Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-03
CITY AND DISTRICT.
HOMELESS IN PARIS.
Talk With Mrs. Lewis About the
Care OF Notwithstanding Strangers.

81 ohfsC's.
THE IMMENSE RESULTS OF A SMALL BEGINNING
of oNE-fRASc PIECE-THE OUTRAGEOUS
FRENCH MARRIAGE LAws-AMERICAN BRIDES
-sHAMkFrLLY DESERTED WITHOUT REDRESS.
Mrs. Ada Leigh Lewis wife Of the lord bishop
ofontario, has been in this city for some time
past IN the interests of the association OF Brit
ish and American mission homes and Christian
associations in Paris. which work was begun and
mainly organized by her, Since she has been
here Mrs Lewis has held several meetings. in
which she has told of the good work done by
TINS association One Of these meetings was in
the parlors OF the British legation. where she
spoke to some of the leading people OF the city,
who are alrea ~ greatly interested IN the work
and have promised their aid. Tomorrow morn
ing at IL O'Clock Mrs. Lewis will speak in the
chapel of the Church of the Covenant
The main work of this association Is
10 furnish as istance OF various sorts to young
Englsh-speaking people in Paris who may be
without friends and without a home. 1t main
talns a mission home for English and American
women. young women Christian association,
mission ball an Orphanage for English and
American children. a governesses and artists
institute and home. Christ church. n parson-
age house. school room and the British and
American young mems home and club known
Washington mouse. All these various insti-
tutions have been organized by Mrs Lewis and
maintained sOlely by contributions from friends
on both sides OF tire water, mainly. however.
from the English people. Although these
charities all much for the benefit of
young Americans and the benefits from
them have been enjoyed by them
as fully by the English. yet scarcely
a twentieth part OF the half million or more
dollars contributed has come from this coun-
try. Mrs. Lewis is here to make "a general APP
peal to Americans IN half of the cause for
which she has labOred long and earnestly.
She Is also very ANXIOUS to urge the adoption
OF an international marriage law between this
country and France by which the interests of
American girls vino will insist on marrying
foreigners viii be protected as far as possible.
She VIII be entertained at dinner party this
evening by a lady prominent in society to meet
various members OF the cabinet and to discuss
this question from the point OF view of a lady
who has lived tor many Years IN Paris and
knows of the evils of which she speaks She is
heartily opposed to international marriages as
they now contracted and speaks with the
utmost Indignation of the wretched way i'll
which American women almost invariably
treated by their French husbands.
HOW THE INSTITUTIONS ARE MANAGED.
Mrs. Lewis is the lady president of the va
rious associations. all OF which have been or
ganized by her within the last fifteen years,
their president being the earl of Aberdeen
They have board OF general directors and a
general council. council III Paris and London
committee, of which the duchess of Teck is
president The main association. including all
the various homes and Christian associations
has committees and honorary secretaries and
treasurers through Out the different parts of
the united kingdom and a part of Mrs Lewis
mission to the United States is to organize a
system of work here well as to ask financial
aid for the work III Paris. Mrs. Lewis was Miss
Ada Maria Leigh until about a year ago. when
she was married 10 Bishop Lewis of Ontario. The
ceremony took place at the British legation in
Paris III February. 1883. the religious ceremonies
being conduct q IN Christ church Mrs Lewis
does not intend to let her marriage prevent her
from carrying on her share of the work i'll Paris
by any means. for she expects TO spend at least
three months out of every year there She will
PROBABLY sail for Europe some time next month
A STAR reporter called on Mrs. Lewis today
and asked her If she wOUld not tell something
of the methods and success of the work and
this she kindly cOnse nted 70 do. In answer to his
inquiries MIS-. Lewis said: Our work has been
SO immense III Its proportions and the success
attending our efforts has been encouraging
that hardly know where to begin. But what
VIII perhaps interest you much as anything
would be to tell you of the the beginning of
the work 1t was very small ever to have i'll
itlated such a prosperous undertaking.
SMALL BEGINNING.
81 once overheard reckless young woman in
the streets of Paris say she did not care what
ever became of her. l tapped her on the
shoulder and as she turned / told her that if
she did not care did. From that time on did
what / could for her and am glad to say that
event was turning point i'll her life. She
afrerward gave me. carefully wrapped in a
piece of paper. a one-franc piece with the re-
quest that would do what good with it | could
In helping some other woman. With that coin
TO start with and to encourage me, backed by
my own resources. a floor in an apartment
house was taken and opened as home for
young English-speaking women who were in
Paris without "a home. The work received
such encouragement that in about year we
had bought and paid for the whole house at a
cost of $4,000. That was III 1875. The sim
pie fact that a woman has no other home to go
TO Is the only requirement for admission, and
since that mission home was opened it has
cared for over 5000 omen.
DEsERTIoS OF AMERICAN BRIDES
"The following year an Orphaaage was opened
by the association. This was the gift a Mr.
GalignanL II Is home for deserted children
as well as orphans and a large proportion of
those cared for are the children of American
women who have been deserted by their
French husbands. You know French law does
not recognize as legal the marriage OF ii French
man 70 an American woman unless all the hun
dred or more articles III the civil code that
govern marriages have been rigidly Obeyed.
A woman in love Is hot likely to think OF these
numerous little legal points. many OF which are
cases of shameful desertlon in Paris
than could possibly be imagined One
case that came to my attention recently will
serve as an example: An American woman with
SIX children was deserted by her French hus-
band, who coolly went OFF with her fortune and
another woman, and, to her surprise and hor-
rOr, she found that she had no CLAIM on h,m
The Law did not recognize her as his wife and
her children were lllegItlmate. know French
law to my finger tips and know the hopeless
ness OF u woman ever getting redress. A con-
vention was held by England with France some
years ago and as result marriages between
those two peoples were made much more diff
cult One requirement., tor example. cOmpels
the man to present a certificate signed by three
consuls showing that he Is III a position to
marry, financially and otherwise Then there
are other regulations looking to the protection
OF the women In my opinion America can do
no better than to follow the example of Eng
land an this matter. Sir Julian Pauncefote was
secretary Of state in England when that con-
yention was held and he was greatly interested
In our movement both there and here"
THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
"What OF the other Institutions under the
Management of the general association" asked
The STAR reporter.
They are all in a most rourishing condition,
though supported entirely by voluntary contri-
buttons" said Mrs Lewis. 1T maintains a