Evening star., 1933-06-11

| the ends of her spindling legs were
much too big. but whole. The bright
ness of her eyes and the agility of her
small body belied the idea that she was
starving.
The child regained her poise and was
easily.
I'VE live up there"
Who is we?"
"Oh! Ellen and me and Sue and the
baby. Ellen, she takes care of us"
us that alp"
Daddy lives with us when he doesn't
work"
Where is your mother?"
The little face clouded.
She didn't come back"
Changing the subject quickly. the
nurse turned into the open gateway and
started up the steps.
do you think Ellen would like to
see me?"
"Oh! Ellen likes nurses. She's been
to the hospital proudly.
Child of Seven in Charge
Toiling up the stairs behind the child,
the nurse came at last to a door through
which the child had disappeared. She
stood for moment on the threshold.
The room was bare enough of furniture,
though cluttered with everyday living.
Two beds, unmade; an untidy table that
someone had attempted to set after
fashion, small stove and baby car
riage At one of the beds stood a child
of about 7, expsrtly diapering a baby
of 10 or IL months. She had three
safety pins in workmanlike fashion,
however, insanitary, in her mouth and
as the nurse watched she pinned them
neatly into place, gave dexterous jerk
to the back of the diaper to make it fit
and set the baby upon her feet.
rs this ELEM"
tYessum." worriedly, land I'm 'fraid
I'm going to be late for school again. I
really should be there now"
Did you have lunch, Ellen?"
"Oh, yessim! We all had sumpin,"
evasively "an' I've got to tote the young
ones down to Miss Ida She'll keep 'em
till get home She'll keep 'em till pa
gets home if get kept in. I get kept
after school sometimes for bein' late,
she explained.
When will your daddy be home from
work, Ellen?"
Hell be home bout o'clock-he's
working most every day now." she added
with considerable pride.
Let me help you with the children,
dear, so you won't be late. I'll button
the baby into her things while you get
into yours
Together they delivered the children
to the friendly neighbor who kept
them and Ellen. in an ecstacy of pride,
was driven to school, on the nurses way
to her next case.
Childbirth Fatal to Mother. |
Later, the nurse came back to talk
to the father She found him tired and
discouraged, but devoted to his little
family and making a desperate effort
to keep them together. The mother who
hadn't come back had died of the
ST. B." at the hospital when the teen
lest one" was born and had taken her
first son with her. Ellen, Z; Mary. S;
Sue, 8, and the baby, Is months, were
left to shift for themselves pretty much
through the day and were doing pitt
fully brave job of it. The father was
illiterate. but intelligent and after sew
eral visits the nurse was able to con-
vince him of the need for help for his
girls. Exposed as they had been to tu-
berculosis, undernourished and over
crowded. they were ripe for the infec-
ton. He, himself, might have the
disease and be source of danger to
the children.
For small sum, the friendly neigh
Dor was willing to assume the response
bility of the youngsters. She planned
their meals so that there were three in
stead of the one or two that Ellen had
managed, and SO nobody would be
hungry again. The father was inter-
ested and anxious to give them the best.
He availed himself of the opportunity
for free examination and all five were
examined by physicians who were IA
miliar with the disease Encouraged
that no one showed signs of the dis
ease, he planned to get extra work so
they might have more milk
When the nurse talked to her teacher,
young Ellen was given extra milk in
school and sent home promptly after
school so she could be in the sunshine
as much as possible.
She never told-that small mite"
the teacher exclaimed to the nurse,
what burden she was carrying-and
she never gave an excuse for being late
I was sure she was playing and
dawdling on the way. Poor lamb, well
have to teach her how to play!"