72 THE KALLIKAK FAMILY 



no fire in their eyes, but a languid dreamy look, which 

 was partly due, no doubt, to unwholesome city environ- 

 ment. In one house she found the family group six 

 human beings, two cats, and two dogs huddled in a 

 small back room around a cook stove, the only fire in 

 the house. In this room were accumulated all the 

 paraphernalia of living. A boy of eleven, who had 

 been tested in the school previously, was standing by 

 the fire with a swollen face. He had been kept home 

 on this account. In a rocking-chair, a little girl of 

 twelve was holding a pale-faced, emaciated baby. In 

 the corner two boys were openly exposing themselves. 

 The mother was making her toilet by the aid of a comb 

 and basin of water, set on the hearth of the stove ; a pot 

 and kettle were on top. The entrance of the field 

 worker caused no commotion of any kind. The boy 

 with the swollen face looked up and smiled, the mother 

 smiled and went on with her toilet, the girl with the baby 

 smiled, the boys in the corner paid no attention. A 

 chair was finally cleared off and she sat down, while 

 everybody smiled. She learned that the husband made 

 a dollar a day and that the girl next older than the 

 child of twelve was married and had a baby. Another 

 younger girl was at school, the family having been at 

 last able to provide her with shoes. The girl of twelve 



