30237V 
 
" Well, Li'les' Kid, mebbe 'tis one o dem dreams. Gee ! " 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 AND HOW THE WHITE 
 
 ROSE OF LOVE BLOOMED 
 
 AND FLOURISHED 
 
 THERE 
 
 BY 
 
 WINIFRED RICH 
 
 The strength of the strong is Love, 
 The righting of wrong is Love; 
 The good that we give is Love, 
 The Life that we live is Love. , > , ; 
 
 y.'t'nejy Gtrf^-ne Fosteir, ^ \ " 
 
 PAUL ELDER CT COMPANY 
 PUBLISHERS- --SAN FRANCISCO 
 
The illustrations are reproductions from 
 
 studies in colored plaster bas-reliefs by 
 
 Elizabeth Ferrea, 
 
 Copyright, 1911 
 
 by Paul Elder and Company 
 
 San Francisco 
 
TO 
 
 MY FRIEND 
 ELLEN FEARN CRANE 
 
 SUNDAY 
 
 SEPTEMBER 13 
 
 1908 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 Can a lad of ten grow up in one of our modern cities and be 
 ignorant of the meaning of the word " love" ? 
 
 In my own kindergarten the majority of little ones had not the 
 word in their vocabulary, and these children were many degrees 
 removed from the tenement class. In our California playgrounds 
 the word is seldom used among the children. Ask the simple 
 question, "Do you love sister or mother?" and the answer is 
 a blank stare. Use the word "like" and a ready "Sure" is the 
 response. 
 
 But in the tenements of our cities this problem is not one to 
 cause wonder. A brief word-picture will be sufficient for the 
 reader more readily to understand Tony's ignorance as well as 
 the attitude of Maggie and Mrs. Murphy. The average tenements 
 are in a locality densely populated and badly congested. The 
 types of faces one meets in the many alleys represent the various 
 stages of starvation and spent energies. The women seem to 
 have lost all hold on their womanhood, and the little ones are 
 prematurely old in experience and vice. 
 
 We will go into a home. It is a basement room, damp, dark 
 and foul. A family of seven or more occupy this shelter. The 
 children are unkempt and pitifully hungry ; the father is in the 
 penitentiary, and the mother in the factory. Imagine the weary, 
 
 [v] 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 work-stunned mother coming home to feed her brood at night, 
 after twelve hours of steady labor and only sixty cents to show 
 for her toil. Is it possible for her to give any expression to her 
 mother-love, if any there may be ? Can you conceive of love on 
 the lips of this family? 
 
 We can go into a better home. It may be on the first or top 
 floor of a tenement, according to the wages of the parents. Here 
 we find in two rooms a family of ten. The father, a foreigner, 
 has come to America to obtain wealth. He may receive a dollar 
 a day, it may be more, but at the merciless expense of his man 
 hood ; for as the mills of men grind out the progress of the world, 
 they also grind away the divinity and humanity of a man's being. 
 He is a mere cog in a wheel. Once his ideals are gone, drink 
 becomes his refuge, and the man, who ten or fifteen years ago 
 stepped hopefully upon America's soil, now becomes a brain- 
 stunned, labor-worn, drunken beast. The mother goes into the 
 factory and for twelve hours is deprived of her privileges as a 
 mother in order that she also may become a cog in the wheel 
 that grinds out the hopes of the human race. The little ones in 
 crease and they in turn go out upon the street, all for the dollar 
 and the lust of gain. Can a boy or girl breathe in love from the 
 streets ? Can the over-worked, intoxicated father exemplify the 
 father-love? Can the mother, broken and crushed, find time at 
 night to caress her children? Just picture a home-coming from 
 these parents and ask where the word "love** would find its place. 
 
 It is difficult for us, shielded as we are by environment, to 
 understand this problem ; but when we take into consideration 
 that a child gains his knowledge of love from the home and 
 from the parents, we can readily comprehend the situation. 
 
 [vi] 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 INTRODUCTION, vii 
 
 I. THE STORY 1 
 
 II. "WOT IS LOVE?" 15 
 
 III. THE WHITE ROSE 26 
 
 IV. THE SERMON OF THE ROSE .... 36 
 V. "DELI'LES'KID" 45 
 
 VI. A BROTHER 48 
 
 VII. MR. DORRING'S MESSAGE 57 
 
 VIII. THE FIRE 60 
 
 IX. THE FULL WHITE ROOM . 66 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Facing 
 
 "Well, Li'les* Kid, mebbe 'tis one o* dem dreams. Gee I" Title 
 From the open windows came the busy chatter of the chil 
 dren, and a soft low voice 2 
 
 "Do you like your little sister?" "Betcher life I do," was 
 
 the prompt response 18 
 
 Silently, one by one, they stared at the white blossom . . 34 
 " An' she wrote dis, too. L-o-v-e, dat *s love. God is love. 
 
 Dat's wot He is, see?" 40 
 
 Pointing to the pidture, he whispered : " Say, yer jes looks 
 
 like Her-an'deLi'les'Kid like Him" 46 
 
 Danny Mulligan, with true epicurean joy, was endeavoring 
 to lick a liberal supply of molasses from his freckled 
 
 face by means of a very nimble tongue 48 
 
 The teacher's face was wet with tears as she placed the 
 
 baby in Tony's arms 58 
 
 Gently he dropped the baby into the barrel and was gone 62 
 In her outstretched hand she held a white rose , . . 68 
 
 [vii] 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 THE STORY 
 
 TONY glood on the pavement glaring at a sign 
 which hung across the sidewalk from a doorway 
 of the brick building. That the word thereon 
 gtood for "Kindergarten" he well knew, though 
 to him the letters were as meaningless as Greek. 
 In the bitterness of his heart he had wandered far from his 
 usual haunts. To him the world was but a dreary court, 
 where every man lived a law unto himself and for himself. 
 From the open windows came the busy chatter of the 
 children, and a soft, low voice, which caused the small 
 listener to open his eyes very wide indeed. 
 
 The curtains blew apart, giving him a glimpse of a tall 
 figure bending over a wee brown head. 
 
 Tony glanced furtively up and down the narrow Street. 
 No one was in sight ; even Mike Casey's saloon was minus 
 the usual hangers-on. 
 
 Through the open gate at one side of the building he 
 
 [i] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 perceived a narrow alley. Into this, with the caution of the 
 street gamin, he stole, and as stealthily closed the gate be 
 hind him. As he had anticipated, the open window was 
 just low enough to be reached by the aid of a box. 
 
 "Gee!" he excitedly whispered, "dat's de dope, sure." 
 
 Silently down the board walk he flew till he reached the 
 playground. There he paused for a breathless moment to 
 stare uncomprehendingly at the swings and sand-boxes. 
 His restless eyes discovered a small box in a corner. This 
 he seized and bore to the window. 
 
 Balancing himself on his bare toes and holding tightly 
 to the window-ledge, he could gain, by standing upon this 
 rather insecure pedestal, a very good view of the room and 
 what he craved even more the teacher who spoke with 
 the soft voice. 
 
 The child's eyes grew round as he stared incredulously 
 at the immaculate scene before him. 
 
 Wonderful pictures hung upon the white walls; flowers 
 and delicate ferns grew in profusion in the windows; 
 everything was spotless, and the room breathed rest and 
 happiness. 
 
 " Gee ! " exclaimed the awestruck watcher. 
 
 His eyes fell upon the circle of little ones, some of whom, 
 though they were far above him in the social world, he 
 knew. 
 
 There were Elsa and Otto Gruenberger; they represented 
 
 [2] 
 
From the open windows came the busy chatter of the 
 children, and a soft, low voice. 
 
THE STORY 
 
 the greatest aristocracy possible. For did not their father 
 own a delicatessen shop where one could buy deledlable 
 dainties such as bologna, sauerkraut, and buns with raisins 
 in them? 
 
 Even Danny Mulligan was there. His father owned the 
 honored distinction of being policeman on a wonderful 
 beat where ladies lived in palaces, and the children ate 
 pie and candy-sticks three times a day. 
 
 Tony smiled absently at Danny, whose kindness in per 
 mitting him to stroke his father's official club had been an 
 honor not soon to be forgotten. 
 
 However, in another moment all these glories vanished, 
 for he had caught a glimpse of the teacher as she sat in 
 the circle with the children. Her voice, which had at 
 tracted Tony from the first, now held him spellbound. 
 
 "Well, children, how many bright faces I see to-day! 
 And are we ready for the glory?" 
 
 At once a distinct hum and an air of eager expectancy 
 pervaded the room. Tony caught the infection and leaned 
 eagerly forward, to the peril of his position. 
 
 " Then, we must sit very still and listen very carefully. 
 Otto, your feet would look better on the floor. Yes, that 
 is better. I wonder if Lizzette could keep her hands from 
 Anna's hair ribbon. Are we ready? For this is another 
 story with a hidden meaning." 
 
 Tony hung tightly to the window-ledge, his eyes riveted 
 
 [3] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 upon the teacher, every nerve Strained so as not to lose a 
 single word of what was to follow. 
 
 The musical voice went on : 
 
 " Once upon a time there lived a little child who had in 
 his care and keeping a wonderful white room. 
 
 " This little room was the home of a beautiful spirit who 
 grew only under the sunshine of good thoughts and deeds. 
 So, of course, it was necessary that the windows and doors 
 of the little room should be always wide open for the 
 sunlight to stream in. 
 
 " But, somehow, this little child did not know how to 
 care for his little white room or the beautiful spirit, for he 
 lived in a dirty alley where not one ray of God's sunlight 
 ever shone. He knew nothing whatever of loving thoughts 
 or of good deeds. So, as the windows and doors were 
 ever closed, the little white room grew darker and darker, 
 and the spirit drooped, just like the pretty flower Elsa for 
 got to put in water yesterday. And the strangest thing of 
 all was, that the child's face showed just how the spirit 
 felt. He was never happy; his eyes were never glad; his 
 lips never smiled, but drooped at the corners like the 
 points of a crescent moon hung upside down in the sky. 
 
 "One day he thought he would go out beyond the 
 dirty alley to see what he could find. And what do you 
 think he saw? 
 
 "A garden! A wonderful garden full of flowers and 
 
 [4] 
 
THE STORY 
 
 laughing children ; even grown-ups were there, and every 
 one seemed so happy ! They gathered the flowers, and no 
 sooner were they picked than new ones grew on the 
 bushes. 
 
 "The little child wonderingly watched them, and so 
 rapt was he that he did not know that a beautiful angel 
 was standing near him till he heard a whisper in his ear : 
 
 " ' Come, little child, come with me.' Soon he found him 
 self standing beside a bush of soft white roses, the fra 
 grance of which filled the entire garden. 
 
 " ' Pick one,' whispered the angel, ' and place it in the little 
 white room. They are Roses of Love and will never fade.' 
 
 "The child had never seen roses, had never heard of 
 love. But he knew of the hurt spirit in the dark little 
 room. So he obeyed the angel. 
 
 "No sooner had he picked the rose than what do you 
 think happened to the little room? 
 
 "The windows and doors flew open. The little, droop 
 ing spirit caught the fragrance of the white rose, awoke 
 and began to sing. Then the child looked up at the 
 angel's face and smiled yes, smiled. 
 
 "You see, the Rose of Love had filled the little white 
 room, and had made the spirit so glad ! 
 
 "'Now, go home,' whispered the angel, 'and show your 
 rose to those who have never seen nor heard of love. 
 Go, open other little darkened rooms.' 
 
 [5] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 "So the child left the beautiful garden, but he carried 
 the White Rose of Love close to his heart, for that was 
 his little white room." 
 
 A solemn hush fell upon the youthful group. 
 
 Outside, Tony was thinking deeply ; he was also won 
 dering a great deal. The teacher's white hands, her face 
 and her voice were new types to him. No one in the Row 
 or in the tenement ever smiled with her eyes as did this 
 girl-woman who glood before the circle holding out her 
 arms to them all. 
 
 " O babies ! " she cried. " My little ones, I do want you 
 to know more of this beautiful, wonderful love. Do you 
 know, dearies, it will change your little lives and make 
 you oh, so happy ! " 
 
 Eagerly and heedlessly Tony leaned forward a crash, 
 a thud ! Scrambling to his feet, Tony flung open the gate 
 and fled with all possible speed, not Stopping until he 
 reached the tenement in the Row. 
 
 He sank down on the first doorstep to rest and inci 
 dentally to think over all he had seen and heard. 
 
 "Gee!" He looked dazed and bewildered. "D' yer t'ink 
 it's 'nother dem dreams? Thet room an' dem purty pic- 
 ters an' her! Gee! I hadn't orter butt inter her yarn. 
 Say, dat wuz bad, fer sure ! " 
 
 He rose sorrowfully and thrust both grimy hands down 
 deep into his pockets. 
 
 [6] 
 
THE STORY 
 
 "Say, dat's de dope 'bout de room all right, but ain't 
 never heerd of love any; wusht I knowed if it is ter eat." 
 
 He walked thoughtfully into the tumbled-down building 
 and through a labyrinth of halls and stairways, past dirty 
 babies, quarreling children, and slatternly women. 
 
 Before a door at the end of the hall he paused to listen. 
 Hearing no sound, he entered the room and closed the 
 door gently behind him. 
 
 Owing to the coat of dirt and cobwebs upon the narrow 
 window, the light was dim. Tony's sharp eyes glanced 
 anxiously toward a tiny bundle lying on one of the broken 
 beds. All was quiet. 
 
 He sat down on one of the boxes lying on the floor, his 
 head bowed in his hands, and systematically began to 
 meditate over his morning's adventure. 
 
 The bundle stirred, and a feeble wail filled the room. 
 Instantly Tony gathered in his thin arms a young infant 
 who reached up two dirty little hands to clutch his coat. 
 
 "Gee, Li'les' Kid, youse de gamest feller I ever see 
 sleepin* all de time Tony wuz out wid de swells. Say, 
 Li'les' Kid, jes open yer eyes. I'se got de yarn fer you ! 
 Say why yer smiles jes de way she looks ef yer 
 don't!" 
 
 He straightened the single garment and cuddled the 
 little one to him. 
 
 "Well, Li'les' Kid, mebbe 'tis one o' dem dreams. Gee! 
 
 [7] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 D' y'u know, 't ain't nothin' like I see before. She looks like 
 you feel, sof an' nice." 
 
 His eyes fell upon the filth and barrenness of the pov 
 erty-stricken room, which he saw for the first time. But 
 Tony was somewhat of a philosopher, so merely shrugged 
 his bent shoulders vaguely. 
 
 "Aw, wot's de use! Say, Li'les' Kid, de lady wot Tony 
 tells yer 'bout is er bang up one. Never growed in er 
 tenerment, yer bet! She sed us a yarn 'bout er feller an' 
 his white room wot wuz allus shut. Say, didjer know yer 
 hed er white room an* er spurrit? Dat's a burrd, Li'les' 
 Kid. Seen one onct. Well, dis yere kid got inter er yard 
 an' picked some roses, roses of love she called 'em an' 
 dey busted de room open. Gee ! Ain't never seen nothin' 
 full 'nough ter bust open here." 
 
 He looked down into the blue eyes of the babe wistfully. 
 
 "Say, Li'les' Kid, 'tis love, an' Tony don't know wot 
 love is, wusht I did." 
 
 The babe whimpered. 
 
 " Hungry, Li'les' Kid? Seems ter me youse allus hungry. 
 Why, me an' de kids don* eat ha'f yer do. Youse got de 
 tank, fer sure. Never min', yer goin' ter hev love ef it's 
 ter eat Li'les' Kid. Nothin *s too good fer dis girl baby, 
 
 n 
 
 sure. 
 
 All the while he was talking, Tony had been busy. 
 From an old cigar-box, which he drew from under the 
 
 [8] 
 
THE STORY 
 
 bed, he produced a cup of milk and a crust of bread. 
 These he fed to the famished baby. 
 
 His face was full of perplexity as he pondered over the 
 possible meaning of the new word. 
 
 Suddenly he sprang to his feet crying joyfully: 
 
 "Why, Murphy '11 know! She's got all kinds of dope. 
 An', gee, Li'les* Kid, youse kin hev yer li'le white room 
 full, jes t'ink, full an* bustin'!" 
 
 Hugging the wondering child closely to him, Tony hur 
 ried out into the halls, down the stairway to Mrs. Murphy's 
 room. 
 
 He found that worthy lady singing lustily over the wash- 
 tubs. Pouring from the adjoining room, an avalanche of 
 small Murphys dressed in the briefest of costumes, over 
 powered him, screaming shrilly "f er ter see the Li'les' Kid ! " 
 
 " Whisht, now, ye spalpeens ! Ter bed wid yez, an* think 
 shame, an' none on yez havin' ez much ez er Stitch on yer 
 backs. Git now." 
 
 One by one the youthful band of defeated Celts re 
 treated to the citadel of the family bed. 
 
 Mrs. Murphy gathered the remainder of the garments 
 lying about and threw them into the tubs. This done, she 
 sat down and, after wiping her red face on her apron, 
 took the babe from Tony's arms. 
 
 " Arrah noo, Tony, lad, 'tis a dirty gurrl yez do be after 
 havin'." 
 
 [9] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 She critically surveyed the infant, while Tony, an absent 
 expression on his face, looked on. He was far away in the 
 Kindergarten room, the words, "roses of love, of love," 
 flitting through his brain like the refrain of a sweet song. 
 
 He looked sadly at the child. 
 
 "Dey's all de clothes she's got, Murphy." 
 
 "An* 'tis no more my kids hev, Tony. 'Tis ter Murphy 
 yez'll bring her to-morrow, lad, an* 't is me who will wash 
 de clothes. Aye, an' 't is a scrubbin' de babe will be after 
 a-havin', sure." 
 
 The boy looked at the kindly Irishwoman, then, coming 
 closely to her, he earnestly asked : 
 
 " Murphy, wot 's love ? " 
 
 In her astonishment Mrs. Murphy almost dropped the 
 babe, but after a withering glance of scorn she rose and 
 bundled the little one into Tony's arms. 
 
 " De divil fly awa* wid yez an' yer fool questions ! Wot 
 does a bye be after a-askin' fer love fer? Sure, an* 'tis not 
 in er tiniment yez finds it, Oi'll be a-thinkin* ! " 
 
 She bent over the tubs once more. 
 
 "But, Murphy," Tony persisted, "ez it er flower or 
 somepin' ter eat er wot is it?" 
 
 "Ter eat, yez ask? An' 'tis an empty glomick yez'll be 
 a-havin' ef yez live on love. 'T is not a fillin' kin' o' food." 
 
 Tony gasped not filling ! " But " 
 
 "See here, Tony, yez air a bit daft; all folks is, wot be 
 
 [10] 
 
THE STORY 
 
 after a-thinkin' o' sech fool talk. Love? Pooh! 'Tis wot I 
 married Pat f er, an' not a whiff av it Oi've seen sence. Git 
 along wid yez, an' min' let love be, an' tek care o' yer kid." 
 
 Very slowly, Tony went back through the dingy halls. 
 
 "Murphy don* know ever't'ing," he muttered stubbornly. 
 "She's not hed any, dat's wot. Dem roses an* flowers were 
 piclers, piclers o' love, same ez de white room an' de heart." 
 
 In the doorway, dressed in a dirty, flowing kimono, stood 
 a young girl whose pretty face was almost hidden by a 
 huge dilapidated pompadour hanging over one eye. 
 
 "Say, Maggie," Tony called, "does yer know wot love 
 is? Gee! Wot 'sde matter? Sick?" For the girl had turned 
 very white, and covering her face with her kimono she 
 fled within the room. 
 
 "Gee, de bunch is crazy. Say, Li'les' Kid, I'll bet dey's 
 all hed some love, but not de kin* she sed. Nope. Jes bet 
 dey's hed some udder kin' o' love dope, an' dey's got sick. 
 Yer did onct on er banana, 'member, Li'les' Kid? Now, 
 de teacher's kin' iz de real t'ing, yer bet 'tis, de real t'ing, 
 fer sure." 
 
 Within the room again, seated upon the old rocker, 
 Tony ruminated at length. 
 
 " Jes de way she looked showed she wuz no bogus. She 
 hed er smile dat made yer feel like de sun after er rain. 
 She sed, Li'les' Kid, d' yer hear?" The baby was fasT: 
 asleep, her head in the hollow of Tony's arm. 
 
 [11] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 " Never min', yer kin sleep, an* I kin talk jes de same. 
 She sed de yarn wuz all picters. I know roses. Seen 'em 
 onc5t on a bang-up swell where I sells de papers. Love ez 
 purty like de roses, dat's sure." 
 
 Thoughtfully he watched the breathing of the infant, 
 noted the blue circles under the long lashes, and the thin, 
 little wrinkled cheeks. 
 
 " Say, yer er goin' ter be red an* fat, mebbe, when dis 
 love bizness ez begun." 
 
 From the hallway came the sound of a scuffle. Instantly 
 gathering the baby to him, Tony rose and, with an expres 
 sion of intense bitterness on his face, retreated to the 
 corner of the room. 
 
 The door burst open and two little boys noisily entered. 
 
 His anxious look vanished, an expression of good-na 
 tured annoyance taking its place. 
 
 " Shet up, youse, ye'll wake de kid." 
 
 "Got anything ter eat?" hungrily demanded the older 
 boy, looking sharply about the empty room. 
 
 " Nope, yer come ter de wrong shop." 
 
 " She's hed some." The boy glanced suspiciously at the 
 babe in Tony's arms. 
 
 Both youngsters were as unlike Tony in their features 
 and in their manners as three boys could possibly be. 
 
 " Sure," Tony grinned cheerfully. 
 
 "Aw, yer allus give her de grub." 
 
 [12] 
 
THE STORY 
 
 The wolfish glare which accompanied the boy's remark 
 was shared by the younger one, who, having been on an 
 exploring expedition and having overturned every dish, 
 box, and even the bed in his search, now joined his brother 
 in defiantly facing Tony. 
 
 " We 're hungry." It was the daily cry. Tony sighed. 
 
 "Same here. See here, kids, you'd better go an* hunt fer 
 grub. She ain't been here ter-day. Mebbe she won't 
 come ter-night. I'll fin' de grub fer yer after I sells de papers, 
 see ? Ain't hed nothin' myself," he added in an underbreath. 
 
 "Say, I tells yer, go out an' t'ink yer full; it makes you 
 feel better." 
 
 The two little boys looked at each other inquiringly. 
 Tony softly soothed the fretful child. 
 
 "Say, kids, it ain't no use'n kickin', so hike." 
 
 They grumbled somewhat, but after a more vigorous 
 search started for the door, Tony watching them curiously. 
 
 "Say," he called out, "did yer ever heer of love?" 
 
 They shook their heads; the youngest asked greedily: 
 
 "Anyt'ing ter eat?" 
 
 "Dunno; it's a queer dope. Say, ef you kids fin* out 
 wot it is I'll give yer some pennies. Are yer game?" 
 
 One boy was busily fastening his trousers to his waist 
 by a string. The other, furtively watching Tony's face, 
 suspiciously asked : 
 
 "Who tells yer 'bout it?" 
 
 [13] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 " Aw, a swell told me." Tony's tones were non-committal. 
 
 " Ax him, an' he'll give yer some." 
 
 "Dat's so." Tony looked out of the dingy window. 
 "You'se kin cut now, an' go sof', de kid's er sleep." 
 
 Once more silence fell upon the room. 
 
 Softly Tony laid the babe down on the bed. Walking 
 to the window he looked out upon the noisy court below. 
 
 "Dat's wot I'll do. Murphy'll hev de kid an' I kin go." 
 
 " Gee ! " He hurriedly brushed his eyes. 
 
 "Never hed sech er t'ing hold me like dis yere love. 
 Makes me t'ink of de sun, fer sure. Roses of love of 
 love. Whyee sort of makes me like de Li'les' Kid, sof 
 an' nice, jes ter say it love love." 
 
 [14] 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 "WOT IS LOVE?" 
 
 EJ_EN GRAY, or Miss Ellen, as the children called 
 her, was seated by her desk in the Kindergarten 
 room, busily threading needles. 
 The early morning sun slowly drifted into the 
 schoolroom upon the circle of tiny chairs that 
 were awaiting their daily occupants. 
 
 At the sound of a footstep, Miss Ellen glanced toward 
 the doorway, and there she saw, standing on the threshold, 
 a boy, the oddest specimen of childhood that, even in her 
 varied experience, she had ever beheld. 
 
 Judging by his size, he might have been ten years or 
 so; judging by the care-worn lines on his face and the 
 sadness in his blue eyes, he might have been three times 
 as old. 
 
 Miss Ellen rose. " Why, good morning, my little man, I 
 
 am very glad to see you. Won't you come in and sit down ?" 
 
 The boy silently obeyed, his eyes riveted upon Miss 
 
 [15] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 Ellen's face. If the young teacher was studying her strange 
 visitor, he, without question, was studying her. 
 
 "What is your name, dear?" 
 
 Dear! He turned the word over in his mind, as one 
 who has tasted for the first time an unaccustomed sweet 
 morsel. 
 
 " Tony," he slowly answered. 
 
 "And my name is Miss Ellen. Now that we are so well 
 acquainted, won't you sit down in this little chair?" 
 
 Somewhat bewildered, Tony seated himself, his eyes 
 reeling on the white hand of the young teacher. Pointing 
 abruptly, he said : 
 
 "Say, dat's like de Li'les' Kid." 
 
 Miss Ellen at once became interested. 
 
 "Yes? And who is the Li'les' Kid?" 
 
 " Me baby sifter." The note of pride in Tony's voice 
 did not escape the questioner. "A baby sifter! How 
 lovely! And have you any little brother?" 
 
 "Two." The tone was curt. 
 
 "Why!" exclaimed Miss Ellen, keenly watching the 
 expression on the boy's sensitive face. " A baby sister, two 
 brothers, a mother, of course, and a father?" The ques 
 tion, indirect as it was, brought a look of such intense hatred 
 and settled bitterness into Tony's face that she was Startled. 
 
 He had been looking out of the window, the very one 
 famous for the adventure of the day before. 
 
 [16] 
 
'WOT IS LOVE?" 
 
 Suddenly he turned and faced the girl, who was watching 
 him intently, and eagerly demanded : 
 
 " Say, I come here ter fin' out 'bout dat yarn yer spieled 
 ter de kids yest'day de yarn 'bout de white room, an' de 
 feller wot found de yard of roses, an' what I wants ter 
 know is 'bout de love. See? I knows de heart an' de 
 roses, but love wot is love?" 
 
 Tony was standing close to Miss Ellen, his slender body, 
 visible through the ragged clothes, trembling with ex 
 citement. 
 
 Miss Ellen looked deeply into the blue eyes and read 
 even more than his appeal had conveyed. In the demand 
 of the boy, coming from his starved soul, she heard the 
 echo of the universal call of the world for the deeper 
 knowledge of a spiritualized human love. 
 
 She had seen the tragedy in the expression of his face 
 which her reference to his mother had brought. But being 
 wise in her understanding of child life, she very gently 
 asked : 
 
 "Were you here yesterday? I didn't see you." 
 
 Tony hung his head for a moment, then sadly answered : 
 
 "I wasn't fitten ter come in. I swiped er look tru de 
 winder. Dat wuz bad er buttin' inter de yarn." 
 
 " Never mind, dear, I am very glad you heard the story. 
 Now, to your question. Before I answer it, Tony, tell me 
 all about your baby sister." 
 
 [17] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 Tony grinned. 
 
 "Aw, she is jes a baby girl but, gee! She is sof an' 
 warm ; and when yer holds her, it jes makes yer feel like 
 her. See?" Miss Ellen nodded, her eyes brimming. 
 
 " She can't do nothin' but eat an* yell, but she makes all 
 de days like all sunny days. She is smily, too, an' hoi's 
 onter yer, say, I takes de hull care of her ; dere 's no one 
 ter do it but me, an' yer bet she gets all dere is comin', f er 
 
 sure." 
 
 "And the little brothers?" 
 
 Tony shifted uneasily in his seat. 
 
 "Aw, dey's allus er kickin' an* er swipin* de Li'les* Kid's 
 grub. Say, dey 's like all de udder kids in de tenerment 
 dey's jes bad all over." 
 
 "Oh, I am so sorry! It must make you feel very badly." 
 
 Tony looked up at the grave brown eyes, and shrugged 
 his shoulders. 
 
 "Aw, dey don't keep me 'wake none. I don' care 'bout 
 dem kids. Dey's jes soon do me dirt, an' I buys all de 
 grub fer dem dat dey don' swipe." He glanced out of 
 the window once more. 
 
 Miss Ellen leaned forward, touching Tony's grimy hands. 
 
 "Do you like your little sifter?" 
 
 " Betcher life I do," was the prompt response. 
 
 "And you care for her, keep her with you all night, feed 
 her, dress and bathe her and love her?" 
 
 [18] 
 
"Do you life your little sister P " " Betcher life I do, " 
 was the prompt response. 
 
'WOT IS LOVE?" 
 
 Bewildered, Tony looked up. 
 
 "Love her? I ain't onter de game." 
 
 "Yes, dear, you are on to the game. You love the little 
 sister and have never known it. 
 
 "Love is something within your own heart that makes 
 you do for the baby the things you do. You must never 
 say the word * like,' for that is a weak word. You must say 
 ' love ' ; it means so much more than ' like.' You like a per 
 son with your head, but you love with your heart and soul. 
 When you love, you fill the little white room I told you of 
 yesterday, and you make the spirit glad." 
 
 She looked earnestly down at the child's face as he 
 Struggled to adjust the new word to his emotions. 
 
 " Gee ! " he muttered, " I hed de dope an' never knowed 
 it. But say, I ain't heerd it before." 
 
 Miss Ellen smiled gently. 
 
 "No? Well, Tony, you know it now, and you must be 
 lieve in your love. Say it over, ' I love the Li'les' Kid.' Do 
 you see?" 
 
 "Yep, I t'ink so. Say, ain't it jes like hate, dat's 
 stronger 'n not-a-likin' ? " 
 
 "That's just it. Now I want you to listen very carefully. 
 I think we had better go over there in the sunlight." She 
 led the boy to the center of the room, and in the little 
 chairs, in a halo of sunshine, the two sat down. 
 
 "Tony, how does the sun feel to you?" 
 
 [19] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 " Warm an' sof * an' nice." 
 
 " Yes. That is just the way love feels." 
 
 Tony nodded. " Yer bet 't is ! Say, it made me feel like 
 dat las' night jes er sayin' it." 
 
 "You are a dear laddie." Miss Ellen's eyes were glow 
 ing softly as she turned to him. 
 
 " Tony," she asked, " have you ever heard of God ? " 
 
 Tony reflected. It did not dawn upon him that the 
 sacred name which fell so reverently from Miss Ellen's 
 lips could ever have had the slightest: association with the 
 ill-pronounced word handled so profanely in the tenement. 
 
 " Nope," he answered slowly. 
 
 Miss Ellen thought for a moment, then leaning forward, 
 facing the boy, she earnestly and carefully began : 
 
 " Tony, dear, when you hold your baby sifter in your 
 arms, care for and love her, do you feel cross toward her 
 or do you feel full of love?" 
 
 Tony's eyes danced. " Gee ! a feller could n't git cross 
 wid 'er ; why, she makes yer feel good all tru. You bet ! " 
 
 " Of course you do. You could n't harm her while you 
 love her. And the baby, is she good and sweet?" 
 
 The boy's eyes grew large. " Why, she can't help bein* 
 good. She's er li'le bunch of love. Dat's wot she is." 
 
 Miss Ellen smiled. How quaint was this little lad, and 
 how easily did he fall into her line of thought. 
 
 "Well then, Tony, all this beautiful love within your 
 
 [20] 
 
'WOT IS LOVE?" 
 
 heart and in the baby's, everything that is beautiful and 
 good, comes from God, and is God. 
 
 " The sun and the rain, the flowers and the green grass, 
 everything in our lovely out-of-doors, come from God, to 
 show us what His love is." 
 
 She paused, impressed by the expression of awe on the 
 boy's face, then thoughtfully went on : 
 
 "There is a thought-picture of God's home a picture 
 just like the white room and the heart ; this home, we say, 
 is above the blue sky, and there is a garden there far more 
 beautiful than any in our city parks, full of roses whiter 
 even than those I spoke of, and the air in that wonderful 
 home-place is full of love love which you and I can never 
 dream of knowing till we go there." Miss Ellen's eyes 
 glowed softly. " Why, Tony, if you could gather all the 
 glorious, precious things together, thoughts full of love, 
 everybody who is good, a city full of these, then you might 
 have just an idea of how wonderful God is. You see, He 
 wanted us to grow like Him, so He gave us His own self 
 His love. We are to love each other and to be kind to each 
 other, because that is the way to be like God. And oh, 
 Tony, God loves us far more than we can ever think of 
 loving. Do you understand, dear?" 
 
 He nodded vaguely. 
 
 Miss Ellen pondered. How could she teach this boy of 
 the deeper fatherhood and of the brooding motherhood of 
 
 [21] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 the Creator when even of human love he knew nothing, 
 save that which he gave to the little babe. 
 
 Drawing the boy more closely to her and taking his 
 hands in hers, she said: "Tony, dear, He loves you and 
 the Li'les' Kid. He loves me and my babies here. He 
 loves your mother, too." 
 
 Tony looked up quickly, then turned away his head. 
 
 "Aw, yer don' come dat on me." 
 
 "But I do, Tony. He loves us all. Now, dear, my time 
 is up, but you are going to stay awhile ? " 
 
 " Yep, ef I won't be in de way." 
 
 " No, dear, I want you to stay as long as you can. Sit 
 here in this chair." She bent down and whispered : " Tony, 
 say it over and over to yourself: 'God is love. I love 
 Him, He loves me, and I love the Li'les' Kid.' Will you ? " 
 
 He looked up at her mistily, and shyly added, "An* 
 Tony loves yer too, ef yer don' mind." 
 
 Bless your heart, dear. And Miss Ellen loves you too, 
 ever so much." 
 
 Tony sat all through the session which followed, like 
 one living in a dream, a dream in which only he and Miss 
 Ellen moved. 
 
 Sitting there in the clean, sunlit room, the circle of happy 
 faces about him, his own heart full of his new discovery 
 and his active mind already reaching out for deeper 
 knowledge, Tony listened to the glory of a more perfect 
 
 [22] 
 
'WOT IS LOVE?" 
 
 love, the love which forgives, no matter how deep the 
 injury. 
 
 Forcibly, yet gently, the little sermon was preached. But 
 Tony's eyes grew hard and the lines of bitterness returned 
 to his face. Miss Ellen grew troubled as she noted the 
 change, for this strange, sad boy, with his longing cry, had 
 taken hold of her heart, while the desire to help him be 
 came very strong within her. 
 
 At recess, after the last wee straggler had trotted out of 
 sight, Tony rose, and, walking slowly to the teacher, said 
 gravely : " Say, ain't sure 'bout dat feller wot yer telled of 
 God. Am er fixin' it all in my head dis way, sorter : ' We's 
 like de kids out dere,' pointing to the yard full of frolickers, 
 ' an' He is de same ez you.' Ain't dat it ? " 
 
 There was not a trace of irreverence in the untutored 
 child's comparison, only his quaint mannerism, his evi 
 dent love for the mental pictures, which is ofttimes so 
 difficult to instil in the mind of the practical child of the 
 tenement. 
 
 Miss Ellen understood him at once. " Yes, dear, only, 
 even though I love my babies here, I can never love them 
 as He does. You love your baby sister, but He loves you 
 both a thousand times more." 
 
 "All ter onct?" The question came from a very aston 
 ished boy. 
 
 "Why, He loves the entire city full of people, Tony. 
 
 [23] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 Oh, little lad, love comes from Him ; there is no limit to 
 God's love! Do you understand?" 
 
 Tony drew his hands from out his trousers' pockets, as 
 he slowly and thoughtfully answered: "I t'ink I do. It's 
 too big fer er li'le kid like me to ketch onter ter onct. It'll 
 take time, an' mebbe when I tells de Li'les* Kid 'bout it all 
 an* 'bout Him, I'll get onter it more." 
 
 Miss Ellen patted his thin shoulders encouragingly. 
 
 " Come to-morrow, Tony, and come early so that we can 
 have a long talk. Don't forget to think love and to say it. 
 You see, dear, you have it in you, and all you need to do is 
 to open the doors and windows wide in the little room and 
 to say over and over: * I am God's child, and God is love.' " 
 
 Back in the turbulent tenement with the babe in his 
 arms, Tony repeated the whole wonderful story. At its 
 conclusion he paused, as slowly but convincingly there 
 flashed in his mind the love that forgives. 
 
 He looked down at the wee brown head on his arm; 
 he looked at the dirty room. He saw with the eyes of one 
 who has been awakened to the higher possibilities of life, 
 only to be confronted by the deadly barrier of environment. 
 
 With a sob of passionate bitterness, grief and despair, 
 he cried: " Aw, 't ain't no use, Li'les' Kid ! 'T ain't no use! 
 We can't never be no better, 'cause she ain't never 
 done us no good. She don't even like us, nor feed us. 
 Oh, Li'les' Kid she ain't no good! An' we mus' love 
 
 [24] 
 
'WOT IS LOVE?" 
 
 her, 'cause Miss Ellen sed that He wants us ter love even 
 such ez an' an* baby I can't I can't." He bowed 
 his head upon the warm little body, and for the first time 
 in years the tears trickled down his cheeks. 
 
 [25] 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 THE WHITE ROSE 
 
 OPEN up yer squinters, Li'les' Kid, 'cause Tony 
 wants yer ter listen. Say, does yer t'ink dat 
 dis is Tony wot's er holdin'yer, or does yer 
 t'ink it's de dream Tony wot he hez been er 
 tellin' of ? Gee ! It 's 'nough ter make yer dizzy 
 de way me heart has been on de move, ever sence las' 
 week, an' sence Miss Ellen told me 'bout Him, an' His boy. 
 Say, Li'les' Kid, eat yer grub an' go ter sleep. I've gotter 
 go an' see Miss Ellen. Can't stay dis mornin' long, 'cause 
 'cause she might come back an' fin' yer all alone. See?" 
 Tony paused, a scowl gathering on his forehead. 
 The baby having finished her frugal breakfast began to 
 fret sleepily. Tony rocked her gently to and fro on his 
 knees, softly talking all the while. 
 
 "Yep, an' Miss Ellen, she telled me 'bout His house an* 
 His boy, wot He sent ter us ter show jes how we orter 
 love. Gee, an* dey jes up an* done Him dirt, dey did, 
 
 [26] 
 
THE WHITE ROSE 
 
 an' d'yer know, Li'les' Kid, He loved 'em jes de same. 
 Why ee! Li'les' Kid, ef yer ain't 'sleep an' me er tellin' 
 yer de greates' yarn ever. Aw, yer don' know it, but yer 
 b'long ter Him, an' ef Tony kin, yer'll not grow up in dis 
 tenerment where sof, white baby girls grow up 'thout 
 knowin* 'bout de li'le white rooms an' de roses of love." 
 
 The boy carried the sleeping child to the mattress and 
 carefully covered her with an old shawl. 
 
 "Aw, Li'les' Kid," he whispered, bending over her, the 
 great longing of his soul in his blue eyes, " yer er goin' ter 
 be like Miss Ellen, does yer hear? Yer must, oh, yer must, 
 an' yer li'le white room mus' feel only purty words ! O 
 baby Li'les' Kid don't listen ter her will yer? Don' 
 even look at her; she won't fill de white room an* she 
 don' know 'bout Him an' His boy. Sh dere! Youse kin 
 sleep; Tony'll be back very soon." 
 
 Softly he stole out of the room. At the end of the hall 
 he paused to give a signal whittle. Immediately Maggie, 
 untidy and drooping, opened the door. 
 
 " Say," Tony lowered his voice, " keep yer eyes on de 
 kid, will yer?" 
 
 The girl nodded. 
 
 "I'll be back soon. Say, keep yer eyes peeled. See?" 
 
 Maggie seized Tony's arm as he turned to go. 
 
 " Will she see me, d'yer think, the teacher yer told me 
 'bout?" 
 
 [27] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 The boy took mental inventory of the girl's appearance 
 and shook his head. 
 
 " Miss Ellen, she ain't stuck on dirt none, an' yer hair 
 all over yer face, but yer got er nice face, an' Miss Ellen 
 ain't no swell wot'll cut yer. Betcherlife ! She'll talk ter 
 yer 'bout de inside yer white room I telled yer of. Gee ! 
 It's yer dat '11 t'ink of de outside after she gits tru." 
 
 Maggie's blue eyes grew large with childlike appre 
 hension. 
 
 " I ain't fit, Tony, I ain't good." 
 
 "Aw, Miss Ellen, she's good 'nough fer two of yer. 
 Anyway, she'll not t'row it up ter yer. Yer see, Maggie, 
 Miss Ellen, she's got nex'ter Him an* knows His game. 
 He sees de white room an' I don' know how, but yer gits 
 clean outside by yerself, widout yer know it, seems like. 
 I'll tell Miss Ellen ; she loves everybody. So long, Maggie. 
 Keep yer eyes peeled." 
 
 It had been a wonderful week to Tony, and so swift 
 had been the shifting scenes that his brain whirled. 
 
 The great change in his inner consciousness had created 
 a greater change in his outer life, in his associations with 
 the tenement people, with the boys, and with the Li'les* 
 Kid. 
 
 Also, unconsciously, he had sought the cleansing powers 
 of water and soap, and when he had presented himself 
 before Miss Ellen on the second morning, his shiny face 
 
 [28] 
 
THE WHITE ROSE 
 
 redolent of Mrs. Murphy's tub water, she did not smile; 
 instead, she introduced him to the Kindergarten bathroom. 
 Tony, marveling silently at the "dishes on de wall,'* learned 
 his first lesson in the art of perfect ablution. 
 
 The wonderful week had but one discord. At Miss 
 Ellen's earnest request, Tony had brought the two little 
 brothers to her. But they had behaved like wild animals, 
 for after demoralizing the school they had ignobly fled, 
 leaving poor Tony mortified and inconsolable. 
 
 " Never mind, dear, you can bring the Li'les' Kid to me ; 
 she will be good, I am sure," Miss Ellen comforted, cheering 
 the boy until the memory of the event had faded away 
 into the misty past. 
 
 Tony's mind went through all these details as he ran to 
 the school. 
 
 Miss Ellen cheerily greeted him as he held up his clean 
 face and hands for her inspection. 
 
 "Clean little Tony! Come right here to me close." 
 She drew him up to her, holding him in the shelter of her 
 arm. 
 
 "And, dear, how is the little white room?" Tony shook 
 his head, his blue eyes wistfully looking up into her deep 
 brown ones. 
 
 "Aw, it ain't busted yet." 
 
 "No? Do you know why?" 
 
 The boy hung his head, the red flush dully spreading 
 
 [29] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 over his pale face and to his neck. Only too well he knew 
 what Miss Ellen meant. 
 
 " Oh, Tony, can't you forgive ? You, a little boy, who 
 has been shown love, can't you forgive some one who has 
 never known about ,the white room?" 
 
 She tried to study the expression on the child's face, 
 but his head was averted. She sighed, a troubled look in 
 her eyes. How to penetrate the armor of the boy's reserve 
 and sensitiveness was a problem which sorely puzzled her. 
 Once he had grudgingly admitted that his father had been 
 "sent up." But any allusion to the mother was met by 
 Stubborn silence. However, she was determined to break 
 through this wall of reserve and compel the boy to recog 
 nize his rightful position in his relationship to his mother. 
 
 "Tony," she said at length, as she turned the boy around 
 so that he glood facing her, "you are building a fence all 
 around your white room to keep the little boys and your 
 mother out. Unless you forgive them, the windows and 
 doors will never fly wide open. Hate and love cannot live 
 together in the same room. One must go." 
 
 Tony looked Straight at her, his questioning eyes full of 
 growing fear. 
 
 "But she ain't no good," he muttered. 
 
 " Oh, my dearest boy," never say such a thing again ! 
 God made her, and when she was a little baby she was as 
 good as your Li'les' Kid. Oh, Tony, you are only a little 
 
 [30] 
 
THE WHITE ROSE 
 
 boy ! You do not know what terrible things she has had 
 in her life to make her what she is. She has not known 
 of God or love. Tony, you will never say such a thing 
 again, will you ? " 
 
 He shyly put his arm about the girl, seeing her brown 
 eyes full of tears. 
 
 "Aw, Miss Ellen, I won't, but yer don' know. Jes de 
 same, I'll try. Mebbe I'll let her peek in tru de fence till I 
 git us'd ter her. De li'le boys kin come inter de yard some." 
 Tony wondered at the choking sensations in his throat 
 and even in his heart as he hastily rubbed his eyes. 
 
 Miss Ellen hugged the boy tightly to her. He little 
 knew that the tears were for him and for the sorrow which 
 had cast its blight upon his soul. 
 
 "Say, Miss Ellen, I can't stay dis mornin*. I jes come 
 'cause oh, 'cause it rests er feller ter talk ter yer de 
 tired feelin' in de white room. Say, it makes me sort o* 
 feel nex' ter Him ter talk ter yer, Miss Ellen." 
 
 The girl, speechless and heartful, suddenly bent down 
 and kissed the boy on his pale cheek. Tony stood still, 
 the red again flooding his throat and brow, the choking 
 sensation creeping back into his throat. Not ungently he 
 pushed her from him, and with stumbling steps turned 
 away. 
 
 "Aw, cut it," he said huskily, "I ain't no kid." 
 
 He wondered, troubled, at the turmoil within him as he 
 
 [31] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 walked over to the window. This first kiss had aroused 
 in his mind the memory of another just such a kiss which 
 had come to him in the long ago his dreams, as he 
 called those hazy pictures of the past. 
 
 " Tony." He turned to face Miss Ellen, and saw in her 
 hand a flower, a rose, a white rose. In an instant his eyes 
 were alight. 
 
 "Gee, it's de real t'ing, fer sure!" 
 
 " Yes, my Tony, it is for you." 
 
 "Fer me? Fer me ter take ter de tenerment?" 
 
 "Yes, dear, to show to all your friends, to Maggie, 
 whom you must bring to me; to Mrs. Murphy and to 
 your mother." 
 
 She gave the rose to Tony, placing it first in a slender 
 glass vase. Holding it in his hand, he gazed wonderingly 
 at the exquisite whiteness of its satin petals. 
 
 "An* yer sed His house hed nicer an* whiter ones dan 
 dis?" He looked up incredulously. 
 
 "Yes, Tony." 
 
 "An* love is purtier dan er rose, an* His love purtier dan 
 er yard full of roses." He mused for a moment, then turned 
 to Miss Ellen. "Say, Miss Ellen, I gotter go back. Yer 
 knows how I feels 'bout dis. An', say, Miss Ellen, I does 
 love yer ter beat de band, an' say mebbe de fence '11 
 bust down some day." 
 
 The young teacher watched him as he trudged down 
 
 [32] 
 
THE WHITE ROSE 
 
 the Street With him and even preceding him, loving 
 thoughts had reached the tenement to make his day a 
 bright and happy one. 
 
 Tony Stole into the empty room once more, his eyes 
 glowing excitedly. Placing the rose on an upturned box 
 where the sunlight could fall upon it, he hurried into 
 Maggie's room for the baby. 
 
 "Say, give me der kid, an' say, Maggie, in jes 'bout ten 
 minutes yer kin come an* see wot I brung from Miss Ellen." 
 
 Before the girl had fully grasped Tony's mysterious 
 message, he had vanished. 
 
 Triumphantly the boy held up the one treasure in his 
 possession, so that the baby eyes might fully behold the 
 wondrous rose. 
 
 "See, Li'les' Kid, d'yer see? Dat's de dope de rose 
 dat Tony's been tellin' yer 'bout." 
 
 The two wee hands went out in joyful appreciation. 
 
 "Gee," muttered the boy, " wusht youse wuz clean like 
 it, an' de room, too. I never seed sech dirt before." 
 
 He looked about the chaotic apartment, the uncleanli- 
 ness affecting his senses as it had never before. 
 
 " Gee, ef dat rose is ter live in dis place, I'll hev ter git 
 busy an' clean de room, fer sure. De rose looked whiter 
 in Miss Ellen's room." 
 
 With Tony, action followed abruptly on the heel of de 
 cision. In less time than one could consider possible, he 
 
 [33] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 had borrowed a broom and was wielding it awkwardly, 
 yet energetically, and to some purpose. 
 
 The volume of dust puzzled him. " Gee, de rose can't 
 stan' dis, nor de kid neder." 
 
 He thought for a moment, then pulled out rags and 
 paper from the windows, and, after hiding the babe under 
 the bed-covers and placing the rose in a covered box, he 
 calmly proceeded to finish his task, despite the screams of 
 rage which proceeded violently from under the ragged quilt. 
 
 " Never min', Li'les' Kid, youse gotter yell, 'cause dis 
 room jes hez ter be clean." 
 
 Suddenly the door burst open and a neighbor's voice 
 called out through the cloud of thick dust : 
 
 "Wot yer a-doin', Tony? Don't yer know, yer fool kid, 
 dat ye'll ketch cold 'thout no dirt?" 
 
 Tony, never Stopping, yelled out good-naturedly : 
 
 "Aw, shet up. We're goin' ter be clean in dis room." 
 
 "Yer ain't got no sense, kid," came from another. 
 
 " It's dirt wot keeps yer warm." 
 
 "Say," a third complaint "you'll get sick, sure." 
 
 The boy shrugged his thin shoulders and swept on. 
 Some one coughed. 
 
 " Say, yer darn kid, quit it. It 's makin' me sick already." 
 
 " Den go back ter yer own place an* lemme be. Say," 
 Tony paused "I'll let yer in ter see de show ef ye'll go 
 
 now." 
 
 [34] 
 
Silently, one by one, they stared at the white blossom. 
 
THE WHITE ROSE 
 
 After considerable discussion on the part of the audi 
 ence, some one admonished tadfully: 
 
 "Aw, let the kid be." 
 
 "Yes, 't ain't none of our bizness," grudgingly acknowl 
 edged another. 
 
 However, in less time than ten minutes every woman 
 and child in the tenement knew of the clean room, and 
 more than a dozen curious eyes followed Maggie to the 
 door with envious expectancy. 
 
 With a half-frightened expression, Maggie confronted 
 the white rose and the excited boy, while the baby laughed 
 and crowed in Tony's arms. 
 
 " Miss Ellen, she give it ter me," he whispered proudly. 
 
 Maggie dropped down on the floor in front of the box 
 while Tony held the door wide open for the impatient 
 neighbors who came crowding in. 
 
 Silently, one by one, they glared at the white blossom. 
 They saw the changed room, the crouching girl, the boy 
 and the babe, and with awe on their faces they gtole away. 
 
 The day drifted into late afternoon. When the last rays 
 of sun fell into the bare room, they rented upon the figure 
 of a woman whose life lay written upon her haggard face 
 and shrinking form. 
 
 With her hands clasped before her, sobs shaking her 
 breast, her eyes full of despair, she glood before the rude 
 box. 
 
 [35] 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE SERMON OF THE ROSE 
 
 SilATED in her disorderly kitchen, with her ample 
 feet displayed on the glove and her mind divided 
 between the Police Gazette and a subtile premon 
 ition of some mysterious force at work of which 
 she was ignorant, Mrs. Murphy weighed both 
 curiosity and literature carefully in the scale of her inclina 
 tions and chose the former. 
 
 Consequently, with a superb disregard for the confusion 
 about her, she set forth on her tour of investigation. Nor 
 did she have far to go. 
 
 An epidemic of house-cleaning had broken out in the 
 tenement. From every door, every window, there poured 
 a dusty forerunner of the cleanliness that was to come. 
 
 She soon learned of Tony's clean room and of a rose 
 which some wonderful, mysterious person had given him 
 the day before. 
 
 Mrs. Murphy gasped in amazement and forthwith hur- 
 
 [36] 
 
THE SERMON OF THE ROSE 
 
 ried to Tony's room where she found the boy busily 
 washing the baby. 
 
 "Hello, Murphy, come on in an' set down. Me an' de 
 Li'les' Kid wuz er comin' ter tell yer all 'bout de rose an* 
 de show. Had n' time ter tell yer las' night." 
 
 The Irishwoman sat down heavily, and for the first time 
 in her voluble life was speechless. She saw that the barren 
 room was spotless and that even the windows were clean. 
 She watched the boy curiously as he dressed the wriggly 
 bit of humanity. She glared at the rose, still bravely holding 
 its own. 
 
 After the lapse of a few minutes, during which time she 
 had furtively and repeatedly wiped her eyes, she broke out: 
 
 "Aye, an' 'tis the luck thet's been give ter yez, Oi'm 
 a-thinkin', Tony, me b'y. Och, an' the rose! 'Tis it as 
 makes me think of the auld counthry. Me mither's house 
 had 'em growin' forninst the shed. Aye, it's a sad day Oi 
 married the divil of a Pathrick, say Oi." 
 
 And as she wept, she rocked herself to and fro to the 
 detriment of the old rocker. 
 
 "An* who did yer say wuz after a-givin' yez the rose, 
 Tony?" Mrs. Murphy leaned forward expectantly and was 
 much taken aback by the direct reply. 
 
 " Miss Ellen, de teacher up to de school." The baby, 
 fully dressed, was held up for critical inspection. Tony, 
 humming a snatch of a Kindergarten song, smiled happily. 
 
 [37] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 Mrs. Murphy pondered. 
 
 "Aye, an' 'tis a grand Oirish name that, Ellen. D'yez 
 be thinkin* she's Oirish, lad? No? 'Tis de Oirish dat hez 
 de big hearts, b'y. An' is it flowers she do be givin' away 
 in her school, Tony?" 
 
 " Nope, she gives away love, an* " 
 
 " Don't say nothin' till I come, Tony," called out Maggie, 
 thrusting her head in the doorway and anxiously scanning 
 the two. "Hev yer told anything?" she asked as she 
 joined them a moment later. 
 
 " Nope." Tony looked up and then grinned. "Gee ! look, 
 Murphy, ef she ain't gone an' got de wad offn her block. 
 Say, ain't yer de peach now?" 
 
 Maggie, taking the baby, blushed at the unexpected 
 compliment. But Mrs. Murphy had not come to discuss 
 hair-dressing. No, she was bent on knowing the secret of 
 Tony's good fortune, and he certainly had not, as yet, given 
 any reasonable or sane explanation of the problem. 
 
 "An"tis love she do be givin' away, is it? Pooh! de 
 divil " 
 
 "Aw, yer don' know 'bout Miss Ellen's kin* o* love. She 
 ain't got none of yer tenerment kin*, yer bet she ain't! 
 She's got de real dope, an' it's nothin' yer ever heerd 'bout, 
 dat's a cinch." 
 
 " Say, Tony," pleaded Maggie, rising and giving the baby 
 back to him, " wait ; don't tell Murphy till I gets ole Granny 
 
 [38] 
 
THE SERMON OF THE ROSE 
 
 Flaherty. She 's asked ter hear yer tell 'bout the white room 
 an* Him. I tried to tell her, but I don't know how. Will 
 yer wait?" 
 
 " Sure, Mike ! " Tony replied shyly. 
 
 The girl flew, and in a short time reappeared, bringing 
 not only old Granny Flaherty, but blind Peter Dolan; 
 Jonesy, the seamstress ; and Isaac, a deformed boy. 
 
 Tony, somewhat abashed by his sudden notoriety, clung 
 to the babe in his arms, vaguely wondering how to begin. 
 
 Mrs. Murphy characteristically broke the ice. 
 
 "An* phwat koind of a teacher is it that's after a-givin* 
 away roses an' love ? " 
 
 She jerked the last word out with scorn, her Irish nose 
 skeptically elevated, her arms defiantly folded. 
 
 Tony smiled absently. He knew the depths of Mrs. 
 Murphy's heart. 
 
 " Aw, Miss Ellen 's all right ! She 's de real t'ing ; nothin* 
 bogus 'bout her. She's got real hair, too." Grinning, he 
 glanced at the transformed Maggie, who blushed furiously. 
 
 "Onct, she telled'bout er kid wot lived same's we, an' 
 he had er white room same's we got. Dat's yer heart, 
 yer know de white room is. An* onct he found er yard 
 of roses an' he picked one an* Stuck it inter his white room 
 wot wuz dark an' empty. An', gee ! de rose it means 
 love it buSted everything wide open, an* de love lived 
 dere an' made him good. 
 
 [39] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 " Love is wot done it, yer see. When yer gits yer white 
 room full of it, de real dope, den yer t'inks it, an' when yer 
 t'inks it, yer jes lives it. See? Wot*s inside yer, gits out 
 in wot yer does an* says. Seems 's if yer can't help yer- 
 self none ; it jes comes." 
 
 Tony gazed thoughtfully at the rose. "I tells yer," he 
 went on, forgetting his guests, so absorbed was he in the 
 vision uppermost in his mind, "we all ain't been learned 
 to t'ink right; we're all off, but we ain't ter blame none. 
 We don' know 'bout white rooms an' white roses. We jes 
 sass an' cuss an' swat de feller wot ain't onter our game. 
 Dunno how 'tis, I jes know 'tis, dat's all." 
 
 Mrs. Murphy sat upright, eyeing the boy carefully. 
 
 "An' where do we be after a-learnin' of dis love, say 
 Oi. 'Tis not in er tiniment Oi'll be after a-thinkin'; it 
 wouldn't be no go here. 'Tis the fists that does the job 
 of settlin'. Phwat say yez, Jonesy? Ain't it a divil of a 
 yarn de kid's been givin' us?" 
 
 Jonesy shook her weary head, folding her seldom idle 
 hands luxuriously. "The sound of it is good ter me, 
 Murphy," she answered slowly. 
 
 "Aye, an' ter me, begorra, but phwat Oi'm a-thinkin' 
 is, where do yez be gittin' hold of dis love, dis new 
 
 1 * -v 
 
 km ? 
 
 Tony rummaged in his ragged pockets and brought 
 forth from their depths a bit of paper. 
 
 [40] 
 
"An' she wrote dis, too. L~o-v-e, dat's love, 
 love. Dai 's wot He is, see P " 
 
 God is 
 
THE SERMON OF THE ROSE 
 
 "It's wrote on dis. Miss Ellen, she learned me how ter 
 spell it. G-o-d, God." 
 
 He held up the paper so that his visitors could see. Mrs. 
 Murphy crossed herself hurriedly, while Maggie leaned 
 hungrily forward. "An* she wrote dis, too. L-o-v-e, dat's 
 love. God is love. Dat's wot He is, see?" 
 
 The silence was profound as the simple sentence sank 
 deep into the eager souls of the listeners. 
 
 The babe began to droop sleepily, and Tony swayed to 
 and fro. 
 
 "Yep, an' 'tis His love wot Miss Ellen tells of, an' when 
 yer gits it inter yer hearts, an' gits it right, yer kin t'ink 
 right, an' yer loves everybody an' people wot does yer 
 dirt, an* Dagoes an* Chinks." 
 
 " Tell 'bout de boy," eagerly whispered Maggie, touching 
 Tony's arm. 
 
 He smiled gently. Somehow Maggie's sad life and her 
 need had found an answering chord in his own desolate 
 existence. 
 
 "Gee!" The word fell caressingly from his lips, and a 
 soft light shone in his blue eyes. 
 
 The girl prodded him once more. "Tell of the baby, an' 
 the gtar, yer know." Her own eyes were glowing as she 
 leaned forward on the floor, her arms clasped about her 
 knees, her lips apart and her slight form trembling with 
 excitement. 
 
 [41] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 So, holding his baby sister in his arms, and facing the 
 strange, uncouth audience, the little lad of the tenement 
 led, his guests back to the first Christmas night, to the 
 stable and to the Child of Bethlehem. 
 
 After a brief silence Isaac sighed wistfully, "It's very 
 beautiful, but it ain't fer us, is it, Tony?" 
 
 Tony reflected. 
 
 " Ye-es ; Miss Ellen, she sed, if we b'lieved an' knowed, 
 it is ourn, an* if we love an* gits onter His game of lovin', 
 we gits ter be jes like " he looked down at the sleeping 
 babe cradled so close to his heart, and a smile of infinite 
 tenderness came into his thin little face "jes like de 
 Li'les' Kid," he added softly. 
 
 Maggie led her friends out of the room. Only Mrs. 
 Murphy remained, her abnormal curiosity not yet having 
 been gratified. 
 
 She Glared hard at the rose, and with some awe at Tony. 
 Was this the boy who, only two weeks ago, had come to 
 her door asking of love? She shook her head. 
 
 "Aye, lad, an' the divil may fly away wid me ef it ain't 
 a quare thing how luck comes ter sum. Sure, an' 't is yez 
 thet orter be after a-havin' it all, Tony, me b'y, yez are thet 
 foine." 
 
 Tony smiled thoughtfully. His belief in the possibilities 
 of Luck was vague, but swiftly there arose the picture of 
 the girlish teacher, as she gtood before him yesterday, 
 
 [42] 
 
THE SERMON OF THE ROSE 
 
 the white rose in her hand, and in her eyes the reflection 
 of the secret for which Tony so hungrily longed. 
 
 "An* He sez, sez He, thot yez must be after a-forgivin' 
 folks loike yer ma?" The Irishwoman eyed Tony nar 
 rowly. 
 
 He carried the child to the mattress, covered her with 
 the old shawl, then turned to the box, gazing down into 
 the folded heart of the rose. 
 
 "Yes." He answered slowly and thoughtfully. Mrs. 
 Murphy was bewildered, but she had always respected 
 Tony's reserve, so, rising, she kindly asked : 
 
 "An* when are yez to be seein' the teacher wid the 
 darlin' Oirish name?" 
 
 Tony's face lit up instantly. 
 
 " Gee ! Mos' forgot. Me an' de Kid here, de Li'les* Kid, 
 is er goin' ter-day, an' Miss Ellen, she's goin' ter learn me 
 jes how ter keep de Kid clean. An', Murphy" Tony 
 caught hold of his visitor's scant skirt " Miss Ellen, she's 
 er goin' ter give her some li'le dresses." 
 
 "Aye, an' ain't Oi been a-tellin' yez thot luck's comin', 
 Tony? An' 'tis yez thot '11 be gittin' go swell thot's Mur 
 phy thot yez will not be wantin* ter see." There was a 
 note of anxiety in the hearty voice which did not escape 
 the boy. 
 
 With a gentleness before unknown to him, he Stroked 
 Mrs. Murphy's rough red hand. 
 
 [43] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 "Nope, Murphy. Me an' de Li'les' Kid '11 allus love yer; 
 an' some day yer will learn how ter love right yerself . Yer 
 kin go ter Miss Ellen ; she hez it all in her, an' His love, 
 too. Miss Ellen, she'll learn yer how ter love Pat ef yer 
 want. Say, Murphy," Tony came up to the woman as she 
 3tood on the threshold, " Yer kin say dis, ' God is love.' 
 Gee! jes a-t'inkin* it makes a feller's day nicer." 
 
 [44] 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 "DE LI'LES' KID" 
 
 WITH his usual cheery "'Lo dere, Miss Ellen, 
 I brung her," Tony placed the open-eyed 
 baby in the teacher's outstretched arms. 
 She held the little one closely to her while 
 the tears started to her eyes as she saw the 
 pitiful attempt the lad had made to care for the little one. 
 " Oh, Tony, I am so glad you have brought her to me ! 
 Isn't she cute and dear?" 
 
 "Yep, an* see her li'le han's, Miss Ellen; dey's so sof 
 an* purty jes like yourn." 
 
 The baby gurgled and crowed as she pulled at Miss 
 Ellen's apron. 
 
 "Tony, you are a very wonderful boy, to keep her so 
 clean and nice." He beamed as he followed into the warm 
 bathroom. 
 
 The next hour was one of revelation. And when the 
 baby, his Li'les' Kid, lay in Miss Ellen's lap, spotless, and 
 
 [45] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 completely transformed by the new clothes, Tony was 
 speechless, moved to the verge of tears. 
 
 In the sunny Kindergarten room, the wee girl in her 
 arms, Miss Ellen turned to the silent boy who glood re 
 garding both of his dearest possessions with an expression 
 of sadness, too old, but too habitual, for his child-face to 
 bear. 
 
 "What is it, Tony?" she asked softly. 
 
 "Nawthin', only I wusht she could allus look dis way. 
 She's jes made ter be loved an' ter be clean. Gee ! Here's 
 where I gits busy an' looks fer a job where I kin make de 
 dough." 
 
 Miss Ellen held out her other arm, and, drawing the boy 
 to her, talked at length to him, trying to make this man- 
 child forget. 
 
 Over the desk hung a copy of the beautiful Madonna 
 of the Workshop. Tony's restless eyes fell upon it, then 
 upon the girl with the babe in her arms, and the far-away 
 light in her dark eyes. 
 
 Pointing to the picture, he whispered: "Say, yer jes 
 looks like Her an' de Li'les* Kid like Him." 
 
 An hour later Tony proudly carried the newly arrayed 
 infant about the tenement and to Mrs. Murphy, who criti 
 cally examined each tiny garment, speculating wildly on 
 the probable cost of the outfit. 
 
 He returned to his own room. In his excitement he left 
 
 [46] 
 
Pointing to the picture, he whispered: 
 Say, yer jes looks //e Heran'de Li'les' Kid 
 like Him. " 
 
"DE LI'LES'KID" 
 
 the babe crowing and laughing on the bed. In his anxiety 
 to tell Maggie of his afternoon talk, he forgot to watch the 
 door. 
 
 When he returned he saw to his horror that some one 
 had entered the room, the one whom he so intensely 
 dreaded and hated. She was bending over the babe. 
 
 Tony stood still, vague emotions struggling within him. 
 The child, frightened, gave a little whimper. Instantly the 
 motherhood of the boy was aroused. Springing forward, 
 he snatched the infant from the bed, not heeding the sor 
 rowful glances that followed him. Gathering the tiny, 
 trembling form to him, and crooning softly, Tony left the 
 room. 
 
 [47] 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 A BROTHER 
 
 THE two little boys in the early sunlight sat on a 
 pile of old boxes, watching the gymnastics of 
 Danny Mulligan, who, with true epicurean joy, 
 was endeavoring to lick a liberal supply of mo 
 lasses from his freckled face by means of a very 
 nimble tongue. 
 
 So engrossed were they in their envious jeering that 
 they did not heed Tony, who had been calling to them. 
 " Hi, dere, yer kids ! Can't youse hear me ? Come, git 
 yer breakus ! " 
 
 They scampered in all haste to where their brother 
 wearily waited. 
 
 Tony, pale and heavy-eyed, hurried them to the bake- 
 shop where, before entering, with suspicion born of experi 
 ence, he asked, " Hed nothin' ter eat?" 
 "Nope" 
 " He hed an orange wot he swiped, he did." The smaller 
 
 [48] 
 
Danny Mulligan, with true epicurean joy, Was 
 
 endeavoring to licfy a liberal supply of molasses from his freckled 
 
 face by means of a very nimble tongue. 
 
A BROTHER 
 
 boy grinned maliciously. The other pounced upon him, 
 and with a few well-directed and skilfully avoided blows, 
 
 screamed angrily: "Aw, , yer darn fool kid. 
 
 Allus a-snitchin'." 
 
 Tony sighed as he watched them. Slowly a new thought 
 entered his head. 
 
 "Say, I ain't sure but youse hed better cut out dem kin' 
 o' words. Gee ! I jes b'lieve dat dey ain't nothin' He'd hear 
 us say, nor Miss Ellen ; she ain't stuck on 'em. Say, yer 
 kids, jes cut it, d'yer hear?" he added clinchingly, as the 
 thought grew into conviction. 
 
 The boys stared, but this new Tony was not one whom 
 they dared to disobey; so, silently they waited while he 
 purchased and divided equally between the two ravenous 
 youngsters a half-dozen buns. Like hungry animals they 
 fell upon the speckled, shiny buns, and devoured them in 
 less than a moment, so it seemed to the hungry watcher. 
 
 The night had been a hard one for Tony, for the room 
 had had one other occupant, the one whose coming meant 
 trouble, and whose staying all night ofttimes meant a long 
 and watchful vigil. On such occasions the Li'les' Kid 
 never left the boy's arms. 
 
 He thought of his night with increasing bitterness as he 
 silently regarded his two little brothers. 
 
 "Aw, dey's nothin' but kids, jes li'le boy kids. Dey ain't 
 hed no chanst, dey ain't " 
 
 [49] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 A sudden longing filled him, a longing to rid himself of 
 all these burdens. His responsibility for the two souls be 
 fore him weighed him down oppressively. 
 
 "Aw, de Li'les* Kid, she's 'nough," he muttered argu- 
 mentatively. 
 
 Something of the struggle within must have been mani 
 fest on his face, for the youngest boy, who had been closely 
 and shrewdly eyeing him, held out a bit of his bun. 
 
 " Say, Tony, youse kin hev dis, ef yer want." 
 
 Touched by the unheard-of act and thought, Tony 
 looked down upon him. 
 
 " Nope, kiddo," he mumbled brokenly, "I ain't so hungry. 
 Yer kin eat it." 
 
 He turned to go ; the older boy clutched his sleeve, ask 
 ing in a whisper : " Is " pointing to their room " sleep ? " 
 
 "Yep. Yer kids play out. Til be back soon an' den we'll 
 go to de park, mebbe. Keep shy an' don' yer go er swearin' 
 
 * 
 
 none. 
 
 With his heart full of rebellion, Tony hurried to Miss 
 Ellen. The sight of his sworn foe, Mike Casey, Standing 
 on the curbstone, sent quivers of hate through his much 
 disturbed mind. 
 
 "Why, my blessed boy !" exclaimed Miss Ellen, as she 
 saw him, "what is the matter, dear? Are you sick? No?" 
 She looked at Tony sharply, keenly, then nodded briskly 
 to herself. 
 
 [50] 
 
A BROTHER 
 
 "Tony, you are just in time to eat lunch with me. Oh, 
 yes, you must. And to think that we are to have each 
 other's company, and are to eat the good things that are 
 in my lunch-basket ! " 
 
 She disappeared, leaving the boy scarlet and shame-faced, 
 helplessly waiting. How did she know? he wondered. 
 
 Miss Ellen returned with not only one but three lunch- 
 baskets. Obviously she had been on a foraging expedition, 
 but Tony did not question. 
 
 The low tables were quickly spread. 
 
 " Come, Tony, you are to be my guest of honor. We can 
 learn our lessons later/* 
 
 Miss Ellen marveled that the boy, half Starved though he 
 was, should eat so slowly and silently ; yet he did not once 
 refuse whatever she placed before him. She more than sus 
 pected the long night's vigil, for Maggie had been to see her. 
 
 Luncheon over, and the lessons finished, Tony leaned 
 toward Miss Ellen and, with sad, pleading eyes, said 
 slowly: "Miss Ellen, 't ain't no use. De white room ain't 
 never goin' ter bust. Dey's too much of hate dere." 
 
 Silence for a moment, then Miss Ellen's voice, earnest, 
 decisive: "Need there be any hate, Tony?" 
 
 He shook his head. 
 
 " Dere is, an* I wants ter git away off f r'm it, an' take de 
 Li'les' Kid, an* git a job some 'eres. Does yer know ef I 
 kin git er job?" 
 
 [51] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 The teacher turned away her head. She could not bear 
 the look in those blue eyes. "What of your mother and 
 the little boys your brothers?" 
 
 "Aw, dey's "he Stopped, the episode of the bun re 
 curring to him. He silently rose and Strode unevenly to 
 the window. 
 
 "Tony, have you asked God to take the hate away?" 
 
 "Nope," sorrowfully. 
 
 "Have you ever tried to think love toward the boys 
 and your mother?" 
 
 " I dunno, Miss Ellen, dey ain't all de time hate as it 
 use'ter be, jes till las' night." He paused, the weary old 
 look creeping into his face. 
 
 "I tells yer, sometimes I t'ink de kids ain't ter blame 
 none. Dey don' know 'bout de white room. Mebbe I '11 
 git busy an* tell *em." He moved toward the girl, every 
 motion of his tired little body an appeal. 
 
 "It's de hate I ain't game, Miss Ellen, an' it ain't jes 
 her but it's Mike Casey, too. Use'ter be thet I jes wanted 
 ter kill him I hated him so. He allus laffs at me, an' 
 ondt I hit him er swat wid er rock long 'go." He hung 
 his head shamefacedly. 
 
 " I am very sorry, but now that you know better, you are 
 going to try to forgive him. You see, he does not know 
 of the white room nor of the white rose ; he has no beau 
 tiful thoughts to make him think right. He is just another 
 
 [52] 
 
A BROTHER 
 
 weak brother for us to love and to forgive and to feel 
 sorry for." 
 
 "Him a brother? Aw, don' kid er feller." 
 
 Miss Ellen smiled in spite of herself, his scorn was so 
 genuine. 
 
 " Why, yes, Tony. God is the Father of us all, so that 
 makes us all brothers. You are my dear little brother and 
 I am your sifter. Isn't that beautiful?" 
 
 "Yep de siller part is, but, gee ! Mike Casey he's a 
 fat lobster, dat's wot he is!" 
 
 Tony sat down on one of the little chairs. "Say, d'yer 
 know, I wuz er waitin* till I git big 'nough, den I wuz er 
 goin* ter lick him, an* now yer tells me I jes gotter love him 
 an' call him brother." 
 
 He rose suddenly and lood before the teacher, slipping 
 his fingers nervously into her warm, white hands, and 
 with a half-despairing apathy which Struck her to the 
 heart, he added : 
 
 " It 's tough, Miss Ellen ; de li'le feller loves an' forgives 
 an* de big guy does yer dirt ; it ain't fair, seems ter me. 
 Does He want us to?" 
 
 "That is what He did himself forgave those who 
 were cruel to Him. Tony, you want your white room full, 
 don't you? Of course; well, you have shut out your 
 mother and have allowed bitter thoughts of Mike Casey 
 to come into your room. It is a hard duty, but you are a 
 
 [53] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 brave boy you can forgive if you only make up your 
 mind. Think a moment what a difference it would make 
 in your life ; you could teach your brothers and the Li'les' 
 Kid ever so much better, with your heart full of love." 
 
 "Aw, gee! I knows it, an* I wants it, but it's tough jes 
 de same. He gits de dough an* de love wot does I git?" 
 
 "A full white room." 
 
 Tony was silent, and when Miss Ellen brought him his 
 second white rose, he answered her mutely. 
 
 "Bring the baby to-morrow, dear, and be sure you tell 
 me what you did with this rose. Maggie told me of the 
 other one." She stooped and kissed his grave lips. Tony 
 flushed under the scarcely accustomed caress, and, carry 
 ing his rose, Started for the door where he met Maggie. 
 She begged for a whiff of the rose. 
 
 " De Kid 's with Murphy," she called after him. 
 
 It was late that afternoon when Tony went into Mrs. 
 Murphy's apartments for the baby. Mrs. Murphy met him 
 at the door, shaking a very dusty rug and a stray offspring. 
 
 "Aye, noo. Ketch me a-hevin' a divil ev er kid bringing 
 in durrt in here, yer bet ! " she yelled in her Celtic- Ameri 
 can accent. 
 
 Tony grinned as he surveyed the wet interior, for the 
 good woman in her zeal had not left a table or chair un 
 turned. The air reeked soap. The walls were a study in 
 pastels of dripping, dirty gray. The frightened children 
 
 [54] 
 
A BROTHER 
 
 looked on from their observation point, the fire-escape. 
 Never had their vigorous parent been taken with such a 
 cleanly fever as this. 
 
 Mrs. Murphy inspected Tony's bare feet. "An* 'tis not 
 a speck of durrt as comes inter dis. An' ef yez ain't clean 
 in yer feet, yez can't be after a-comin'. Aye, an* 't is a 
 drubbin' Pat Murphy '11 be after a-gittin* ef a sphot he 
 clutters in." 
 
 "It's er good way to let Pat see dat yer love him, 
 Murphy. A clean room does it. It helps, yer bet." 
 
 Mrs. Murphy threw up her red, wet hands. "Love and 
 Pat Murphy! Niver!" She waved her hand melodra 
 matically. 
 
 "I tells yer," the boy encouraged as he received his 
 sleeping charge and cuddled her to him, "Jes yer git er 
 t'inkin' dat yer love him. Gee ! Ef I wuz tied up ter a 
 t'ing wot I could n't git loose of, I'd try er t'inkin' dat way 
 mebbe it would make him decent like." 
 
 Mrs. Murphy snorted. Just then Maggie ran toward 
 them. 
 
 "Oh, Tony, wait! Did yer tell Murphy wot yer done 
 with yer rose?" 
 
 Tony, scarlet, shook his head. "An' yer need n't, Maggie." 
 
 " I jes will, too. Say, Murphy, Tony give Mike Casey de 
 rose Miss Ellen give him. An' he had a note in it, too, 
 an' Mike Casey he read the note 'loud, an' every man left 
 
 [55] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 the s'loon, an* Mike Casey he locked the door an' went ter 
 see Father Brennan. Dennis McGuire told me; he wuz 
 there an* he heard the note, an'" here Maggie paused in 
 her breathless jumble for a momentary rest. Tony hung 
 back, his eyes fixed upon the Irishwoman. He wondered 
 if she would approve or 
 
 "An* wot did yer write on de paper?" Mrs. Murphy 
 eyed the boy fiercely. 
 
 "He wrote his verse, 'God is love/ Dat's wot he wrote." 
 And Maggie glanced at Tony, who muttered, " Aw, cheese 
 it. Yer sed 'nough." " An'," she went on, not heeding, " he 
 telled Mike Casey dat he wuz a brother and dat he " 
 
 "Aw, de divil fly wid yer fer a fool, Tony, a " but the 
 word did not come. Mrs. Murphy had ceased swearing at 
 Tony or in his presence for several days, though she could 
 not explain the reason for having done so. 
 
 "I knows why yer done it, Tony, I know." Maggie's 
 eyes were joyful. " Miss Ellen she is tellin* me of Him, too." 
 
 "Aye, an* 'tis a pair of fools ye be. Git, yez hev kep' 
 me long 'nough from me worruk. An' 't is a good jail wot 
 Mike Casey needs, wid Pat Murphy an' yer ma ter keep 
 him comp'ny. Roses fer the loikes of him. Pooh ! " With 
 a grand sweep of her scant skirts and an air of hauteur 
 borrowed from the heroine of her latest novel, Mrs. Murphy 
 retreated to her dripping but cleanly abode and slammed 
 the door 
 
 [56] 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 MR. DORKING'S MESSAGE 
 
 THE next day Tony reluctantly told Miss Ellen 
 of the mission of the white rose. He wondered 
 not a little at her sudden rocking of the baby 
 and her walking to the desk, where she stood 
 for some time. He wondered still more at the 
 verse she repeated softly to herself, "And a little child " 
 Tony did not catch the rest. 
 
 When she came back to him she kissed him again and 
 again, much to his discomfiture. 
 
 "Dear little boy! I am so proud of my brother." 
 "Gee! Ain't done nothin'," he remarked happily, though 
 somewhat bewildered. 
 
 "How about the white room now, Tony?" she asked, 
 tremulously smiling. 
 
 The boy clasped the wee white fingers of the babe in 
 his brown hands. 
 
 "Dunno, but I t'ink de fenc'll bust some day, mebbe. 
 
 [57] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 Talked ter de kids some. Say, Miss Ellen, ain't it great de 
 warm feelin' yer hez wen yer do somepin like wot He 
 done ! " 
 
 "Hello, Ellen! Well, well! Tony and the Li'les' Kid! 
 How do you do, sir?" 
 
 Tony turned to look up at a tall, young man who had 
 slipped in upon them unawares. 
 
 Over his face, as he looked down at the girl with the 
 babe in her arms, crept an expression of reverence, which 
 caused Tony unconsciously to glance toward the angels' 
 faces about the Madonna in the portrait hanging on the wall. 
 
 "Well, Tony " Mr. Dorring held out his hand. Tony 
 gave him his own slender one, wondering at the firm clasp. 
 An expression of admiration crept into his face in spite of 
 his momentary doubts as to the rights of this imperturbable 
 stranger who claimed his beloved teacher so possessively. 
 
 " I have heard of your fine work, Tony. You are a brick ! " 
 
 Tony grinned as he glanced up at the girl. " Aw, it 's 
 her. I ain't done nothin*. It's jes Miss Ellen." 
 
 "I have not the slightest doubt that it is Miss Ellen. 
 She works wonders everywhere. But you why, you are 
 going to remake the tenement, I hear, run a sort of op 
 position to our settlement work." 
 
 Tony's eyes rented upon the babe. " Nope," he answered 
 slowly. " I wants ter git out'n de tenerment an' give her a 
 chanst. She's goin' ter grow up an' be like Miss Ellen." 
 
 [58] 
 
The teacher's face was wet with tears as she placed 
 the baby in Tony's arms. 
 
MR. DORKING'S MESSAGE 
 
 "Very good. But let me see you have brothers and 
 a mother?" 
 
 Tony sharply looked up at him, but seeing only grave 
 and kindly interest in Mr. Dorring's eyes, he shook his 
 head as he turned queSlioningly to Miss Ellen. 
 
 " Well, my boy, we can't all do what we should like to. 
 You have your mother and the boys to look after. The 
 Li'les* Kid here can't have any schooling for several years. 
 You are such a man that you would n't think of leaving a 
 woman alone in the world." 
 
 Mr. Dorring lowered his voice, and his expression be 
 came as gentle as that of the girl beside him, as he added 
 earnestly: 
 
 " Whatever she is, or has been, she is a woman, and 
 your mother. Some day a danger may come to her ; then 
 you will realize what a mother means. Take care of her, 
 Tony, and of the kids. Is n't that about it, Ellen ? " 
 
 The teacher's face was wet with tears as she placed the 
 baby in Tony's arms. Holding him closely to her, she 
 whispered : 
 
 "My little brother! God bless you good-by." 
 
 The merry-eyed gentleman escorted him to the door, 
 which he held wide open. 
 
 " Good-by, my boy," he said heartily ; " it's a tough world, 
 but love wins out in the long run." He looked back at the 
 girl Standing just behind him. 
 
 [59] 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE FIRE 
 
 "Rock-a-bye,Baby, 
 On the tree-top. 
 When the wind blows 
 The cradle will rock.*' 
 
 THE low voice sang on in spite of the weariness 
 in the tones. On the bed a woman turned 
 heavily, raising herself on her elbow to glare in 
 agony of spirit at the singer, then threw herself 
 back against the wall in feverish abandon. 
 For three days she had lain there, fever-stricken and, 
 what was more, conscience-Stricken probed to the quick 
 by the ruthless hand of her past. 
 
 Gently, but in silence, Tony waited upon her. In his 
 reserve, his unvoiced aversion, she felt the Sting of rebuke. 
 The three days had been full of mental awakening. 
 The song where had he learned it? 
 Very dimly at first, then more Strongly and clearly, came 
 
 [60] 
 
THE FIRE 
 
 the memories of her childhood, girlhood, and the sweet 
 bliss of first motherhood. Under the rose arbor in her 
 country home she sang the same song to her doll; later 
 to her first-born Tony. 
 
 " Oh, rock-a-bye, hush-a-bye, 
 Brother is near** 
 
 Tony had paraphrased to suit the situation. The woman 
 groaned ; the tears trickled through her fingers. 
 
 She dragged herself despairingly through the mire of 
 years that followed. 
 
 On the mattress lay the little boys. The fever had taken 
 hold of their ill-nourished little bodies, and they tossed to 
 and fro. 
 
 Tony rose, the baby in his arms, covered them with the 
 dirty blanket and soothed them softly until they slept once 
 more. 
 
 "Poor li'le kids, dey's nothin' but babies!" 
 
 At the side of the bed he paused. The sleeper was 
 breathing heavily. Then turning, Tony softly opened the 
 door and, gently carrying his precious burden, hurried to 
 the security and shelter of the ash-barrel. 
 
 Raising the baby's face to his, he kissed her blue lips. 
 
 " Say, does yer know yer got a name, U'les' Kid ? Ellen 's 
 wot yer go by now. After Miss Ellen. Ain't yer de swell, 
 do? Gee! It's up ter youse ter git on ter her game of 
 livin', Li'les' Kid. Youse kin grow like her an* hev a li'le 
 
 [61] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 white room wot ain 't never even hed a curtain, it 's so full 
 o' sun. You betcherlife, li'le Ellen ! " He smiled quaintly 
 to himself. "Aw, ain't it de talk, de white rose ! An* jes 
 ter t'ink how full everything is sence we knowed it. Ain't 
 sure but dat de fence has busted some. Mebbe He'll 
 sort o' ketch onter us, me an* you, wot is tryin' ter reach up 
 ter Him. Yer is. Mebbe Tony '11 git dere soon as his white 
 room is gee ! Dere's smoke over in de tenerment. Li'les' 
 Kid, looks ter me ter be on our side, too." He rose quickly, 
 and, stepping out, saw a thin blue line writhing snake-like 
 through the walls above the room where lay his sick little 
 brothers and mother. 
 
 Instantly an alarm was sent out. From afar he heard 
 the clang of the fire-engine. A moment later it dashed by 
 him into the court beyond. 
 
 Tony stood still, rooted to the spot, his eyes riveted upon 
 the window of his room. He held the babe tightly to his 
 heart. 
 
 "Aw, dey ain't nothin' ter me," he muttered dog 
 gedly as he stared at the smoke that curled in and out of 
 the windows. A hissing sound, and a flame leaped up 
 ward, downward, lapping fiendishly at the room below. 
 
 Still the boy stood, not heeding the people who were 
 thronging through the alleyway to the court. He could 
 hear the screams of women and children. 
 
 "Dey is sick, an' de kids is li'le an' dey's my brothers " 
 
 [62] 
 
Gently he dropped the baby into the barrel and was gone. 
 
THE FIRE 
 
 "She is your mother. Some day a danger may come 
 to her, then you will realize what a mother is." The words 
 came back as distinctly as if they had just been uttered in 
 his ears. His head whirled ; a thousand emotions shook him. 
 
 "She is sick, Li'les' Kid oh, I mus' go. She is sick, an' 
 she's your mother, an' oh, baby, she 's my mother ! O God ! " 
 
 "Say, Li'les' Kid, my baby Ellen, slay here in de barr'l 
 till Tony gits back; don* cry. De fire's burnin', and dey is 
 in it, an' Tony mus' go." Gently he dropped the baby into 
 the barrel and was gone. 
 
 "My mother!" With this battle-cry, he pushed his way 
 through the crowd. He Stumbled over a confusion of dogs 
 and children ; fell over the hose ; he dashed this way and 
 that, until he reached the wet pavement. 
 
 "Hold on there!" yelled a policeman, as the boy scram 
 bled to his feet. A cinder fell on his hand; he did not 
 heed the burn. 
 
 A fireman grabbed him by the arm. He evaded the 
 outstretched hand, and before the eyes of all vanished 
 through the doorway. 
 
 "It's Tony!" wailed a girl's voice, and the crowd took 
 up the cry, "Tony!" Then a hush fell upon them as they 
 anxiously waited. 
 
 Far up on the first landing they saw him, through the 
 smoke and flames, a child in each arm. Cheer after cheer 
 went up, to die away as he disappeared once more. 
 
 [63] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 The fireman, who had taken the little boys from Tony, 
 descended the ladder, his burdens lying limply in his 
 strong arms. His coat was burned, the clothes of the chil 
 dren were smoking. 
 
 "Get the boy and the mother!" he cried. 
 
 Two firemen sprang forward, one up the swaying ladder, 
 while the other fought his way through the entrance. 
 
 In the meanwhile Tony had reached the room. His 
 mother, in her endeavors to save herself, had fainted, the 
 last words of Tony ringing in her ears : 
 
 "I'll come back an* git yer, mother." Mother! He had 
 never called her that before. 
 
 From every corner the hungry flames ran out their fiery 
 tongues as the boy Staggered out into the hall, half drag 
 ging, half carrying the heavy form. 
 
 "Mother, mother," he pleaded fearfully, "it's yer Tony, 
 mother " 
 
 He fell, blinded with the smoke and a sudden pain in 
 his arm. Once he Stopped, crushing the fire from his 
 smoking jacket, then hurried on. His strength was almost 
 gone as he floundered down the tottering stairway, into a 
 sea of smoke and fire. But even in the horror the moment 
 brought, he felt the uplift of his soul. His white room had 
 "busted open." 
 
 "Say, God, up dere in yer white house, give a li'le feller 
 a lift, will yer? It's Tony " He stumbled once more as 
 
 [64] 
 
 
THE FIRE 
 
 with a superhuman effort he gathered his mother more 
 tightly to him. 
 
 " I knows I ain't good, God, an* I hed ter swipe de bread 
 'cause we wuz hungry. Say, me white room hez busted 
 is full won't yer help me God?" 
 
 The burden almost fell from his weak arms, still the 
 child struggled on. 
 
 "It's my mother, wot's sick ** 
 
 The floor seemed to sink beneath him. 
 
 "O God, she ain't hed no chanst, does yer hear it's 
 Tony an' his mother God-o*~love sen* " 
 
 [65] 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE FULL WHITE ROOM 
 
 IT WAS late that afternoon when Tony opened his 
 eyes. He looked about him dazedly. A white room, 
 pretty pink and blue roses on the wall, dainty white 
 curtains, shiny silver things on a queer-looking table, 
 over which hung a glass. He opened his eyes very 
 wide, indeed. 
 
 "Gee! Ef I ain't in His house!" he said aloud. 
 Instantly a pair of brown eyes looked into his blue ones. 
 Tony smiled feebly. Miss Ellen almost sobbed in her 
 joy. 
 
 "Oh, Tony, little brother, I am so glad, so glad I was 
 so afraid." She seemed to be talking to herself, Tony 
 thought, as he clung to her hands. He was puzzled at the 
 queer sensations that were making themselves manifest 
 in his body. His bandaged head where was his other 
 arm? He looked up at the girl above him. 
 
 " Wot's de matter wid me? An' why are you cryin'?" 
 
 [66] 
 
THE FULL WHITE ROOM 
 
 " Dear Tony, Miss Ellen is so happy. She was so afraid 
 that you were going from her.*' 
 
 "To His house?" 
 
 She nodded. 
 
 "Well, I dunno; I'd like ter go dere. I've been all tired 
 out, an' ef I would n't git lonely, I 'd jes 's lief go." His voice 
 trailed off to a whisper. The girl watched him silently. 
 Suddenly he looked up, a half-frightened expression on 
 his face. 
 
 " De fire I 'member now. Gee ! " 
 
 He seized her arm "Where's de Li'les' Kid?" 
 
 "There, dear, she is all right there. She is in the next 
 room. I found her in the ash-barrel and carried her away 
 
 with me." 
 
 The door softly opened and the cheery man with the 
 big voice peered at him. 
 
 "Ho, ho, my young man! Awake? Well, you have cer 
 tainly covered yourself with glory and bandages. Tony, I 
 am proud of you." 
 
 The child looked up at Miss Ellen, a smile lighting his 
 white face. 
 
 "Miss Ellen, it's bunted open, wide open, de white 
 room; an' me mother come right in." 
 
 Miss Ellen bowed her head. Mr. Dorring turned away. 
 Silence fell upon the trio. Tony quietly asked, "Where is 
 she, my mother, an' de li'le boys?" 
 
 [67] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 " They are here." 
 
 "In dis house?" 
 
 "Yes, dear." Miss Ellen lovingly patted his free hand. 
 
 " Gee ! Yer house mus' be ez big ez yer heart, Miss Ellen/* 
 
 " You bet ! " The man's voice forcibly conveyed his sen 
 timents. "And there's room for me there, too. What do 
 you think of that?" 
 
 Tony smiled shrewdly. 
 
 "Aw, yer her feller." 
 
 They laughed. Miss Ellen Stooped over and kissed him. 
 Mr. Dorring rose. 
 
 "Well, don't let him talk too much, Ellen. Til be back 
 in a few minutes." 
 
 " Miss Ellen?" 
 
 "Yes, my boy." 
 
 "I ain't seen de Li'les' Kid fer so long. Kin I hev 
 her?" There was no resisting the pleading tones. A mo 
 ment later the wee sleeper's head rented in its accustomed 
 place. Tony beamed happily. 
 
 " She 's got er name now. She 's Ellen, does yer care ? " 
 
 "No, indeed. I am proud, little brother." 
 
 He smiled joyously. How beautiful was the world of 
 love! 
 
 " I guess I don't want ter go ter His house yet. I wants 
 ter take care of de boys, de Li'les' Kid an' me mother." 
 He lovingly caressed the word. 
 
 [68] 
 
In her outstretched hand she held a white rose. 
 
THE FULL WHITE ROOM 
 
 Miss Ellen leaned over him. " Tony, how would you 
 and little Ellen like to live with me Mr. Dorring and me, 
 always, and be our little brother and sister?" 
 
 " Ter be yer own fer keeps?" he questioned wonderingly. 
 
 "Yes, for keeps." 
 
 He looked down at the little head and sighed. 
 
 " It 'ud be jes de t'ing fer her, but dere 's me mother an* 
 de kids. Nope. I can't let 'em go, now." He turned his 
 head away. 
 
 "Dear little boy! Miss Ellen did not mean that. Being 
 my boy and living with me doesn't mean that your duty to 
 your mother is lost. No, indeed, but we won't talk of it 
 just yet. You are going to get well first. Here is Mr. Dor- 
 ring. Stephen, I have told him. Will you explain all we 
 mean to do?" 
 
 "All right, dear. You must go down-stairs, for some 
 friends of Tony's are here asking for you." 
 
 He escorted the young teacher to the door, where he drew 
 her to him. When he turned, he met Tony's Steady gaze. 
 
 "You don't think you are the only one who has a white 
 rose, do you ? " 
 
 Tony reached out his one hand underSlandingly. 
 
 Down-Stairs, Miss Ellen faced a Strange assortment of 
 visitors Tony's friends from the tenement. 
 
 There was Mrs. Murphy, with an alarming bit of millinery 
 upon her head ; Granny Flaherty, with a burnt shawl over 
 
 [69] 
 
TONY'S WHITE ROOM 
 
 her gray hair; Mrs. Mulligan, and blind Peter Dolan; a fat 
 man, and a dozen others whom Miss Ellen did not recognize. 
 
 Maggie sprang forward and clutched the teacher's arm. 
 From her wild eyes looked the question which no one 
 dared to voice. 
 
 " Tony will live," Miss Ellen said simply. 
 
 "Is the blessed darlint h-hurt?" whispered Mrs. 
 Murphy. 
 
 "Yes, but there is nothing to worry about. He will live 
 to finish the work that has been given him to do." 
 
 She talked to them for several moments, a cheering 
 word here, a loving smile there, till the anxious people be 
 came comforted. 
 
 As they filed out of the room, the fat man slipped a 
 parcel tied up in florist's tissue-paper into Miss Ellen's 
 hand. "Ast Maggie," he said in a husky whisper. Miss 
 Ellen looked puzzled. 
 
 "It's Mike Casey," explained Maggie. He's found out 
 'bout his white room yer know." 
 
 Miss Ellen opened the package ; tears Started to her eyes. 
 
 "Maggie, you thank them for Tony and me." 
 
 Upstairs in his white bed Tony waited, the baby still in 
 his arms. His eyes shone with a far-away glow ; his heart 
 was full of light. 
 
 The door opened Miss Ellen came into the room. In 
 her outstretched hand she held a white rose. 
 
 [70] 
 
HERE ENDS "TONY'S WHITE ROOM" HOW 
 THE WHITE ROSE OF LOVE BLOOMED 6- 
 FLOURISHED IN THE ROOM OF A BOY'S 
 HEART -WRITTEN OF BY WINIFRED RICH 
 ILLUSTRATIONS BY ELIZABETH FERREA 
 PUBLISHED BY PAUL ELDER & COMPANY 
 AND PRINTED BY THEIR TOMOYE PRESS 
 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF JOHN HENRY 
 NASH IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO 
 JULY NINETEEN HUNDRED AND ELEVEN 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY