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BY CHILDREN CHARITIES (INCORPORATED)

CANADA POSTAGE 50 CENTS EXTRA, ALL OTHER COUNTRIES $1.00 EXTRA
Entered as Second-Class Matter April 12, 1907, at the Post Office at Chicago,
Under the Act of March 3rd, 1879.

All subscriptions begin with current issue, unless ordered for a future date.

expiration date of current subscriptions is shown on the wrapper.

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15

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Tom's "Good-Will" Box

By Eva Ottarson Brower Gilbert

ESLIE WELTON had not made a sound for five minutes. He stood by the window, gazing through the fast falling snow, toward the walnut grove near the barn.

Mrs. Welton glanced up from her sewing, wondering what had brought the unusual stillness over the room. Her noisy, rosy boy absently fingering the plate of empty walnut shells, and looking out of the window in silence, was enough to surprise her. But she waited for him to speak.

"Mamma," he said at length, “Tom Williams never ate a walnut in his life." "Well?" said Mrs. Welton inquiringly. "He climbed a tree last summer and picked a green one, and pounded it open on a rock and tried to eat it, but it tasted awfully flat."

"How do you know?"

"I tasted of it. I wish he was here now, and then he could eat some of ours."

"If Mahomet cannot come to the mountain, then the mountain must go to Mahomet'," quoted Mrs. Welton.

"What do you mean, mamma?” "Why don't you send Tom some walnuts?"

"How can I?"

"In a box. Papa will take it to the station and the train will take it to Tom." "Oh, may I, mamma?"

"To be sure you may."

So Mrs. Welton and Leslie went to the big back pantry where the store of walnuts was kept in a great bin, stopping in the shed on the way to find a box. There was only a little starch box and a soap box, and Mrs. Welton said that the starch box was too small.

"But, mamma," objected Leslie, "Tom can't ever eat all that box full of walnuts!"

"But Leslie," replied Mrs. Welton, smiling, "is Tom the only boy in New York?"

"Oh, no, 'cause he told me about a lot

more. There's Tim Rooney and Matt Hunter and-"

"Never mind, now, dear, let's get the box filled up."

It certainly did take a lot of walnuts to cover even the bottom of the box, and Leslie's eyes wandered every few minutes to the big cupboard with the screen wire door where a dozen mince pies stood waiting for Christmas. This was Friday, and Christmas was sure to arrive on Tuesday.

"Mamma," said Leslie, slowly, "I wonder if Tom will have any mince pie for Christmas."

"Yes, he will have two whole ones." "How do you know?"

"I shall put them in the box." "Mamma," said Leslie, very slowly, "if Tom was here he'd divide one of 'em with me."

Mrs. Welton's face looked very shiny as she found a knife and cut Leslie a big piece of pie. While it was disappearing she went down cellar and returned with two glass jars of jam and a little stone pot of preserves. These she crowded down among the walnuts, stowing a dozen or so of rosy apples among them, then laid the pies, well wrapped, on top, and filled the chinks with walnuts.

This is the history of the box up to the time the cover was put on.

But when the cover came off!

The expressman was not a frequent visitor in the alley, and it took him some minutes to find Tom in the fourth floor back. It took Tom some minutes longer to realize that a heavy box of something had come to him from "them Weltons up in the country, what gin a feller such a racket last summer."

An old hatchet in Tom's hand made short work of the cover.

"Pies," cried Tom. “Mince pies!" as he unwrapped one and bit a great mouthful out of one side. He checked himself suddenly, exclaiming:

"Hi, there, you ain't de only auto on de avenue!"

With a whoop he sprang into the hall and down the stairs to the street, to see whom he could find to share the feast. Matt Hunter was the only lad in sight, but at the first hint of a "feed" he dashed off to find the others.

Tom went back up stairs, three steps at a time, and began cracking the walnuts with the hatchet and a flat iron.

Soon the halls echoed with expectant shouts, and a baker's dozen of boys fell over each other to get a sight of Tom's box. There was an awkward silence as they waited for an invitation to share its contents. Tom was silent for a full minute, and when he spoke has face was redder than the sunset.

"Say fellers," he said at length, "Annie Somers is dying of consumption they say, and she can hear us down here havin' a racket, and she ain't in it."

Instantly the box was snatched up by two of the boys, and waiting only for Tom to take the lead with the hatchet and flat iron, they went to the floor above.

Annie lay on an old lounge, and her mother sat near her at a sewing machine which scarcely ever stopped humming from before dawn until long after dark, for that was the only means of buying food and medicine for Annie.

Without waiting for a greeting Tom

asked for a knife. Mrs. Somers found it for him, and putting it and the pies in Annie's hands he returned to the nutcracking.

After much careful measuring the pies were divided evenly. A few spoons were passed around to help the preserves on the downward path. Nails, suspender buckles and a hairpin or two borrowed from Mrs. Somers dug out the walnut meats, but the apples required no tools or trimming.

Suddenly Tome spoke.

"How did them fresh air folks happen to think of a feller this time o' year?"

"Why, tomorrow is Christmas," said Annie, "the day God's son was born. There were stars and wise men and angels that night, and the angels sang, 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good-will toward men.' It tells all about it in a little book the mission teacher gave me."

As Annie spoke the boys forgot their feast for a moment and wondered if the angels were like her, with big dark eyes and long hair, and a red spot in each cheek, and such a strange far-away look.

In an hour the "shucks" were cleaned of their last crumb, and the apple cores would not have made a meal for a hungry sparrow, but the memory of Tom's "good-will" box and Annie's explanation lingered in the alley long after Annie had gone to be with the angels.

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How to Keep Your Children Well

By Mrs. Max West

Infant Expert of the United States Children's Bureau

(Continued from November Issue.)

Chafing-A fat baby is very apt to become chafed in the folds and creases of the skin, especially about the but tocks, where it is due to wet diapers or to those which have been washed with some irritating soap powder or not thoroughly rinsed. Chafed flesh should not have soap used upon it. Starch or bran water may be tried. Keep the skin clean and use the powder above recommended. In obstinate cases, clean with fresh olive oil only, using no water.

Eczema-This is one of the most persistent and annoying afflictions of babyhood. It is characterized by a swollen, reddened skin often covered with tiny pimples or crusts, sometimes having a watery discharge; at other times dry and scaly.

Some babies have a predisposition to the disease, and in them a slight cause is sufficient to produce it. A baby's skin is very delicate, and any irritation, such as chapping from exposure to cold wind or the use of hard water or strong soap, may lead to eczema, or it may be caused by woolen underclothing, starched bonnets and strings, or unclean diapers. The disease often appears in constipated babies.

The disease should be treated by a physician, as it is very persistent and must have careful and constant attention. Neither soap nor plain water should be used on the affected parts, which are usually the head and face. Bran or starch water may be used if necessary.

All liquors should be excluded from the diet of a nursing mother, the amount of meat reduced, and her out-of-door exercise increased.

For babies fed on cow's milk the diet should be much reduced, both in quan

tity and strength, and in older children the starchy foods restricted, potatoes. and oatmeal being forbidden.

To allay the itching, smear the surfaces with an application made of equal parts of limewater and sweet almond oil, or cover them with a starch and boric-acid powder. It is most important that the baby should.not scratch the inflamed skin, and to prevent it pasteboard splints may be bound lightly about the baby's elbows with strips of cotton. A doctor's help and advice are greatly needed in this disease.

Milk Crust-Yellowish, scaly patches sometimes form on a baby's scalp. To remove, anoint with oil or vaseline at night and wash with warm water and pure soap in the morning, but do not attempt to force the crust away. If it does not all come off, repeat the operation as many times as needed, but on no account use a comb or any hard instrument to remove it, as it is very easy to start eczema in such a way if the skin is broken.

Rickets This disease, characterized by imperfect development of the bones, is probably due to faulty food and improper living conditions. Breast-fed babies are rarely affected, although the baby of a nursing mother whose diet is poor, insufficient, or improper may have the disease. Feeding on condensed milk and proprietary foods is thought to be one of its causes. Prevention consists in giving the baby suitable food, fresh air, and plenty of sunshine, and the same measures will bring about the cure. The symptoms of this disease are bowlegs, prominent abdomen, restless sleep, a perspiring head, weakness and tenderness of the flesh. The disease may usu

ally be arrested by prompt treatment at the start. Medical advice should be sought.

Scurvey-This disease is characterized by bleeding gums, great tenderness of the extremities, pallor and fretfulness. and is probably due to improper diet. Fruit juices are needed, but they must be of an amount and kind suited to the child's age and the case should be brought to the attention of a doctor, who will direct the treatment.

Adenoids and Enlarged Tonsils-The symptoms which indicate that a baby is suffering from adenoids are restless sleep, snoring, snuffing sleeping with the mouth open and inability to nurse properly. All these conditions are due to

the fact that these enlarged tissues partially close the nasal and throat air passages so that the baby cannot breathe freely. Later the same causes may lead to deafness and other defects, which very seriously hinder the child's growth, both of body and mind. All babies who show any signs of trouble of this kind should be examined by a competent physician, who will decide how early the operation for the removal of these growths may be performed.

Baby's Sleep-A young baby sleeps 18 or 20 hours out of 24. At six months of age a baby sleeps about 16 hours, at one year about 14 hours, and at two years at least 12 hours. Daytime naps should be continued as long as possible.

Dependent Children Aided by New Statute

Gov. Philipp of Wisconsin has signed a bill granting aid for dependent children. This is a revision of the present law on the statute books. Under the terms of the new law, any judge of a juvenile court or a county judge may cause an investigation to be made to determine whether a child is dependent. To assist in making investigations and examinations the judge of the juvenile court or of the county court may appoint a board of child welfare for his county to consist of three members.

There must be one or more children living with or dependent upon the mother or grandparents or person having the care and custody of such children, one or more of whom shall be under the age of 14 years or between the ages of 14 and 16 and unable to work. The mother or grandparents or such other person must have resided in this state one year and in the county in which application is made for aid six months prior to the

date of such application. The present law provides that aid may be granted to a mother divorced from her husband. Such deserted or divorced mother need not show that she has used all provisions of law to enforce support.

The aid granted shall not exceed $15 a month for the first child and $10 a month for each additional child and in no case shall any family receive more than $40 per month except in Milwaukee, where the maximum family aid may be $50.

The governor has also signed the Pullen bill relating to maintenance of classes for exceptional children. Upon application of the district board of any school district embracing within its limits any village or city, or the board of education of any city, the state superintendent may authorize such school district board or board of education to establish and maintain a special class for the instruction of exceptional persons of school age.

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