The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-17
WAsBINGrCN Noyember ?

WASHINGTON. NoYemher 2.
There is an Institution in Washington that
ia worth initiating in other cities; for, take
is, that in these hard times there are very
many poor people in every city rho cannot get
work ard without ood. refer to what
is known the Penny Lunch. Washington is
city which naturally has more than its share
parts of the country in a vain search for gov
ernment positions, and it je, in addition, the
centre of the INDECENT negro population of
many adj accent states. About a year ago, at
time when there was unnsuai suf4ring here
among the poorer classes and all manner of
suggestions were being made az to what
should be done to relieve the prevailing poY-
erty and want, a lady named Mrs. Roberts
started what is now known here by everybody
se the penny Lonch." She was at that time,
or had been, clerk in the Interior Depart
ment, and was regular contribut tor to one of
the Sunday papers. She conceived the idea of
supplying hungry people with lunch for q
penny, and from very email beginning she
has made the lunch succese, and increased
it's advantages, until now it is permanent in
stit1tion, and one of the most sensible and
practical charities in the country. Mrs Bob
erts was aided in the undertaking by some
friends, who appreciated her energy and knew
the kindness of her heart. She began by
soliciting personally small contributions from
tho business men, bag of flour here, bushel
of beans there, barrel of meal of one person,
q load of coal of another, hundred loaves of
bread of another, corned beef of another
fresh meat of another, pork of another, q load
Of wood of another, and 50 on through the
city. She refused nothing, but patiently Kept
al work. In due time she had money enough
to rent for month two small rooms in back
street. She borrowed stove, begged feE
plates. bo wle, cups ard saucers, spoons, knives
and forks aud other necessary implements.
She had printed number Of small tickets,
reading: "O0e Cent Good for One Lunch.
No. 1915 z street" These tickets che popular.
lied by selling them in packages Of fifty and
one hundred to ladies and gentlemen, who III
turn gave them to heggers and destitute per-
sors in the stteets.
MIS- Roberts started very modestly, giving
her entire tiue to the enterprise, and working
with surprising zeal aud patience. Al first she
gave plate Of sonp and piece of bread for
peany, aud before sbe knew it abe could not
snpply the wants of those who called. Many
10 boring men with large families and no work
came regularly and sent their wives aud chill
dren With their pennies to get a square meal"
1t became the popular thing. W. w. Corcoran
and many of the other ricn and aristocratic
people visit I'D Mrs. Roberts and ate her soup
II was pronounced excellent, and there were
were many money contributions as result.
OF course, the expense Of such an establish
ment as Mrs. Roberts could not be paid by
charging only q penny for lunch, but the
contributions from the people were 80 small
and spread over 80 wide surface that the ex-
pense was not felt by anybody. One man
promised to give fifty Ioaves of bread week
during the winter, another promised to give
two doZen soup bones per week, another pro-
missed one dollar week, and a large number
of subscribers were obtained at so cents and
25 cents q week. The number of people fed
by Mrs. Roberts last winter l cannot pretend
to give, but the total is enormous. She now
feeds about four hundred people twice q day.
Her quarters are necessarily cramped and only
about twenty can be accommodated at ouce.
From lunch in the middle of the day she has
enlarged her plan, and now furnishes break
fast and dinner. For breakf fast her bill of fare
is mush and molssses, coffee and corn bread
For dinner soup, corn bread and ccttee Occa-
sionally, if contributions are unusually liberal,
che will give boiled beans and a little pork or
some potatoes. The most rigid economy is
practiced, and every scrap of food in made
available. She pays her cook eight dollars
month, and with the assistance OF two or three
oolored boys, who work for their board, he
gets on pretty well. OF course, the boarders
are not particular some might be under
other circumstances. Each day, at O'Clock
in the morning and in the afternoon, the
crowd gathers in front of the building. De-
tails OF policemen keep the hungry ones in
order, and line stretches far along the street
men, women and children. / saw this crowd
| day. There were as good faces in it as you
would on Chestnut street or anywhere
| else. There were both men and women who
! were deoently attired, and who were evidently
gentlemen and ladies. Hunger is a great
leveler. In the coming winter there will be
many thousands of hungry people in Philadel-
phia. The penny lunch ystem has prospered
here for moro than year, and it is practicable