept Out of Orphanage
and Given Home With
Grandmother.

1t is not often that the Associated
Charities of San Antonio is thanked
and remembered by one of its clients
in the spirit of sacrifice that was
shown recently by little Arthur, four
years of age, who has been motherel
and fathered and sheltered for two
years by the association. Arthur is 4
tiny boy. so small that he seems al
most elfin. with a pale little face
that unconsciously reflects the trag-
edy that his babyhood has known so
well.
Arthur lives in a tiny one-room
hovel, where he and his 12-year-old
grandmother sit every day in the
brief patch of sunlight that flecks the
four-by-six feet front yard. Holly
hocks and pansies bloom in that alb
breviated little yard, planted by the
baby and his aged guardian, and
their bright blossoms are in strange
contrast with the dingy house, the
shattered picket fence. and the shabby
clothing of Arthur and his granny. -
1t was here, two years ago. that
the Associated Charities found the old
woman mourning with her tiny grand
son over the body of the mother OF
little Arthur. The young woman was
the only support of the baby and the
aged woman, and she had died from
hardship in the cotton fields. leaving
her son and her mother entirely des-
titute and disconsolate.
just Baby Then.
-, Ln AIo
aged woman and the baby boy had
prepared the mother for burial, and
had placed her body in a crude
wooden box. The only two mourners.
they were keeping their night vigil
beside the crude coffin when the Az
ISOLATED Charities rescue worker
found them and brought them com
fort in the assurance that Arthur's
mother could have a decent burial
Arthur was Just n baby then, but
he seemed to know what was hap
pening, according to the Charities
worker who has since cared for Ar
thur and his grandmother. He knew
that his best beloved pal had gone.
and he knew that the Associated
Charities caller had stepped into her
place. bringing bin pretty toys and
nice things to eat, and giving him the
mother love that might have passed
out of reach with the death of his
own parent. And the gray-haired old
grandmother, who had given all her
love to her daughter, now gave her
devotion to Arthur.
Because they were so hopelessly
helpless, unable to even take care of
themselves, there was movement
started TO place the old woman in a
Door house. the boy in an orphanage.
But the Associated Charities knew
that heartbreak would kill both of
these victims of poverty and misfor-
tune. If they were separated. and al
though funds were scarce, thev were
allowed TO remain together. For sew
eral years the association has cared
for the little family, ard now Arthur
is beginning to understand how
greatly he is indebted TO the Char
titles for his food, his clothing and
his grandmother.
At Last His Chance Comes.
Several times Arthur has saved lit
lie treasures to give to the Charities
caller, who makes regular trips to
the home Of the young. and the old
client. But because he has never had
more than five pennies TO spend on
things he really didn't need. in his en-
tire life. he has had no opportunity 20
shown how greatly he appreciates the
work that is being done for him by the
association.
At last. however. Arthur's chance
to thank the Charities worker came.
While he was playing on the street
near his home. he found a beautiful
silver spoon. At least, it was beau
tiful to Arthur. because he had been
taught that silver is the most prec.
ious and the rarest thing in the
world. Silver. thought Arthur. is so
elusive and so hard to obtain that this
beautiful shiny piece ought to be. ire
mendously valuable. Proudly taking
it TO his grandmother. Arthur de-
olared that at last he had something
worth while TO give his angel of de-
liverance from orphanages and loneli-
! ness.
When the Charities worker reached
Arthur's house. she found great OK.
citement there. Arthur had nut on
his best suit. hand-mp-down that
was not as Young as it once was. anil
gay flowers were in recantacles in
the one-room house. Arthur could
not contain his secret.
Il have something just awful nice