The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-15

matrOn, moving down CIle long nIle
of iron cots and inspecting them
with a sharp eye, don't let this
happen again. 1 depend on you big
girls to help me discipline the little
ones. And by the way Sally, there's
a new little girl. She just came this
morning, and I'm having Miss Pond
send her up to you. You have an
empty bed in this dormitory. 1 be-
lieve."
ayes, Mrs. Stone" Sally nodded.
"Christine's bed" There was moth
ing in her voice to indicate that she
had loved Christine more than any
child she had ever had charge OF.
"I suppose this new child will be
snapped up soon," Mrs. Stone con-
tinued, her severe voice striving to
be pleasant and conversational, for
she was fond of Sally, in her own
way. "She has yellow curls, though
suspect her mother, who has just
died and who was a stock company
actress, used peroxide on it. But
still it's yellow and it's curly, an6
we have at least a hundred applica-
tons on file for little girls with
golden curly hair"
"Thelma," she whirled severely
upon the 8-year- child, whats
this in your bed?" Her broad, heavy
palm, sweeping expertly down the
sheet-covered iron cot, had encourt-
cred something, a piece Of broken
blue bottle.
"It-it's NINE" Thelma quivered,
her tongue licking upward to catch
the first salty tear. 81 traded my
broken doll for it. I look through
it and it makes everything look
pretty and blue she explained des-
perately. in the institutional whine.
"Oh, please let me keep it, Mrs.
Stonew
But the matron had tossed the
bit of blue glass through the nearest
window. you'd cut yourself on it,
Thelma," she justified herself in her
stern voice. It'll see if I can find
another doll for you in the next box
Of presents that comes in. Now,
don't cry like baby. You're great
big girl. 1t was just a piece Of
broken old bottle. Well, Sally, you
take charge of the new little girl.
Make her feel at home. Give her
bath with that insect soap, and
make a bundle of her clothes and
take them down to Miss Pond"
She lifted her long, starched skirt
as she stepped over one Of the
scrubber's puddles of water, then
moved majestically through the
door.
Clara, the 9-year-old orphan,
stuck out her tongue as the white
skirt swished through the door, then
turned upon Sally. her little face
sharp and ugly with hatred.
Mean old thingl Always buttin'
in! Can't let us have no fun at
all! Some other kidll find Thelma's
sapphire and keep it often her"
at isn't sapphire" Sally said
duly, her brush beginning to de-
scribe new semi-circles on the pine
floor. "It's like she said-just a
piece of broken old bottle. And she
said she'd try to find you a doll,
Thelma."
"You said 1t was a sapphire, Sally.
You said it was worth millions and
millions Of dollars. It was a sap
phire, long as you said it was,
SallyI" Thelma sobbed, as grieved
for the loss of illusion as for the
| 1oss of her treasure
81 reckon I'm plumb foolish to go
on play-acting all the time," Sally
Ford said duly.
The three little girls and the To-
year-old mother" of them scrubbed
in silence for several minutes, dog
gedly hurrying to make up for lost
time. Then Thelma, who could
never nurse grief or anger, spoke
cheerfully:
Reckon the new kids gettin' her
physical Zamination. When I come
into the 'sylum you had to nearly
boil me alive. N Mrs. Stone cut of
all my hair clean to the skin. N
'en nobody wouldn't 'dopt me cause
looked like SIGH scarecrow. But
got lotsa hair now, amt I, Sal
| lee?'