San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-03-15


times there are very many poor people
in every city, who cannot get work, and
are without food. refer to what is
known as the "penby lunch" Washing
ton is city which naturally has more
than its share of the poor people, for
they go from all parts of the country in
a vain search of government positions,
and it is, in addition, the center OF the
INDECENT negro population of many ad.
jacent states. About year ago, ut u
time when there was unusual suffering
here among the poorer classes, and all
manner of suggestions were being made
as to what should be done to relieve the
prevailing poverty and want, lady
named Mrs. Roberts started what is now
known by everybody us the penny
lunch" She was ut that time, or had
been, n clerk in the interior department,
and was regular contributor to one OF
the Sunday papers. She conceived the
idea of supplying the hungry people
with lunch for a penny, and from a
very small beginning she has made the
lunch success, and increased its advan-
tages, until now it is permanent instl-
tuition, and one of the most sensible
and practical charities in the country.
Mrs. Roberts was aided in the under
taking by some friends, who appreciated
her energy, and knew the kindness OF
her heart. She began by soliciting, per-
sonally, small contributions from the
business men, a bag of tlonr here, a
bushel of beans there, u barrel OF meal
of one person, load of coal OF another,
a hundred loaves of bread OF another,
corncd beef Of another, fresh meat OF
another, pork of another, aload OF wood
of another, and SO ON through the city
She refused nothing, but patiently kept
at work. In due time she had money
enough to rent for a month two small
rooms on back street. She borrowed
q stove, begged few plates, bowls
cups and saucers, spoons, knives and
forks, and other necessary implements
She had printed a number Of small tick
cts, reading: "One Cent. Good for One
Lunch. No. 1915 f street" Those
tickets she popularized by selling them
in packages of fifty and ono hundred to
ladies and gentlemen, who in turn gave
them to beggars and destitute persons
in the streets. :,
Mrs. Roberts started very modestly
giving her entire time to the enterprise
and working with surprising zeal and
patience. At first she gave q plate OF
soup and piece Of bread for penny
and before she knew it she could not
supply the wants of those who called
Many laboring men with large families
and no work came regularly and sent
their wives and children with their pen
MES to get square meal" 1t became
a popular thing. w. w. Corcoran and
many other rich and aristocratic people
visited Mrs. Roberts and ate her soup
1t was pronounced excellent, and many
money contributions was the result. OF
course the expenses of such an establish
ment as Mrs. Roberts could not be paid
by only penny for a lunch, but the
contributions of the people were so very
small and spread over SO wide asurface
that the expense was not felt by any.
body. One man promised to give fifty
loaves of bread week, during the win.
ter, another promised to give two dozen
soup-bones per week, another promised
one dollar a week, and large number
of subscribers we're obtained at fifty
cents and twenty-five cents week. The
number of persons fed by Mrs. Roberts
in one winter, says correspondent,
cannot pretend to give, but the total is
enormous. She now feeds about foui
hundred persons two times day. Her
quarters are necessarily cramped, and
only about twenty can be accommodated
at once. From lunch in the middle
of the day she has enlarged her plan
now furnishes breakfast and dinner
For breakfast her bill of fare is mush
and molasses, coffee and corn-bread
For dinner, corn-bread and coffee. Oc'
casionally. if contributors are unusually
liberal, she will give boiled beans and a
little pork, or some potatoes. The most