Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-12-27

agonies. Nearly every house that deals
in goods for Christmas use, keeps open
until ten o'clock at night. AS result
the poor things, who have to be at theil
posts at eight o'clock in the morning
seldom get home before eleven o'clock
at night. They scarcely get chance
to eat during the day, and rarely time
enough to consume anything warm
And all this for salaries ranging from
one dollar and a half to ten dollars a
week. 1t is indeed sight to pass one Of
these huge caravansaries at night, about
closing time. The hundreds Of girls
rush out with an energy and wear
mess combined that makes the observ-
ing locker on sick to the heart. Their
faces are pale, and their eyes as a rule
lack lustre. Complexions are fast ruin
ed in the sitting atmosphere that pre-
walls in the stores. Even their imita
ton jewelry looks dull and tired. How
can such girls eat when they get home?
How can they get the sleep which they
need so much? How can they be at
their posts fresh in the morning? And
ought We to Judge harshly, if under
this relentless machine tyranny, and in
the face of the wealth and fnery that
parades before them, now and then a
girl should forget herself and seek a
change in folly.
These are rather sad Christmas
thoughts, but they were brought on by
an incident which occurred only this
evening. 1 had escorted a lady to the
Fifth Avenue Theatre to see the Glass
Of Fashion" After the performance
we walked to the Thirty Second Street
Station of the Elevated Road. The
pavement was slippery from yesterdays
snow. Before us walked little girl !,
scarcely twelve years old, who was evil
IDENTIFY walking home from one Of the
stores. A thin calico dress, and lit
tie shawl tightly wrapped about her
body and her head was her raiment-
Suddenly she slipped and fell. She
must have hurt her ankle, because she
could hardly rise. Her little gloveless
hands had found their way out from
under the protection of the shawl and
they looked pitifully wan and blue
We assisted her to her feet and the la
dy spoke to her. The little thing
amid sobs told her story. She was a
cash girl in one of the glittering palaces
on Sixth Avenue, at the munifcent
salary of two dollars week. She had
been attending school until a month
ago, when an accident to her father had
necessitatcd somebody's going out to
earn something to keep the pot a'boil-
ing. "Why, child, you look hungry"
exclaimed the lady, glancing at the
pinched like face as we came under the
glare of an electric lamp. eyes ma am"
she replied. q have eaten only two
pieces of bread today" We took the
little one to an oyster soloon, and the
way in which the child ate the oysters
and drank two cups of hot coffee was a
sight for an epicure. Then we put her
in a car and sent her home.
New York is charitable city. We
spend thousands upon thousands for
feeding and making happy the home
less, and the inmates of prisons. If
one tenth Of that amount spent for the
qualification of vagabonds, degraded
criminals and shameless sots, were used
to ferret out and assist the really needy
ones, such as are willing to help them
selves but fail, how much substantial
good could be done; but while many
ladies are willing to give, few care to
find out deserving cases for themselves,
and thus the main essential Of charity
is overlooked.
slcighing has almost become lost
art in the good city of Gotham, on &C
count Of the rare opportunities for in
lulging in the amusement. The snow
fall of last Wednesday, however brought
every "rig' obtainable out. On We'd
nesday night the road was indeed a
sight, and as the lights of the street
amps illuminated the white surface
With its dashing cutters, jingling troll.
zas, comfortable droshkis and elegant
general assemblies one might have
imagined himself on the banks of the
Neva, participant of or locker on at
he scenes French novelists love to pic
ure when describing winter in St. Pc
ersburg. In the distance glittered the
lights of Barry's, Gabe Cases, Judge
Smiths and other road houses, and
oming in from the frosty air, the bright |
Tres, the glitter of the glass and silver
IN the snowy table linen in the dining
DOM and the delicious odnr of q rich |