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"We have not had so fierce an ice-storm for five years as this one, have we, father?" asked Miss Abbott at supper.

"I hope no one is suffering," said her father. "Last night and to-night, when I bought my paper your little girl was not at the Square."

"Oh, father, her little sister Annie was absent last Friday; she was ill, one of the children told me. Those little girls may be in trouble. What can I do?"

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Mr. Abbott was one of the Overseers of the Poor. "Why not telephone to John Towers, the policeman in that ward?" he said. John was sent to look the children and then he telephoned Miss Abbott. It was a sad story he had to tell. Mr. Abbott and his daughter drove rapidly to Carr Street, where Towers was awaiting them.

The younger sister had been ill with a feverish cold; the baby had croup; and the little money which Maggie had stored away for such misfortunes was quickly spent by the poor child because she was unable to do her regular night work. The children had nothing to eat but bread and milk for three days and now that her money was gone, though she could get stale bread for almost nothing, the milkman said, "I can't trust you. You look too young for steady work or steady pay." Maggie was too proud to ask help of strangers, but she knew that the City Government never meant to let poor people suffer from want, and on the afternoon of the ice storm she started for the City Hall, believing that the Overseers of the Poor would help her.

On her way she fell on the glaring ice; on rising there was such pain in her ankle that she dared not keep on. She turned back into the alley and climbed the three flights of stairs. Cold, hungry, and sick as they were, the little girls had gone to bed in order to keep warm. Policeman Towers had to knock many times and very loud, for they were sleeping heavily after long hours of

hunger and cold and weeping. Towers built a fire and got food.

"Oh, Miss Abbott, how good of you to come and see us," Maggie cried when she saw the teacher, and she tried to limp forward. The city doctor and the district nurse came almost immediately and the children were made comfortable. As an Overseer of the Poor Mr. Abbott realized that these children must be cared for; that the brave little girl trying to support her sisters would need aid for some time.

"What are you going to do about these children, father," his daughter asked. "It seems cruel to separate them, and yet they cannot stay here. The doctor says Maggie's ankle won't be strong for six weeks."

"I hate to send them to the city farm," Mr. Abbott answered; "they certainly can't stay here, even with aid from our outside department.'

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"But father, why not let me apply to the Associated Charities in this work? Julia Swan told me yesterday of a poor woman who might help. Her husband has died and she wishes to earn something by taking children into her home. The city could pay the woman for taking care of these poor little girls, and the Associated Charities could be responsible for their welfare. Then, as soon as Maggie is strong again, we can help her to learn a trade."

Six months later Maggie was no longer selling papers on the street or working in a midnight restaurant. Instead she was learning a trade while she, Annie, and the baby boarded with the woman who was being assisted by the Associated Charities' organization. Maggie keenly realized her indebtedness to the city government through the Overseers of the Poor and to the members of the Board of Charities who had also taken an interest in her case. She had learned by her experience of the great work done by these organizations. Best of all she was

forgetting the sad and unhappy times of the past. There was one thing she would never forget, however the kindness of Mr. Abbott and of Annie's teacher, who had helped to keep her little family together.

JANUARY: FIRE AND POLICE
DEPARTMENT

For the Teacher:

HEAR, O YE NATIONS! 1

FREDERICK LUCIAN HOSMER

Tune: Lyons

Hear, hear, O ye nations, and hearing obey
The cry from the past and the call of to-day!
Earth wearies and wastes with her fresh life outpoured,
The glut of the cannon, the spoil of the sword.

Lo, dawns a new era, transcending the old,
The poet's rapt vision, by prophet foretold!
From war's grim tradition it maketh appeal
To service of all in a world's commonweal.

Home, altar, and school, the mill, and the mart,
The workers afield, in science, in art,
Peace-circled and sheltered, shall join to create
The manifold life of the firm-builded State.

And thou, O my country, from many made one,
Last-born of the nations, at morning thy sun,
Arise to the place thou art given to fill,

And lead the world-triumph of peace and good-will!

1 By permission of the author.

Suggestions for morning talks

The dramatic action of the street and fire department appeals to children. They love to tell stories from their own experience of these men who are our protectors. The following suggestions have been gathered from children of the public schools.

How the children can help. Be careful when you make fires. Don't play with matches or lamps. Keep kerosene and gasoline away from stoves. Notify inmates of a house in case of smoke or fire. Notify the department of fire and direct them to it. Don't ring in false alarms or get in the way of firemen at fires. Put out all camp-fires in the woods. Be sure your match is out before you throw it away. Build a camp-fire only as large as is absolutely necessary. Build a camp-fire among stones or in the sand, not against a log or a tree; build a small one where you can scrape away the needles, leaves or grass from all sides of it. Don't build bonfires; the wind may come up at any time and start up a fire that you cannot control. If you discover a fire in the woods get word at once to the nearest State Fire Warden, Forest Officer, or Fire Commissioner.

Give incidents in the life of firemen : Their daily routine. Their dress, off duty, on duty. A look into the engine house, beauty of engine, intelligence of horses. Sounding an alarm, effects in station by day, by night. The procession to the fire, district chief, engine, hose carriage, hook and ladder. Apparatus, the ladders, the life net, etc. How to put out a fire. Firemen's great responsibility. Heroic rescues. Read: "Fighting a Fire," Charles T. Hill (Century Co.), and "The

Fireman," in Careers of Danger and Daring, Cleveland Moffat (Century Co.).

Practical advice. If your house is on fire, what is the first thing to do? Shout, "Fire," and rush to the nearest alarm box. Where is the fire-alarm box nearest to your house? How do you ring in the alarm? What is your number? What is the next step? Wait at the box to tell the firemen where the fire is. Then return to the house to help save property or fight the fire.

What should be saved first? The living beings in the house-baby, grandmother, the dog, cat, and canary. What next? Money, valuable papers. What next? Pictures, furniture, souvenirs dear from associations. What next? Clothing. Read: "Partners,” James Baldwin, in An American Book of Golden Deeds. (American Book Co.)

Suppose you found yourself in a room filled with smoke, what is best to do? Wrap your head in a wet blanket, get down on the floor and creep to the door. There is a current of air near the ground. Suppose you are at a window in the third story of a burning house. A ladder is being slowly raised to your window. Which is better, to wait for the ladder or to jump? The Police: What does the policeman do for us? Could we get along without the policeman? What does he carry in his hand? What does the policeman do with thieves? What happens to a man if he is guilty? What must a man buy who wants to sell fruit? What will happen to him if he does not buy it? Who listens to the charge against the prisoners? Who says what the punishment will be?

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