Year: 1874

ranged along tho other side OF the wall anu
ont of each peeped small face and scared
eves. The very nurses and matrOn Ordinarily
n kindly faced, garrulOus, CHEEKY lot as
b,bics, nurses ought TO bc), oppressed
by the solemnity of the occasion, were
somber and silent. In spite of all
tho cleanliness and order and admirable skill.
the dominant idea induced by this grave
solempity with visitors and patients was pain
"A world of pain, a world where things In
general had gone wrong, do what you would
to right them and even the least baby there,
whose thin face peered above its white night
gown, seemed to ask why it was sent unwil-
ling into such q world, to bear too its misera-
bic load


The visitors went out into the yard
to inspect that also; large tcrraced square,
with q patch of grass in the middle, winch
has come out quite green and fresh, De-
guiled perhaps by this unreasonable March
sun, or by the voices of the children who so
much wanted it. In the shadows or the high
fence, however, the snow still lay unmelted;
and it suddenly entered into the head OF one
of the solemn corps Of visitors-a middle
aged, bald official - to pull off his gloves,
thrust them into his coat pocket. dash to tho
heap. and making snow ball, let it fly at one OF
the pale little cripples that huddled awe-struck
in the door. There was moment of blank
astOnishment, and then shrill shrek OF de-
light At it they went pell-mell-every boy,
and girl, and baby there who could sraop
handful of snow in their little thin fists ;
while one after another Of the visitors first
laughed, and hesitated, and then tore OIL
gloves and plunged into the riot To sec the
wan little babies swarming about the big
grave officials, pelting them as tho lhliputlans
did the Man Mountain; TO hear their shrlil
little screams of triumph; to see the nurses
inside hurrying with the patients ont OF
the cribs in their arms to the windows that
they might see the fun; they clapplng their
tiny hands and joining in the feeble little
hurrahs; to watch the boys who could run
gather up snow-balls to bring to the
cTipples sitting on the bench, that
they too might have a chance to fire
at the enemy, was o sight TO bring
a laugh to anybOdy's eyes, with the tears not
far behind it. The fun went on until the
trustees (bank presidents clergymen, or what
not of philanthropy and decorum) were pow
dered from head to foot collars dripping
ana HJBeTS tlnSlluBJ lHtH Jhcy DtSScu ioi
mercy. How they all laughed together
nurses, and respectable philanthropists, and
sick little paupers When the strangers
had gone, too, the wAite-walled quiet
wards were alive with fun and frolic for
The rest of the day; the doctor declared
half his constituents had taken a now lease
Of life; nobody thought about world of
pain any more, only how jolly it was to be
here in world where yOu could SNOWFALL
When the children's dinner was ready, they
were hungry as little bears, their cheeks rosy,
their eyes dancing. All day the excitement
lasted, the delighted cackle Of talk and
laughter went on continually from crib to crib,
and at night the nurses were wakened by
weak shout of fun now and then, when some
small sleeper was fighting his battles over
again.


We intended 10 draw a moral from this for
the managers of public institutions. But it Is
too slight u thing for that Perhaps only
mothers could find meaning in it to apply
In their own homes.