The evening world., 1891-07-11
WHERE POVERTY REIGNS.
Nell Nelson Describes One OF the
Many Cases OF Destitution.
Roosevelt street,

Roosevelt street
The name Is aristOcratic, but the locality IS
dismal swamp OF poverty and wretcheG-
ness. You cannot walk the distance Of
block without doing violence to health, and
wherever you look the senses are assalled by
repuLsiye obIects-the putretytng carcass
Of murdered horse or tUrlOrn cat
semi-nude children searching the gut
ters for scraps Of provision tossed from
the dingy shops; lnhuman hags, cruelty de-
graded by circumstances, turning up the o1al
10 the garbage cans with the greedy eIpec-
fancy OF hooking marketable rag or service
able ctnder; gaunt, blOodless men ana women.
made desperate by hunger and distress,
" 10 pass and repass one another all hours OF
ot the day and night, and puny, tretful babies
Graded IN the laps OF mothers too weak from
exhaustion 10 move about.
This is the street and these are the scenes
familiar 10 the Free Physician assigned TO
missionary work by THE EVENING WORLD con-
tnbutOrs 10 the sick Babies Fund.
Yesterday that humane visitor gave nine
hours Of his time to this locality. He began
work on the pavement, treating little chill
dren and advising the mothers and elder sis
ter what to DO for special cases.
He went through the dark Railways and up
the rlckety, damp stairs, stopping on every
noor and inQuirtng at every door for sick chill
dren. To save time as well as to economic
strength he took advantage OF the open sky
lights 70 cross the roof TO the next house,
madnS 10 the round trip sometimes forty
visits
In one house, on the top roor, rear nat, his
knock was answered by little girl. scarcely
eight years Of age. She was barefoot, a faded
calico dress covered her emagiated form AID
her tangled brown curls gave no evidence u a
mothers care. swollen eyelids and white
marks on her dirty, pretty u,tIe lace lldi-
Gated that she had been crying
The LiJchen Vas lighted and ventilated by
a window overlooking a court, and So close 10
/ the adloialug tenement as 10 be reached by a
broom handle. The room was cheerless, IN
tidy aud absolutely without furniture, eN-
cepunG pine table, a couple OF chairs and a
cracker box that held an oil stove. In the
open fireplace We're chips and blocks that
/ presumably had been gathered from a build
ing In process OF construction.
Beyond this was a second room smaller IN
slLe than the kitchen and darker than the
hall through which ;he d,ctor had groped his
way. ON the bare floor, without carpet or
bed Of any Iud. lay the corpse OF a little
child covered by sheet. The sister b. gan to
cry, not from ply or any Kindred motive, but
fear.
II was her n:5t acquaintance with the hor-
rors or death, aud she could not understand
II. she dearly loved her little sister, whom
she nAd cared for and played with ever since
she could remember, and now when she STAYED
In the other room with her blue eyes wide
open, her lips apart as though about TO speak
10 her, and her hands 81 cold and still, she
was AFRAID and wept bitterly.
Her mother was away, she said she had
had gone TO the undertaEer's. and Gade her
lock the door and sit AZ the open window
like good girl until she came back"
The baby sister was just as the poor mother
had LETT her. She wore a cotton dress, solled
With wear and sour-smelllnG from the milk
medicines and food that had been dropped on
l It. The shoes and stockings had the appear.
unc OF bsing recently purchased, and we're
in tact, the only new articles about the place
Ncar by was bottle OF cholera mixture-aI
the remedy poverty could A1o-d
Iuquiry elected these statements tron II,
soIrowing child, and thsre Is a sermon II
. every one.
4 went SwEy TO work every day and we stage,
i here alone. ! didn't have any shOss or hat q
wsEr, and before It was hot didn't lave an,
c!oCs. Ard We didn't hEVs any dinner III
q mamma came home. My papa Is dead, an,
=. ruy liUtle brother, he's dead, too"
Dr, Hubbard will see that The child is de
, Gently buried. But thArs Is other and NOR
u important work 20 b. done In the case. siste
II is Ns thin as = lAth II Is doubtful sh
II ever had one hearty meal OF nouriShing FOO
h In her whole life, II l. doubtful II she know
the comfort OF shoes and stockings the sire G
her little feet or the luxury OF clean, sol
clothing
sue needs 20 be put under treatment, he
n body washed aud cared for, her hair clippe
l. and her system built up with strengthenin
N ons, souFs and gruels. sns needs Iresh Al
aud pAfsonG assistance ~ once, and hs
i, hsGytGroken mother, who has tried 20 braVel
20 support herself and family, Is very deseT,
ing Of she Aelp aud encouFagsment yoa q
II, render.
! What W. cannot h1lp = our minlustun.