New-York tribune., 1877-12-20
At THE DOOR-BELL

At THE DOOR BELL.
In most regulated families a standing or
der is issued to the servants to allow no beggar,
peddler of chrOmOs, pins, soap, or any OF the
swarm of shabby folk who will infest the door
steps Just now, to pass beyond the VestlDule.
We dub them tramps," talk of " encouraging
"pauperism," and hug ourselves cOmplacently
in that we are political economists and have
saved a penny. We have Il little incident
To tell, apr0pOs to this practice widows
in rusty black, with delicate features
and low sensitive Voices on the verge
of utter want, usually live, move, and
have their being in scmi-religious novels; but
such one, in the flesh, did actually ring at
door-bell of a dweling-house few weeks ago.
The servant. properly trained to consider her
q thief, slammed the door in her face; but
the owner OF the house happening to pass in
was struck by the happy content shining
through the hungry, pnched features, and
paused 10 find out her story. She was
widow from the far South, with the inevitable
five children-nOt sickly defOrmed, as III books,
but stout jolly, hearty feeders al OF them. she
had supported the whole hungry regiment
of them for three years by plating crosses,
spatter work, we forget what poor makeshlit
OF work. which she sold from door to door.
When her husband died, having generously
flung away a fortune in . shOspitahty, tie
children had only their mothers empty hands
TO turn to. 81 could not sew well, | could
mot teach at ALL | was a miserable house
'kceper; | had nothing but this" pointing
70 her forIorn absurd work. eve have lived
"on it from day to day ever since"
She meant to do as great things with
it, too, as other fond fools of mothers
with their fortunes. Tom (most re-
markable boy, Tom y was to go to college
Jane, who had every symptom of genius, was
to be an artist. Another little tot, who said his
prayers in season and out, she meant to train
for the ministry. Meanwhile, she had IA sOli-
tary dime in her pocket and no bread for their
supper. But we shall have it," she said " 1t
"always comes. Why, if You had nothing but
"this to depend upon for three years, and never
wanted meal you'd be cheerful, too. You'd
be quite sure Who it was that was helping
"you."
our story in the books would end in broken
leg for Tom, or the death OF the baby, or the
starvation of the whole family; some black
shadow to throw into fierce relief the heartlcss
prosperity of well-to-do people. But it is a
fact, and we are forced to confess that Tom
and the rest are to-day unpicturcsqucly noisy,
fat and hungry; that their mother has neither
lain down to die from WEAKNESS or laudanum,
but is going this morning from door To door,
plying her little trade which seems such
a miserable reed for six human beings to lean
upon. She has no support for them for to-day
or for the future but that, and Him whose
hand she holds with such cheerful content.
Neither are the well-tO-dO people ut whose
doors she rings heartcss and as we are sure
of that, we have chosen to tell them this true
story. 1t seems to ia to fit the gracious
Christmas time. These shabby folks who ring
at their dOor-beils to drive some petty trade, are
not always thieves or beggars, but often hungry
wretches out of work. trying by one poor little
cxpedIcnt or another to honestly earn their
daily bread. 1t is folly TO advise them now to
leave the city and to go to farming. How can
they 90 without money! Where shall they go
Until Spring, at least they are here, aud
must stay here. Don't shut the door on them
without looking into their ease, and patiently
hearing their story. Ten dollars given to one
honest, energetic man, to put him in the way
Of earning his own living, is better than
hundred given in machine charity. The men
and women at our doors may be neither hon
est nor energetic, but they are no less our
brothers and Gods children, and this holy
season brings MS no better work than To take
them by the hand and to try if we cannot
make their lives cleaner, higher, and more
worthy Of their Father and ours.
In this week all Christians are busy with
church-going, and planning surprises for the
children, which is sgoodsworl as far as it goes
only let them take care that they do not turn
from their door better work than dressing
trees or singing anthems.