The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-12-21
HOME SCHOOLS OF VICE.
Children Who We're Better
if Taken from Their
Parents.
A ROUND WITH THE pO0gMAsTER.
Mr.. Hewitt Establishes Point in
Social Philosophy BY Force
full illustrations.

IT, remarked PooriAaSter Hewitt to me
a few evenings ago, come with me for a
short stroll
followed the Poormaster through the
mud and slusn of Warren street, over the
piles of filth and debris about the rail-
road crossing and along the fronts of the
miserable tenements beyond. 1t was as
/ dark rs pitch, but the feeble rays of light
that shone from the distant street lamps
gave an occasional glimpse of groups Of
shabbily dressed children. who sought
even the cold night air in preference to
the foul smelling atmosphere of their
homes. lurking about their Railways
This talk of phiianthrophy is all well
enough in its way Mr.. Hewitt re-
marked, as we pushed on through the
darkness. II know there are lots of de-
serving poor peoples they should be taken
| care OF, aud their children especially
1 looked after. But there are others who
| deserve no sympathy. You dare not give
| them money; they'll spend it for rum. If
/ you give their children clothes, they'll
/ pawn 'em for drink Bpt just as soon as
| you hint at taking their children away
from them where they can be cared for,
they're I'LL up in arms, and the mother
has always the sympathy OF the public.
| Now, it's wrong. There should be law
against children being brought up amid
surroundings which | will show you. It
is from this class we get our jailbirds and
our paupers. They are bred as such.
| This way-nO, next opening
| THE HOME or a FENCE
/ The Poormaster doged in d sort Of OPEN
ing and disappeared from my gaze. AS
stumbled down step felt his back and
kept my hand on his shoulder for fear of
| losing him in the darkness | followed
him some twenty odd steps, aud as my
| eyes became accustomed to the gloom
recognized a dilapidated row Of houses
| with rickety high st0ops. The Poormas-
| ter again lodged under Que of the stoops
and raped at the door. A ragged little
girl whose face looked rs though she had
| been roofing with pigs in the yard opened
| the door and we entered.
It was the home of a man who is in
prison on charge Of receiving stolen
goods. Probably unjustlY IMPRISONED,
but stolen goods were found under his
| bed. ana though the thieves escaped the
! law required that he should b. arrested.
and he has been unable to secure bail for
his freedom until his trial comes of.
NEVER USE WATER.
The ceiling was low and it and the
walls were black with smoke and dirt. II
was hidden in some places by still worss
| soiled and old-fashioned cheap prints OF
Catholic saints. A lounge covered with
rags, a few chairs and a table covered
with q soiled cloth as coarse as the fabric
| OF salt sack formed the furniture OF the
room. The floor was uncarpeted and not
as clean as 1t might have been. The
stove, in which good fire was burning,
WAS the only cheerful pieca OF furniture
in the dingy room. Ca the table sat a
lamp with IA broken chimney and near It.
was the wife OF the imprisoned man
suckling year old bnbe. She Is a woman
OF ordinary intelligence, but her face is
bloAted. Still she denies that she drinks,
and says her husband seldom took a
drop.
! "But why don't yon wash your chill
tinge OF harshness in his tone. Water
costs nothing"
just LOOK AT THIsy'
Indeed. Mr. Hewitt, said the woman,
with an appealing glance ut the Poor
masters face, Il haven't had the time.
All day I've been hunting bail for my
husband. I've walked between the jail
and the place where my husband worked
no less than half a dozen times today
/ "PsnaWi' replied the Poormaster.
do you mean 20 tell me you've washed
that child's face in month"; just look
| at this" be continued. unbuttoning the
chld's dress at the neck and revealing Il
throat almost as filthy as the face. you
| might at least contribute to your child's
/ health and happiness by washing it.
| Look at the difference between your child
and this one" pointing to a cIeanly
dressed and rosy-faced little girl who
came down from her home on the floor
| above
The woman made several comments on
| the Injustice done her husband. She de-
| clared she and her husband were in bed
| asleep when the two men entered that
| night with the goods after they had bee n
frightened OFT the street. The door w as
| unlocked because the child had dropped
! the key through hole in the floor.
GENTEEL POVERTY.
| As we made our way 10 the street. the
/ Poormaster remarked again, abiding es-
! pecially to the boy who was arrested
with the father" WHAT'S to be expected
of these children? They will only join
the army of jailbirds aEd paupers. Now
| come with ME and l will show yoa CON
! trast.
| In another section of the city followed
! the Puormaster through dark hallway
| anu Climbed TO the second story OF q
frame tenement. up long flight of steps
and along balcony till we reached a
certain door.
| "Come I'M said CHEEKY voice.
| The Poormaster opened the door. We
entered room crowded with old fash
| Toned but we'll kept and clean furniture.
| A pleasant faced old lady in a rocker
| greeted the Poormuster, aud a we'll be-
! hayed ana cleanly attired little girl. with
| plump cheeks aud auburn hair. sat at a
| table and listened respectfully to the con
versation between the Poormaster and
her mother.
Where's your other chiidren2p asked
the Poormaster
''Oh, they're about somewhere. Poor
| things, they're cooped in the shops all
day, and no wonder they want Whit OF
fresh air. guess They're around about
the hallway, except Maggie; she's uext
door studying her lesson with Jennie"
Now that woman said the Poormas-
! ter, as we climbed down the flight OF
| steps, deserves help. Her children do
| all they can for her, but You know the
pittance they receive, for they're young,
| you know. don't go far when you con-
] siderrent CLOTHES, fuel and food But while
/ we're up in this neighborhood I'll show
| You a character just by way OF variety"
| We entered another ricketty frame tone
ment and climed around three winding
| flights of steps TO the third story.
| DINAH's LITTLE BROOD
who's dat? bress de Lawd! It's
| Massa Hewitt. Come in. Sissy. you
brac little rascal. git down out'n dat chair
ana give udder gemman dat set Can't
! learn yer manners? Is yer got no SET
| respect"
Sissy crawled off the chair and nestled
herself on rickety sofa by the side of
| her invalid father. whose skin was