Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-01-14

Bazaar were distributed wisely. AS long a
we knew that no person who rang the pas
tors door-bell went away empty handle
it gave US a, happy, comfortable feeling
and we crotc eted slippers and worke
cushions and served coffee and ices with
strong throb of philanthropy beating il
our bosoms. No one stopped TO question
| whether vice and improvidence and dis
ease were lessened or increased down il
that squalid quarter by the river. GU
Sunday school was full at Christmas, the
free seats we're full at Thanksgiving; ant
The Ladies' Sewing Society was regarded
as most charitable and successful organ
ization till Mrs. Harwood appeared among
US. Well, Of course we talked and argued
and felt much aggrieved, but when w
went home in the evening I think every
one felt a little shaken and most of us hao
a desire to hear more of the theories which
threatened to revolutionize our small cor
ner of the world.
Mrs. Harwood was popular member O.
Eastside society that winter, but we saw
little Of her at church gatherings. Sh1
never appeared at the Sewing Society OF
gave anything to it. When the ladies wen1
to her about new church carpet she put
down:a handsome sum. In the end, how
ever they voted to raise the meney by an
oyster supper, so that she was not called
unOn fur hor auhsorintion
When the Mi visionary Committee decided
to get up box, however. she was quite
regular at the meetings. Mrs. Adams
sent an old overcoat of her husband 8, and
Mrs. Harwood, when sh, saw it going into
the box, SAID that if they would leave ii
out she would order new one made for
the poor minister. It was little unfurtu-
nate that Mrs. Gray afterward repeated
Mrs. HarWood's remark that the coat was
so moth-eaten that 1t would hardly hold
together, for Mrs. Adams heard of it, and
l don't believe she will ever send anything
again to missionary box. But, then, she
contributed so many WORKOUT collars and
miSmated boots that the Committee may
be little relieved to be spared her dona-
lions. Several of the ladies tired them
selves out running the sewing machine fol-
that box, and they grumbled little be-
cause Mrs. Harwood did not come and
work with them. But it turned out in the
end that she had carried away a heap OF
garments and given them out to some poor
widows to make, paying them we'll for
their work. When we heard of it, it SEEM
ed such good idea that one or two who
were fond Of killing two birds with one
stone formed the plan of getting the sew
ing for our next missionary box done in
that way. This resulted-although can
not give the details-in hourishing en-
ployment society.
One day in the next autumn Mrs. Brown
and I happened to be in the vestry while
Miss Foote was distributing the ready
made garments from the Sewing Society.
A young woman came in, with her baby
in her arms, she begged for some clothes
for tie child. The girl had been clothed
by the church ever since she was little
thing, but she had married man wi
pretty good wages. When enquired how
it was she still continued tv ask for help,
it turned out that she did not know how
to cut or make single garment for her
baby. She had grown up to receive all
her clothing, new or old, ready made, so
that she had become quite helpless. 1t
shocked us good deal to find that we were
responsible for such state of things, and
as by that time we bad got used to consult
Mrs. HARDWOOD on such subjects we talked
1t over with her. She did not seem at all
inclined to triumph over us for this result
of sewing for the poor; but she thought
about it seriously, and suggested sewing
school for the children Saturday after
moons. We made little Miss Foote super
intendent, and she is so fond of children
that she was delighted with the position.
And by that means we put in some one
else to distribute the clothing, who is more
discriminating.
Not long after that it was proposed to
get together the mothers Of the children
oA0 GOdSA OLCA OOIuCU1luS dUOug Uu0 udh-
ing, and mending, and cutting out Poor
things! they were glad enough to come
and bring their babies. 1t was new ex-
perience to hem to spend an afternoon in
q bright, cheerful room, with a friendly
greeting from the ladies and maybe an en-
tertaining book read aloud. Those moth
er's meetings delighted good Mr.. Brown,
and he said that somehow this way Of
reaching the poor really seemed much
more satisfactory than giving them shil-
ling at the door or bag of flour at New
YEARS time.
When it was proposed to furnish some
mission rooms-for it proved better plan
to get room down in tie poor peoples
quarter than to expect them to come all
the way up the hill to our fine church
Mrs, Brown said she supposed we should
have to get up Charity Bazaar to pay the
rent. But Mrs. HARDWOOD engaged the
young people to help her and they can
vassed the parish, only instead Of begging
for refreshments and fancy articles or
selling tickets they asked each lady and
gentleman for two dollars. They raised
the whole amount needed very readily,
and every one agreed that it was saving
of expense and trouble.
Mr.. Brown breaches at the mission
rooms every Sunday evening, and he says
he never enjoyed any work SO we'll in his
life. And though we do not SO often hear
it said that ''ours is very benevolent con-
gregation, +" yet there is a great deal done
in the church; the young people seem in
terested and earnest, and the seats are
filed