The evening world., 1891-04-16
Victims Of Poverty or Misfortune
Made Comfortable for a Time.
No Sect or Creed Recognized All
Are Welcome.

IL 10 DOOT duu III
adequate. The place is clean, warm,
wholesome and respectable, but the
floors are partially covered with
cheap carpet, there Is an insufiiciency
OF chairs, tho bed coverings are OF a mid
summer weight, there are no pictures on
the walls and only few papers and maya
zines on the library shelves but for all this
interior nakednoss there is freedom about
the place that commends It to shpwrecked
and despondent women.
There are few or no rules to be broken.
There are no set questions requiring sworn
answers. The Matron is a tender
hearted little woman who hasn't any
time to collect biographical sketches. and
doesn't care whether the applicant was
baptized, vaccinated, educated or married
To nationality, history, religion and poll
tics she 10 equally Indifferent. Tho applL-
cant for a nights lodging or Q weeks
board is ushered into her private room,
where some such conversation as this en-
sues
You would like to remain in tho Homo
few of days, am told"
eyes"
well, tell me your name, what your
business has been and what you expect to
DO in New York, and we will try and take
care Of you"
Then comes the old, sad story Of want
and woe, Of suffering and distress, anxiety
and encouragement Of tho unhappy
stranuer or the ynisarahla xv;fa driy,, into
the street by degraded and unnatural hus-
band
All that goes on the entry sheet is the
date Of application, name and occupation
with single remark suggested by the
circumstances. The girl may have been
she may have been recommended by a
former guest, or she may come from di-
rector. She may not have dime In her
pocket, but provided she was not
intoxicated or deprayed In appear
ance she would be admitted and made
comfortable for the night. While she re-
mained In the Home she would not be
treated like an imbecile, criminal or u
mendicant. Tho doors are never locked
Inmates are at liberty to come
and go when they like, and al
though given to understand that the
house is closed at 1880 o'clock they are
never locked out. Even q so-called prowler
who rang the bell at midnight and asked
for shelter would be admitted by the
mute doorkeeper. II is all well enough
for the virtuous and fortunate to
pirate and scoff at the wisdom of this
kind Of freedom and indulgence, but hus-
bands and even mistresses have been known
to open the door and drive into the street
helpless women who have incurred their
displeasure. Religious regulations would
debar them from various institutions calcu.
lated to benefit tho forlorn and unhappy,
money would keep them from going
to public hotel, and In the alb,
sence OF friends choice would have
to be made between the police station and
the haunts OF the vicious. The good
women who established the Home were
cognizant of all this when they left 1t.
management to tho discretion OF the
Matron.
| Aho ioho"ihk puOtutIOub arc tdhcu ITOu
the seventh annual report
During the past year the beds have beer
rented ll,224 times by adults, and occupied
by children 1915 times.
Private rooms at e per week rentet
l7S times.
The beds rent at Is, 20 and 80 cents pc
night
Twenty-Five thousand Ave hundred ant
. ten meals served in the restaurant at al
average Of 10 cents each.
Number Of baths taken 2,O4l.
, Number Of trunks stored 4, 4s3.
Number Of women attending Sunda.
evening service ,2S4.
o Two facts are suggested from the above
Indifference to the bathtub and religion
exercise. Baths are furnished at one cen
each, which provides for hot or cold water
two towels and piece OF soap, but of tn
ll.224 women and their 375 babies onl
2,O4l cared for scrubbing. Whether thi
!, apathy was dle to poverty or aquatic aver
$ sion could not be ascertained Dread G
la grippe may have intimidated the UT
waShed v,UOu.
The Sunday evening prayers, which ar
!, largely song services, are optional, those r.
ligously inclined preferrlng to go out t
o church, unless detained by stormy weather
n The Home occupies No. 81 Second ave
:, nue., substantial four story building, wher
!, an average of fifty women are housed daily
!, The upper floors contain the beds, whic
10 rent at fifteen, twenty and twenty-fy
l. cents. according to tho number in room
six being the liElit.
Private rooms are 80 cents each. On th
y main floor are the parlors, ono being n
served exclusively for the reception OF Wis
tors. II girls best fellow calls to see hs
he is entertained here, and welcome to T,
!. main until 10 O'Clock. The other parlor COL
tains long table, about which the girls s
J. and read or sew. There is always a baby
y a little child In the house, on whom the loI
and sympathy OF the boarders is lavished
'e The dining-room is in the basement on
'e the laundry is below. A girl orders wha
ever she can afford. Sixteen cents will pa