Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
A GOOD SAMARITAN.
Her Expertence with "Homes" while Help
ing . Drunken Woman In the street

Her Experience with ~Homes~ While Help
ing . Drunken Woman In the street
From the Church Union
On returning from church two weeks ago
Sabbath morning wss surprised and panied
TO see crowd Of well-dressed bows throwing
missiles, dirt and paper at . drunken woman
on some steps Tho boys were not street urchins
BY any nieana some OF them had fine faces
and all were well dressed-apparently Sunday
scnooi ooys-and among them were three little
girls
Inc ioriorn woman was in q most pttiablo
condition. expressed surprise a. the bow
conduct IN their treatment Of this moor unfor
tunate, and assured them that thew had made
. mistake Of which they were conscious While
i expressed my confidence in the boys better
thought, and assured them Of nv trust in their
Willingness 10 JOIN me in trying to help TO
oenent this distressed creature, TO my surprise
TINS railing drunken woman Joined me, saying:
Dear lady, the boys is good children. and
once had the good ones OF me own" I
began to be encouraged. aud asked her II
she would let me button her clothes, which
were open from neck TO waist with her
Agnus Del thrown over hea shoulder NY
shrinking physical eowardice at the railing,
crazy drunken woman gave place TO faith in
the hand of pity. She promised that abe would
go with me anywhere that would take her-to
else. She was a very heavy woman, and we
made slow time in reaching the street car,
which was two or three blocks distant When
we had gotten her into the car. she fell upon
the seat and was unable to manage herself.
Ihe conductor showed as much sympathy for
me as for the drunken woman. He lifted her
up and placed her on the opposite side In the
corner. l sat beside her. and the trip was
safely made Of about n mile and hall.
While our patient was taking her lunch with
IN fhal
the family table where she would most surely
nnd n shelter. NV brother suggested that there
was no hope in taking her TO any Of the mission
MONIES, which are provided ostensibiy for such
weak, sinful ones, but when we had gone over
tne list assured him should take her 20 the
Florence mission, as / had never failed with
any applicant that had taken there, from the
chronic opium woman TO the girl who claims
to desire a temporary home. On our arrival at
the Florence mission the head superintendent
was out, and we were met at the door by an
assistant superintendent and another woman,
who stood with the door open but a very little
way, who refused TO take in this woman, on the
ground that they never provided for any per-
son Of her age.
From the Florence mission walked the long
distance across town and up TO Washington
square 70 the Wetmore Home with nv very
neavy, Wearisome patient, as / was obliged 70
hold on to her as she reeIed along the streets
But on our arrival, nv patient was not of the
class winch the Wetmore Home was willing TO
receive. She was rejected very much after the
same fashion as at the Florence mission
was assured that no woman could be re-
ceiNed there VINO was over twenty five years of
age. Here. by request. was permitted to leave
my patient IN chair in the hall while went
ior carriage, as by this time my right arm
was so lame from the swaying of the rcelinv
woman that was nearly exhausted and felt
that was justified in taking cab. as could
not oetray the poor creature confidenee by TAX
ing her to a station house, which seemed to be
the only alternative. At the Metmore Home /
was assured that the ST. Barnabas Home had
been established for just such women and that
would surely find accommodation for her
mere. We drove to the ST. Barnabas Home to
meet a similar reception; as the head superin-
tendent stated that I'VE never take women
here who are under the influence of liquor"
though she assured me that the Hopper Home
on "a avenue was established FOR this es-
Recisi purpose. vas well acquainted with the
hopper Homeland had attended many meetings
there, and knew this home to be kept up in the in
terest Of discharged prisoners felt very
uoubtfui whether my patient would be re-
celved. Still, drove directly to the Hopper
home on I'd avenue. Here the approximations
and another woman at the door were not in
ehned 10 admit her even into the hall us the
superintendent said they never received any
women under the influence Of liquor. lacked
her II she knew Of any place in the city where
women IN her condition could be received and
cared for. She replied: None, except the
station houses" | asked her il the woman
could be received in the Hopper Home IL
should take her 10 my own home and keep her
until she was entirely free from the effects of
liquor. She replied that she could, and then
questioned the woman whether she had ever
been In any home for inebriates, &c. Ny pa
tient answered all the questions satisfactorily.
and the superintendent agreed to take her the
next Gay, If j would take care Of her until
then.
drove back to my home, and as had no
suitable place or attendant for this patient for
the night, / concluded TO make one more ef-
fort and drove to the Margaret Strachan Home
on West 9th street Here did not attempt TO
have my patient leave the carriage, but went
up the steps and Was met by the assistant
superintendent and another woman to whom
made application, and the response was SO Diff
ferent both in tone and manner felt sure there
must be some mistake and asked for the head
superintendent, who at that moment came to
the door. asked her under what conditions
or rules OF the institution q wretched woman
could be received. She replied: I'VE have no
rules and no conditions. Any woman in dis
tress needing help We receive at any hour of
the day or night unless We are full and can
take no more" She informed me that thew
were very full, and the night before thew had
been obliged TO make up a number OF beds on
the foor, at the same time offering to 60 down
to the carriage and help me bring in the
woman. But by this time the patient was
4oasc euAo W ~ up tne bttpt py nereelf, ne we
had spent most Of the Sabbath afternoon in
driving about the streets Of the city.
The Margaret Strachan Home was founded
in 1888 by On earnest, faithful Christian
woman, poor sesmstress In passing the
houses Nos. los, los aud 107 West 9th
street, to and from her work she became
deeply interested in the class OF women and
girls who freouented these houses This home,
with its fruits, is q marvellous example of the
Heavenly Fathers plying care and the verif-
cation Of Scripture, that He has chosen the
weak things Of this world. The landlord tor
mented beyond measure by the complaints Of
Christian people referring to the instances Of
his houses, when one OF them became vacant
accepted Margaret Strachan's proposal and let
her have it rent free for one month to estab-
lish temporary home for the reformation Of
those wretched girls. A ieafiet published by
Miss Strachan in 1885 reported that she had
received into the home 400 persons; sent
to the hospital, IS; left Of their own &C.
cord. 81; dismissed, 81; found places for
self-support for SCI; restored TO their
families, 6l7; gone to housekeeping, Il6;
married, 8; at present in the home ~ girls
Many influential and wealthy women in the city
were induced by her--sone Of whom had for
merly been her patrons--to donate sums of
money and clothing. This institution is man.
aged by committee or an association of women.
who have purchased Nos 8 and ., four-story
brown-stone houses, in which are held daily
religious services and 70 which are admitted
whomsoever is In need and as many as the
house will hold. We would recommend anv
person mr. nersons from thei- sfora la,a ~ 80