The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-10
Behind the Scenes.

The mournful Southern trs gedy is over. Th'
| sympathetic audience have passed away. Th'
| garish lights are all extipgrished and th'
stage is bare of every thing except its sorrow
ful associations and remembrances
But behind the scenes there is hidden worlt
of suffering unknown to the public eye. Behin'
the scenes there is heard cry of anguish whicf
does not reach the public ear. Behind tn
sceneSstill goes on many q drama of wretohed
ness which makes no impression upon the pub
| lilo heart.
How maoy fathers are without :ocoup alton
how many widows know not where to look fol
bread, how many orphans are drifting, ik'
wrecks, upon the cold current of this worldi
charity! Something must be done to alleviate
this distres some active power must exist ts
come to the aid of the poor. The HowaIdi
have ceased their benevolent labors and are
preparing to "fold their tents like the Arabs
and as silently steal away" The Peabody Sub
sistenoe Society has closed it's doors and dis
tributes NO more food to the poor. Are there
no more sick ones among usi Are there nc
more hungry mouths to feed, no more naked
bodies to clothe, no more suffering to relieve
no more anguish to solace
The answer comes from the lips of Divine
Wisdom :: THE poor ye have always with you;'
but there are times when their number is
greater than st Others, and the present is GER
tainly one of these. There are houses in our
midst bshind whose doors are hungry lips and
pallid faces and anxious hearts. And these
are not confined to the humber GLASSES we
find Strengthened circumstances and even
positive destitution in the homes of our better
Glasses. A great deal of this distress is truly
behind the scenes for even the next door neigh
Dor knows nothing of il. This family may
have q carpet on the floor and yet have no
flour in the pantry That one may have nice
elethes-fer good materials last SO long
and yet not have shoes to wear, for shoes wear
out 80 soon
We know of families that have no fuel, and
who when a cold day comes can purchase only
bucket Of coal at q time. We know Of fami-
lies where the children are without clothes
and the beds without blankets /; and we are
confident almost every person who reads these
lines, is cognizant of similar cases and can re-
late similar experiences.
The epidemic has passed away, but it has
left in the homes Of our people many fearfnl
traces of its presence, and therefore perns.
nent society for the visiting and succoring of
the poor and needy, is what New Orleans re-
q uires, and, thank God this is what she poe-
sesses in the admirable organization known az
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. This insti-
tuition does the work of the Howards all the
year round, and without distinction of race,
creed or color, distributes relief to all who are
in need.
Let every one then who feels for the poor,
aid the Conferences of st. Vincent de Paul
either by direct contributions, or by appeals
to these who have the means to give abund-
antly.
We need not 60 in search Of misery; the men,
bers of each parish Conference have done that
already and know just where the loaf of bread
and the suit of CLOTHES are most needed. We
need not enquire where the widow and orphan
are to be found; the gentlemen of this society
have their names already Inscribed and are in
the habit Of visiting them day after day. There
is nothing left for us to do but to give. We
osn stsy in our happy homes without any re-
proaches of conscience, provided We have sent
to this organization an aims which will be sure
to gladden. other homes.
We can sit by our own warm fresides without
a single feeling of sel6shness, provided we
have given to st. Vincent's Conferences the
means to brighten other earthstones.
We ourselves need not go behind the scenes at
all, if the sights would there depress us for
if we are ever 80 little generous in our help to
these noble Vincentans, we may reat assured
that there will be light, and warmth, and COM
fort, and food. and raiment, and help of every
kind, furnished to those who need them most
and are best entitled to our charity.
Death of Rev. Lohn Muneaster. SIM