Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-04
PICTURES OF POVERTY.
Scenes at the S. Charities Office.

APPLICANTS FOR w0RK-sAD TALES OF AD-
vERsITT-AN Ex-DEPARTMEyT CLERK APPLY
ING FOR WORK FOR HIS wFE-woNEN WHO
WERE FORMERLY WEALTH. SEEKING FOR
AID.
~ want every woman here to know how to
transact business for herself. I want her to
know how man does ia man who is making
money hand over hand" The voice was sharp
and business-like, but withal had CHEEKY ring.
The speaker was Mrs. Sara A. Spencer, and her
hearers were group Of women, who gave
eager attention to what she said. The place
was the central Office of the Associated Chari-
ties, on street, between 14th and 18th streets.
The time was Thursday afternoon, and the occa-
sion wasthe semi-weekly 'giving out +" of work
to women. The central office Of the Associated
Charities is in little dull red, three-story and
garnet brick building, with high and steep
doorsteps, and beer saloon in the base
ment. The dOor-bell was long ago pulled
out of Joint and never repaired; the
window blinds are dingy, and the whole
building has an air of faded responsibility, and
seems to say that 1t, like most of those who APP
ply there for help. has seen better days The
same story is told, by the odd pieces of furniture
scattered about the rooms. There is in the
front parOr or office. q well-worn, old hair-coth
-
which once undoubtedly belonged to an emf
nently aristOcratic parlor set, but now furnishes
seats for the foot-weary applicants who throng
into the Office. There are also stif-backed old
mahogany chairs. whose formal and constrained
appearance say at once that their original proper
sphere was the drawing-r0om, but that the
whiriing wheel of time and fortune has left
them in sad straits. Then there is table with
scr0lled mahogany legs. and other shabby-gen-
teel odds and ends from lumber rooms or sec
or oil xrhi ,N1o ir1,-
as hair-cloth and mahogany can speak, of the
adverstles and uncertainties of life How long
or by whom this house has been tenanted is a
matter OF conjecture; but it was never regarded
with much interest till about month ago, when
one day sign of most generous size appeared.
covering the space between the upper and lower
windows, making one think OF small boy with
prodigiOus standing collar. The inscription
on this huge sign was Associated Charities,
ID. G. Central Office"
THE WOMAN'S ROOM.
1t was in the second floor front room that Mrs.
Spencer sat at the side of little table on which
were one or two account books, and pile of
little bundles of cloth. There were some sew
ing machines in the room. and a stove and an
other table in the center of the ROOM The
women whom Mrs. Spencer was addressing sat
in chairs ranged about the room, and some sat
IN small room adjoining. Of which the door
stood open. They formed very interesting
group. There were some tOttering with old
age. and some just entering wOmanhOOd-a sad.
1aded, oyer-wOrked WOmanhOOd. Some were
SO respectable in their appearance that the STAR
reporter, when he stepped in among them, set
them down as visitors like himself. but soon
discovered his mistake. ALL except one of
the score OF women, were white. In nearly
every face there was touching tale of tears
and hard struggles. They listened with respect
ful and almost eager attention as
MRS. SPENCER TALKED.
eyes; 1 want every woman here to know how
to transact business for herself" said Mrs. Spen-
Ger, securing silence with wave of her lead
pencil, and looking around with her keen but
pleasant eye, as though she were searching for
some woman who dared to disagree with her
'The buttons for these shirts were bought by
the gross, and the thread and everything was
bought at wholesale. AS the buttons will not
be here tomorrow, the shirts cannot be given
out till Tomorrow" Mrs. Spencer then ex-
planned what work she had for the women to do.
There were sixty dozen shirts to be made by
contract and some sheets to be made up, on
special order from an avenue merchant. The
shirts were plain calico shirts with four buttons
and plain bosom. There are only few seams
to be sewed, and dozen can be made very rap
idly. was offered 10 cents apiece for making
the shirts but at first refused. Then, however
Thought L could hire one woman to do the
starching, and after consulting woman who
had done such work / found a woman could
make easily dozen day. l have estimated
that we can give 75c. dozen. and not lose. OF
course you understand that We don't make
anything" Then Mrs. Spencer turned to her
books "As call the names and give instruc-
tions, she said, ''the ladies will please pass
out The shirts, you understand. will not be
here till tomorrow. Mrs. Douglass will please
come here Mrs Douglass, who is the fore
woman appeared from the other room, and
aided Mrs. Spencer in
THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE WORK
Mrs. Spencer kept hertongue and pencil busy,
and both to good purpose. now uttering a word
OF encouragement, and now giving some direc-
ton. or enjoining particular care in some work
II want this work very wei! done," she said,
referring to the sheets which were to be
hemmed and for which the seamstresses were to
receive five cents piece. ''If the seams are
soiled by the fingers We have to laundry them
and that adds to the expense. The work must
De carefully finished so it will not have to be
done over. We want it done well for the sake
of our reputation. Some dealers like to have II
done poorly, understand, because they wear
out quick and make new demand"
''Such work is no good num-" observed a
dogmatlc looking old lady with round specta-
Giles, who sat near Mrs. Spencer. Each appli-
cant, II her abilities were not already known
was questioned briefly as to her skill. and was
given sheets. or put on the list to be served with
shirts Oh the morrow. according to her replies
''That reminds me" said Mrs Spencer, stopping
in the midst of her work. and again surveying
the group sharply. There still remain vacant
five places-a manager Of a laundry and four
assstants-if there is any woman here who feels
competent to fill any one of the places she must
let me know"
SOME OF THE APPLICANTS.
Most of the women received the work and in
structions given them without any comment
and passed out Of the room, gathering their
wraps about them. There was one woman
scarcely overthe period of life when lady is hon
estly entitled to be called young lady. but
there We're grim, hard lines about her face that
belonged to the face of a woman of fifty or
more. She was attired i'm garments that had been
most tidily brushed. She was made cOnspictl-
GUS by huge Gainesborough hat. whose smart
ness made sorry contrast with the sad face it
shaded.
''She has been teacher" said Mrs. Douglass.
in low voice, when Mrs. Spencer's attention
was attracted to this woman.
"DO you sew" asked Mrs. Spencer address
ing the quOndam teacher.
II am not expert at it, said the teacher.
81 think l had better give her one of those
Sheets" Mrs. Spencer remarked aside to Mrs,
Douglass. The business OF distribution then
went on and the teacher remained in her seat
g m vAA mn IN, f1N<4 Dl.1