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

Roosevelt street
The name Is aristOcTatlc but the locality Is
dismal swamp or poverty and wretChed-
ness. You cannot walk the distance OF II
block without doing violence to health, and
wherever you look the senses are assailtd by
repulslve obJects-the putrefying carcass
OF murdered horse or fOrorn cat ;
semi-nude children searching the gut
tcrs for scraps Of provision tossed from
the dlngy shops; inhuman hags cruelty de-
graded by circumstances, turning up the Ofal
in the garbage cans with the greedy expec-
fancy Of hooking marketable rag or service
able clnder gaunt, bloodlcss men ana women.
made desperate by hunger and distress,
who pass and repaSS one another all hours Of
OF the day and night, and puny, fretful babies
cradled In the laps OF mothers TOO weak from
exhaustion to 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-
tributors to 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 rickety, damp stairs, stopping on every
f1Oor and inQuirng at every door for sick chill
drcn. To save time as well rs to econOmle
strength he took advantage OF the open sky
! lights to cross the roof to the next house,
making in the round trip sometimes forty
| visits
In one house, on the top floor, rear hat, his
knock was answered by a little girl, scarcely
eight years OF age. She was barefoot, a faded
calico dress covered her emaCiated form and
her tangled brown curls gave no evidence OF a
mothers care. swollen eyelids and white
marks on her dirty, pretty little face iudi.
Gated that she had been crying.
The Kitchen was lighted and ventilated by
a window overlooking court, and 50 close to
the adjoining tenement as 10 be reached by q
broom handle. The room was Cheerless, un.
tidy and absolutely without furniture, eX.
Ccpting pine table, II couple OF chairs and Il
cracker box that held an oil stove. In the
open fireplace were chips and blocks that
presumably had been gathered from u build.
ing in process OF construction.
Beyond this was a second room smaller In
size than the kitchen and darker than the
hall through which the doctor had groped hi.
way. on the bare floor, without carpet oI
bed OF any kind, lay the corpse OF little
child covered by sheet. The sister began Il
cry, not from pity or any kindred motive, Uut
fear.
II was her INST acquaintance with the hOr
rurs OF death, and she could not understand
II. she dearly loved her little sister, WHOM
she had cared for and played with ever since
she could remember, and now, when she stage,
in the other room with her blue eyes wild,
open, her lips apart as though about to spcal
to her, and her hands so cold and still, sh,
was afraid and wept bitterly.
Her mother was away, she said She ha,
had gone TO the undertaker's, and bade he
lock the door and sit at the open windoy
Ike good girl until she came back"
The baby sisterwas Just as the poor mOthe
had lert her. She wore cotton dress. sole
with wear and Sour-smeling from the mill
e medicines and food that had been dropped o
/ II. The shoes and stockings had the appear
anca OF being recently purchased and wcr,
IN iaCt, the only new articles about the plac,
Near by WAS bottle OF cholera mlxture-a
. the remedy poverty could afford
: Inquiry elected these statements from n
sorTowing child ana there Is sermon
: every one.
i " shs was always sicA, because MANN
i went away TO work every day and we stay
/ here alone. didn't have any sbosg or hat
wsay, and before It was hot didn't Lave an
CLOAK. And we didn't have hny dinner Il
q mamma came home. My papa Is dead, III
n my little brother, hes dead, too"
Dr. Hubbard viii see that the child IS d
, Gently buried. But there IS othsr and mol
q Important work 10 bs done IN the case. Sist,
II Is as thin ~, lath. II Is doubtful II 81
Il ever had one neatly mcri uf nOurishiug 70.
h In her whole lie; II Is douDaGl II she know
the comfort OF shoes and sEOCkings 'he size
her little feet or the luxury Of clean, 50
Clorhlng.
she needs TO be put under treatment, h
n body washed and cared FOR, her hair cliDp,
L and her system built up with strengtheniI
m oils, SOUPS and gruels. She needs fresh a
and personal assistance Vt once and h
=, heRrtbroksn mother, who has tried SO brave
TO support herself and family, is very deseJ
ing of the help and encouragement you Ct
, render.
= What We cannot help Is our mlSfortun