Morning journal and courier., 1891-03-14
THE FLEETING SHOW.


 dence of this community as it does to-day. THE FLEETING SHOW. Some of Its Facts and Fancies. Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIER.l POOR LITTLE MOTHERS.
 The 'little mothers" of New York city
 are girls of ten and twelve years to whom
 is left the entire care of the younger chil-
 dren and of the poor rooms they call
 home during the absence of their mothers,
 who, to supply the needs of the family,
 must work day after day at some outside
 occupation. Wan, overworked and poor ly fed little creatures, with many painful
 experiences and none of childhood's pleas
 ures, they last summer attracted the kindly interest of a large-hearted
 woman from whose energetic efforts the
 ''Little Mothers Association" sprang into
 being and still continues in active exis- tence.
 The services of the little mothers being indispensable in the household, holidays were practically unknown to them. They
 saw other children happily starting off on the many fresh air fund excursions, while they were obliged to remain in the squalid tenement to nurse fretful or ailing child until the long, weary day of oppressive heat dragged itself to a close, trial that
 must have filled their young hearts with envy and bitterness. The association pro- vided for these also way of escape, and by making arrangements for the care of the babies, gave the little mothers at least one blessed day of freedom. Two excur- sions each week were given them all through the summer months, and in some instances this one day at Pelham Bay park afforded the first glimpse of the country the children had ever enjoyed. 'I don't like to-" faltered one little creature, when urged to tell why she would not walk upon the grass, all starred with golden-hearted daisies, 'I don't like to. It looks like graves. l never saw any country before except graves" It seemed, poor little dweller in crowded court, that all her knowledge of growing grass and flowers was learned in her one experience of flu neral.
 At an expense of less than a dollar each, eight hundred and fifty children were given days outing, two substantial meals and the delightful tonic of a bath in the sound. During the winter number of entertain | ments have been given in aid of this non sectarian charity and quite sum of mon l ey obtained which will be used for the children's excursions next summer. Many | of them have been looked after at their | homes and when i'll have been taken to | the hospital when the prejudice and igno- rant fears of the parents would permit the removal.
 Mrs. J. H. Johnson, the enthusiastic | leader in this good work, writes to the | New York Tribune: ''If tailor or carpen- | ter or bricklayer is out of work in many | cases he becomes a tramp or loafer. If
 his wife will provide shelter, food and fire l for his children, he shares it. This pro- duces the class to whom I am giving my | life, the little mothers It is not the fond | care of the elder sister, relieving the arms of mamma for time, it is being deprived | forever of childhood's natural heritage of | joy. It is having the back bowed with care, the face furrowed with anxiety, the muscles overtaxed at the period when | girlhood needs the tenderest attention. It is having responsibility without knowledge, | authority without experience, thrust upon
 the child. Could you see the misshapen. distorted, ill-developed bodies of many of
 our little mothers as we prepare them for
 the bath at Pelham bay, you would realize
 the cruel task imposed upon these growing girls. But that is a small part of the
 wrong" She adds that these perpetually
 out of-work men who will not accept such
 work as is offered lest they should "miss
 a good iob;" who sleep in the shelter, eat
 the food and wear the clothing that the la 1
 ness and drunkenness, are found lying | drunk in the tenement rooms where the little mothers care for their flock, polluting
 the air with their vile breath and the moral
 atmosphere with viler language.
 Children whose young days are passed
 amid such influences can be sound neither
 in body or mind rest, comfort, lnstruc-
 ton are all denied them, and life is an
 intending round of care. One cannot helI l .ptr taI tr
 the keeping of such overtaxed and igno
 rant nurses. Doubtless they are not
 always unloving, but many of them mus
 feel as did the outspoken glrl who declar
 ed that she hated babies. 'I wouldn't dc
 nothing to hurt 'em," she said, "but
 don't like 'em, they're so heavy. This i.
 the first time ever got let out withou
 taking one along" This was not an un natural expression of feeling, under th' : circumstances, and as easily accounted fo was the speech of another child who sait
 to one of the ladies: q didn't think yol was married cause you laugh so much. l These melancholy views of life, its condi tions and duties, are not to be wondered
 at but they hint at a terribly unhapp,
 state of affairs. Fortunately the attention of many generous and sympathetic wo 3 men has at last been drawn to the condi , tion of these children, and it is hope
 that they may do much to check their 1ap
 i'd drift into that powerful tide of evi g known as "the dangerous class"
 l THE FASHIONS IN MARCH, 1861. 8 Janet Chase Hoyt in one of her interest r ing and valuable sketches entitled "I l | Womans Memoirs,' describes two yer @ stylish costumes as seen by her at Wast - iugton at the time of President Lincoln v inauguration The description may anus a young readers and recall to older one
 their own satisfaction or social triumphs Il when arrayed in garments of simils h ton. If style of dress is really beautifl , and becoming at one time, why should
 be thought grotesque and ridiculus [ 1T another2
 tt The first was worn by Miss Gwin, [ V great belle," whose father was the senate ; from California, and prominent secession " ist. Close behind Miss Gwin, as she wake T. home from church one morning, went tl m admiring little Miss Chase, storing up re her childish mind the details of dress
 widely different at every point from tl
 dress of today Fancy" she writes, ( D. very full, ight-colored silk, gathered = numerous folds at the waist, and exten !. ing to the ground over hoop of enormo, 'h dimensions; waist cut in what We wou ,n consider now simply impossible fashio oe with shoulder seams coming far below u . shoulder and holding the arms down like ae strap; with wide open sleeves showil h- very full puffed under sleeve, and bro he turned-down collar of lace. The bonne fla which was stuck almost on the back of t ,,o neck, was so small that it left the top of t 'ie head quite exposed to both sun and wint O. wiuds-snd as for the shoes! What lady