Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-10-10
DIef-Ritcllen Association.

workings of some Of New lork's most noble
charities, We would say, without hesitation,
turn your attention to the provision made tor
the sick poor by the city "Dict.kitchen As
socia!ion." This enterprise is not, OF course,
| to be confoundcd with the soup.houscS organ
lied in the fearful winter Of '73, wherein sick
and we'll alike could call for their quantum of
sustcnanoc, better OF worse in quality as the
case might be, and designed to meet tempo
rary extremity. The sick poor We have en-
phatically always with us, and the lack OF
proper nourishment for this doubly untortun-
etc class las been at al times stumbling.
block to tho truly philanthrophic physician;
their "short but simple annals" being many
time virtually written down in the book of
his professional experience in some such
chronicle as "run down" "didn't get the
right food" "acked nourishment properly
prcparca" "-"and so died." to end all up. 10
SEQ With true effect the work of the Diet.
Kitchens take, VIC will say, the "Centennial
Kitchen at l37 Center street, any time dur
ing its reception hours, from II A. NJ. to / Z.
NJ This is the largest and poorest dispen'
sary district in the city, and the Kitchens
work in cooperation With the dlspensarles.
A glance bears witness, practical and eonclu-
si7c, Of the aid and life that arc carried away
ID those lingering and otherwise PROSTATE
upon beds Of sickness, and it is pititul even to
lock down the long lines Of those who come
in their own behalf, We may havo our cars
open, too, as we'll as our eyes, for an army OF
diseascd-rackcd sufferers speak and stand
about US. Here are the coughing, the ohok-
ing, the Wheeling Of the con3umptlVc and the
asthmaLic; here are the lame, the halt, the
wcak-"run down." that phrase which has
become so trite, which covers 30 much OF pro-
longed endurance and effort even almost to the
very graves verge. Here are worn little faces
from which almost every infantile trace has
been eaten cut by tho gnawlog hunger-Worm
in conjunction with disease, and other baby
visagcs with positively woGsh glare out of
their eyes in which the chubby outlines OF
babyhood arc hidden. What history, each
one in itself, Of misery and want Look at
the accessories to the picture, too; the broken
nccked bottles, the handleless jugs, the dlngy
and battered pals, the mutilatcd mugs, all
waiting before the table. Let US listen 10
what some of their proprictors arc saying
this I'D dame, for instance, ben: nearly double
by racking cough. The thin shawl drawn
tight over shoulders thin also, is seemingly all
that keeps her together. "Dont feel good,
she says, "to.day (Which you would be willing
10 underWriteO, but husband is real sick
been &C since last May. We've used up what
little money VIC had, but now, since he gets
the becft,a, it seems TO bring him around.
lie thinks it'a Splendid Here IS good,
honest.faccd Gretchen. She, or her represen'
tative, came q long time on behalf OF
daughter eight years afflicted with rheumatism
The Kitchen aided her year at its outset,
then they told her she must do without their
help, as there we're many, they felt, who might
urge greater claims for assistance. However,
the invalid missed it so much they determined
to enter her name on their list again. Oac
morning as the mother returned homo with
the little we!l-ascd pail Of soup she found the
young girl in her accustomed scat in the sun
shine dead--stone dead; some one having,
meanwhile, placed towering pot-plant on a
table near by her. "Perhaps the same hand,
suggested oae Of the lady managers, "that
anonymously cent us ten dollars last year to
select flowers and send them to brighten some
of the sick k-beds. Of which NC know so many.
There comes tall lcllow. He wears very
bad coat. He looks honest and shy. liz
turns his eye toward the door as he holds
pail for milk. "Whcrc's the other kettle fol
becf-tca?' asks the matron. "Thc one tina
drank tccf.tca is dead, and the other won
touch it,, is the reply, They were bis tW'
sisters, cne dead Of consumption, tho othf
dying of it. An intelligent respectful youni
man comes in, scedy to the farthest advanced
degree implied by that expressive adjective
Hc has DO Shirt, l think, at least he wears hl hl
coat lappcls ia the overlap, which general
indicates absence OF under-!inen. He mas
sharp cough and sunker checks. lie says, i
answer to inquiry, Only cough is 70 better
but am strcngcr | don't believe it vi
ever leave NE, though tic doctor says it's onl
asthma, anl that il you feed me | may g
we'll" An Irshwoman reports, "Matthe
has gone to Calvary Cemetery, mum, SO
don't get milk this morning." and she say
"Rum's at The bottom of it all, mum, to! if th
stove was red hot my man would try to tax
ii to the pa wn.shop for drink A Frencl
woman now Gall nationaities are represented
comes hohbling on crutch to the table. 81
is sixty.six years cid. Her hu sband, sixt.
five, is at no ne bed ridden All they have
tho soup and rice and tea furn ishcd by tt
Kitchen. "a |! the miseries,' she br okenly say
"No, there is not one happiness" and hon
to her how'll she goes. have taken spet
mems as they have como up to my mind, ju
as they will come up to you any day. r
member one SICK man Ohcre orc m any suoi
whom the docto: had given up. The kitoht
people visited him. "Take our good mi
and tho cod-li7er oil the doctor gives you