The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-08
PICTURES OF POVERTY.
THRILLING SCENES IN THE NOVELS OF THE
PooR-THE WINTER WORK OF ST. JOHNS
GUILD AS SEEN FROM DAY TO DAY IN vARIcK


sTREET
Charitable balls and routs and fairs are OF fire.
quenr occurrence, ana often absorb the public In
terest Tor day or week. exciting the sympathies
OF the benevolent and the festive spirits Of TIE
gay. But they pass by and, having performed
their mission OF little good for great number,
are quietly forgotten. OD the other hand st. Johns
Guild pursues, day after day and month af,er
month, In winter and In summer the even tenor
OF Its way. Its volunteers explore every court
and aeyway. enter every tenement and lodging
cellar. and bring to light, in season and out Of
season, the most lamentable cases Of destitution
and OF human woe. Food, fuel medicines and
clothes are the instruments with which the Guild
pursues its work Of regeneration and rei0r nation
Believing that kindness and pity are the best
agents for bringing about moral revolution in
''regions where social asphyxia Is possible" and
In elevatng the mental by paying some attention
to the physical man. the volunteer visitors pay no
attention to pr0selytzing, but exert every effort
to leeo clothe and nurse the unfortunate.
THE GUILD IS NEW YORK INSTITUTION.
though 1t has proved the fountain from which
other "Guilds" have drawn inspiration in many
OF our inland cities. Its work, though confined to
the metropolis, Is OF great magnitude, for some OF
our philanthropists searching afar Tor field OF
labor neglect the WORK TO DO done at their own
doors. case OF common notorIety may be used
in illustration. In one OF our most fashionable
quarters there Is rich church which established
in wretched district by the river side an humble
mission. The clergyman In charge OF this mission
lived among his pensioners in a tenement The
people about him, whom he met daily as neigh
bors and who worshlpped at his chapel were
many OF them this winter
HALF-CLAD, HUNGRY AND SICK,
and he went to beg for them at the doors OF his
mother Church. He found the ladies' OF that
church had organized q sewing society for the
poor. He sought an audience from them and
gravely stated his case. ''My people, said ne,
''are, many OF them, out OF employment and suf-
fering from lack OF clothing, as well as from want
OF food and IRON sickness. Warm garments for
one ofthem, who Is a laborer, will enable HIM TO
support his family. Clothes Tor the husband and
father are often bread for the wife and children.
Please give me what you can Tor my poor" "Oh,
non answered the ladies; "you mistake We are
making up garments for our Western missions.
the poor farmers of the Northwest where it is
verv cold. and our missions and membership are
very Door"
cried the starving child during the famine IN Ire
land IN 49, and as thrilling appeals come from the
country pauper ever feels the hunger and chill
which creeps over the penniess man or woman in
this great wilderness OF humanity. SUCH want as
assaiis the unemployed In this city OF New York is
beyond the experience or imagination OF the coun-
Try poor to measure. Families are hungry and
bitter winds cutting through every fragment OF
their scanty covering and with no refuge save the
Husbands, with their wives and children, pass
brilliantly lighted rooms and catch gimpses Of
tables heavily laden with lO0d and 20 sObblng and
crying into the darkness, having tasted no lOod
and iet no warmth from fire for many, many
hours.
DYING FROM EXPOSURE.
On Saturday beautiful lady sat crying at the
Guild. From the Master the writer sought TO learn
printer, and they had come to this city years
ago from Connecticut. The husband obtained EN-
ployment from the American News Company and
afterward worked at the case in the Bible House.
He became ill-was stricken down BY iever-and
soon they were penniess. On Monday Of last week
lodgings into the street. Through all the storms
OF that DAY they wandered about exposed TO the
Night drawing on, an old lady, who spoke to them
IN passing, directed the wife and child
the husband went to the nearest station mousse.
There, thinly clad and wholly without linen or
cold stone door IL the morning he was very i'll
Hemorrhage OF the lungs set IN, and the victim OF
disease and want was carried fainting 10 Bellevue
THE FAITHFUL WIFE
OF this poor man came TO him before he was re-
moved to Bellevue, and, taking OF her single nam
mel SKIRT, made for MIN a shirt. Then with naught
but thin dress to protect her person from tue
where she "and what little Of RI ane cheer
can fall to the lot Of one tunate. And now
she passes some hours OF each day az her bus
bano's bedside and returns to sit In quiet cor
ner Of the Gullo workroom TO sew. while the
tears fall often upon tue garment in her hands.
pany with volunteer visitor OF she Guild, found
another example Of wtfely faith and dial devO-
establishments OF a leading merchant prince,
where ne was injured by an accident. For fifteen
months he had been confined to his bed and his
HIS ONLY SUPPORT, CRIPPLE,
had nursed him tenderly. This woman, modern
washing to support her husband and provide MIN
with medical attendance but had paid the rent OF
her attic ana purchased food Tor her Invalid iather
mother and stcx sister by the proceeds OF her
labor.
Still another case is that OF poor woman lately
employment through sickness. and, when starving,
MADE her way 10 the Guild, which she reached
waiting for her basket to be filed, she swooned.
and the TWO physicians in attendance stated that
ner weakness was che result OF hunger and ex.
haustlon.
THE RATS OF A TENEMENT CELLAR
In Allen street. IN the cellar OF rear tenement
or rather dark hole at the bottom OF a wretcned
structure, where the ceiling was SO low one has
TO bend low when in standing posture, lady
wss a IN upon w1 there
her person, and nesting close beside her were her
four children. One OF them, little fairy creature,
OF wonderful beauty, with hair OF FURNISHED gold,
and eyes that had stolen the bloom OF vioets, was
prattling innocenty and all unappalled by me
RIOOm Auu HOITOT VI Lie pidce. IeJ LlaJ Cuuu Hau
seen the rats drag her little CLOAK from the broken
chair where she had placed It, and rend 1t IN pieces
with their sharp teeth, while her mother and
sisters covered shuddering in their beds All
night long one or another OF these poor creatures
kept watch, while the others slept lying In con-
slant dread or attack from the nosOme sQuealing
creatures that thrOnged the door and cambered
squeaing about them. Yet this poor family
ONCE POSSESSED A HAPPY HOME,
from which they hal been driven by financial re-
verses and the death oil the husband and father.
The mother, a native Of Baltimore had been bred
In afluence, her father holding an once OF honor
and trust under the general government Tor
many years. Death ano business disasters had
brought them to this pitiiul strait at last and
forced them to accept and cling to shelter only
ut for dogs. Such are the fearful phases Of ne
the Guilds visitors encounter. The Impressions
they leave upon the mind will never fade, and the
lessons they teach nave power that iew SUNDAY
sermons possess
NO PoODg.sAvB LITTLE MEAL.
remains at the Guild to-day. Last Monday there
were LETT over. from the previous week twenty
i've barrels OF oatmeal and c0rnmeal. During the
week about ST. 900 In money was sent to the Guild.
IA