Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-12-06
THANKSGIVING DAY
WITH THE POOR OF A GREAT CITY.
niss COiburn Tells Of sotae 81 the
ThinEs which the Chicago Mission
WORKERS Did aud saw.

uiss CoIburn Tells Of some Of the
ThinEs which the Chicago Mission
Workers Did aud saw.
Thanksgiving passed OIL pleasantly at the
Bible Institute. real New England din
ner was served, aud in the evening the
young men of the school, who are scattered
about the city in various boarding houses
until the completion Of the building which
is To he their home, we're invited 10 the
ladies' home The hours from six 10 nine
were spent in making acquaintance with
each other and enjoying music and refresh
ments You will notice that we keep early
hours. There are no cast iron rules but il
is an unwritten law that ten o'clock shall be
the retiring hour for those whose work il
such "A constant drain upon mind, body and
soul Every one is expected to paw due at
tcntiou ~ the laws Of health One Of the
most active workers in two Of the city mis-
-ions is Miss Ilanes, cousin of Mrs
| Powers formerly Mrs Geo. C. Halh who
has been here for two years in a very hard
| field yet she looks the picture Of health
/ Last Sunday Mrs Miles lone OF the stu
| deutsl aud called at "A tenement aud lodg-
! ing house for two little girls who were aux
| ious to go to Sunday school but tou small
| to 20 alone The woman having charge Of
the house asked us to 20 in and see a sick
| boy lodging there, and after Sunday school
we did SO. The boy proved to be about ~
years old He had been learning the paint
ers trade and the paint had caused sort
Of rheumatism Of the muscles which made
the slightest movement extremely painful
| He seemed almost friendless but the woman
before mentioned did what she could for
| him in the few moments she could snatch
! from of her family auI Las Y,tt,,l,ap
uf lodging rooms and he was receiving
medical treatment from free dispensary
| But ] wish you could have seen the room he
was in just large enough for a single bed
! chair and washstand aud with a single
window, which opened not out Of doors,
but into long, dark passage | am not
eNuggerating Ae, truth whei say the room
was peJrcuD ddtb, except for the dim light
given by II small kerosene lamp Think Of
1t II would seem hard enough to he poor
and friendlesS and sick but to he sick in
such place. u say nothing about dirt, for
that is 10 he taken for granted almost every.
where IN this city. so much soft coal is
hurnedJ We left him something IN read
and have been down since to carry some
thing thought he would like, and am glad
to say that he was provided with a good
Thanksgiving dinner. as were also the two
families mentioned in my other letter
One of our young ladies' went out Thurs
day morning in search Of poor family
whom she had found IN her visits the day
previous, and about =, 30 O'Clock | saw her
coming with very ragged boy in tow,
whom she presently sent away with beam
ing face and large basket Of gUpl things
The father is III a hospital, sick, and the
mothers meagre earnings hardly pay the
rent and food bills, to say nothing of cloth
ing and fuel All the coal they have had
this fall is what the two boys have been
able To- pick up III the streets The boys are
aged seven and nine aud there are two
Younger children There was girl nearly
], who was able to earn II few pennies by
caring for neighbors baby whlle the
mother was away at her work but few
weeks ago She suddenly disappeared and no
trace OF her can I've found This, with its
fearful possibilities. s heart breaking IN it.
self, aud one wonders that the poor mother
t. not uverw helmed but she has her other
children To care for aud grief is too great
"a irro,H to be INDUCED in used to fancy
knew what poverty Was but am fast
learning that 10 be poor IN the country is
one thing, aud 10 he poor IN the city some
thing quit" different and very much worse
Thanksgiving brought cheer to many
hearts and homes in the city. beginning on
h'll'lhN NJ tue THsl regiment HrltDrN,
where dinners we're served H. the 1900 bows
and girl, If the Sunday school OF the Waits
Mission. There We're li2 turkeys, two
bushels Of cranberry sauce ~ lunches Of
celery, 500 pies, 80 ON cook les. 100 pounds
ni ham, ~ pounds of roast beef. 36 barrels
oi apples. ti gallons 1T coffee, besides nuts.
candy and oranges The children ate H.
voracipusly a. # they hadn't had "a square
meal for IA year, and didn't expect to have
another till next Thanksgiving. aud on
lockers tremhled for the result After din
ner musical program was attempted. but
was not IA conspicuous success, since pande
mpnlum Was now here 10y comparison with
the noise those youngsters made All the
girls were talking at once while the bows
Tough; and played tag, and the air was full
II hying turkey legs aud other remnants Of
the feast The dinner was furnished by
contributions from the Herald, Inter Ocean
News, Tribune Times Globe, employees Of
the First National bank. and several husi
ness houses, the commission men Of the stock
yards, and several churches
scenes like the above, with variations.
we're the order Of the day on Thursday at
most Of the hospitals, missions and benevu
lent institutions Of the city. At the Y NJ
& 4 a dinner was rendered Ia members If
the association strangers in the city ljO
plates were laid, besides - for officers aud
invited guests. Dessert was followed by
songs and toa>ts At : T. NJ reception
was rendered To post office employees. at
which there Was vocal and instrumental
music and brief addresses and the DAY WAS
r brought tu tt happy termination by gym
nustic exhibition in the fine gymnasium
This will he rather n stale subject by the
time 1t reaches YOU. hut Thanksgiving has
been the prlncipal tonic with us this ueek