National Republican., 1878-01-25

wilt thou bend ear to her delusive tonsuef
'oSn And thoS of esHon tWa b
wrung
Why wilt thou keep this weak presumins
For what has been, denied thee all thy daysf
Seest thou that star In heaven illuming,
And think'st to dip thy finger In Its blnzeY
Close thy pale mouth. We deem Il robbins,
If at Loves feast small crumbs be thrown -
Tho eros thy lips the breath comes sobbing,
Smother IL in' that none around may e,yxv sec
IpLEwrLp, Va, November 2, 1877.
For the Corner.
Mrs. EDITOR: would ask little space in
order to offer suggestion to those whose noble
efforts in behalf Of the suffering poor lead
them to fy to what seems the most ready
means Of relief Doubtless to feed the hungry
and warm the cold, shivering wretches whs
are pleading In vain for work, Is laudable in
deed but alas, 1t only stops the leak In one
place to make the pressure greater In another.
For twenty deserving men and women whe
will receive this charity there are forty whs
will sit in idleness In order TO be fed from the
public purse. II Is In fact like nourishing .
plant solely through the leaves aud branches
and leaving the roots dry and arid.
II Is true that the general stagnation Of busi.
ness has thrown thousands Of men and women
out of employment, but u Is also true thae
skilled labor is In demand, that good servants
are scarce, and that but few Of those termed
good" are really capable and competent In
the performance Of the duties they undertake.
Some years since an effort was made to e.
tablish in this city q training school for serv-
ants, whore the poor might be taught thor
ougbly oil the various branches of domestic
labor. That the plan failed at that time Is no
reason why Il may not be tried again.
A comprehensive plan for the establishment
d the school, by which, after the first quarter,
1t might be made self-supporting, was lately
laid before the managers at the Labor Ex-
change, who approved the enterprise, referred
IL to committee, and forgot all about 1t.
The lady who presented the suggestion
offered to give her services, for while at least,
to supcrintend the organization Of the school,
and all that was really needed was the rcns
for three months Of a house suitable for the
necessities Of such class, with rooms for
kitchen, laundry. and bedrooms. 1t was pro-
posed to establish u cheap restaurant In order
to dispose of the food that cooks wcro taught
how to prepare q laundry, In order that while
women learned how TO wash, the proceeds ID
the laundry might go toward defraying the
expenses OF the school ; the bedrooms OF the
house rented to dodgers, who would be fur
nished board ut a private table, and sitting
room for the accommodation of patrons.
Can anyone deny that hundreds Of the poos
| who are given situations are Dismissed for in.
competency? that they return again and
| again to tho intelligence Offices, to the Labor
Exchange, and to philanthropists generally 70
seek succOr aud new placep
Mrs. Roberts has taken practical view OF
the situation, but after all we want good cooks
and housemaids rather than seanstresses. IL
would cost very little to establish the school,
aud incalculablo benefit would be accom-
| pished by giving the ignorant practical in
| struction worth to them more than weeks
food and fuel, and by relieving worried house,
keepers OF the additional care and drudgery
which incompetent servants impose upon
| them. NJ. IF.