Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-10
Work for somahodv.

Here Is homely little matter worth
attention, says the New York Tribune, as
it may mean life or death before long 10
many poor woman or child. A few
years ago an overworked, slckly Welsh
man, with his wife aud child, came to a
midtown in this country and found work
In steel factory. The hard labor and
heat aggravated his diseases aud very soon
all the symptoms Of rapid consumption
showed themselves. His wife, country
born aud bred, tried sewing aud wash
ing, but, hungry and weak, she was a
poor seamstress and poorer laundress.
Wait and misery were already In the
wretched little shRnty, and Death, as the
old song says, stood knocking at the
door, when a lady noticed the man with
his snnkrn chest and hollow cough creep
ing pet her door daily to his work, aud
told him, what he knew too well already,
that 10 continue in the mill was suicide.
"Wh-t can / DOT" he replied. IF
quit Il t0r week my wife aud child will
starve.' The woman had no money "
give, b t instead Of heavipg sigh over
the necessities of the working classes and
letting Tue matter slip past her, as SO
many of us would have done, she looked
abOu' TO find a vacant niche for him.
Presently she remembered another needy
case, a friend Of hers, q woman of wealth
aud refinement, with two or three chill
dTen and uncertain health. who, simply
bessuse she lived in the country, was
forced half the time, like LAZY Anne, to
cook, brew, bake, make the beds and
do all herself" Here was q need which
would relieve the other. In a month the
Welshman and his wife were quartered
in snug cottage on one of the highest,
healthiest locations In the country. He
helped IN the barn, In the stable, did light
work ateld. His wife proved an inVSlu-
able household servant, and presently
was promo ed TO be housekeeper. The
child WAS rescued from the streets aud
grew up In the pure air aud pure lnHu
enees of the country. THE was ten
years ago. The Welshman Is now hale
and hearty, has bis own little patch and
works the rest Of the farm on shares with
the owner.
Now here Was a little bit Of practical
benevolence, costing nothing, which
changed the lives Of three people from
misery to happiness, and gave real COM
fort TO their richer neighbors. Why
should IL not be reproduced a thousand
fold this summer 10 the neighbOrhood
Of New York the great difficulty III
domestic life is the impossibiliLy Of
| obtaining servants. Even the incapable
Biddies Just arrived refuse to live in the
country. In New York are hundreds
needy, sickly American women, ttrug-
Cling, by sewing on shop work Of various
kinds, to keep life together. During the
heat Of tue summer the struggle grows
well-nigh hopeless, especially when, as ls
often the case, there lie q child for whom
- fight the daily tight with Death, II
some Of our charitable associations would
add To their work before the spring opens,
an employment office, where such womes
could be offered homes In the country, In
which good wages would be paid for good
work, the rural householder aud the city
poor would bless them. Now Is the time
for such an arrangement to be made.
The excursions Of last summer were
good AZ far as they went but they gave
hut a days breath Of fresh air 70 q
limited number of children. The remedy
we propose would b. q permanent oAe.