The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-20

n MGAaA tA taS
figure gives a characteristic pose OF the
lamb. /,
Copyright.
LADY OF THE SPLENDID HOUSE.
The True Starry of the Work of a Chicago
& Woman.
Written for THE HELENA 1NDErENDENT.l
not MANY YEARS AGO THERE
III lived a little girl in q eountry town
TX in illinois.
~ She was a gray-eyed, slender lite
tie creature, full Of day-dres,ns. She hads
passion for Beautiful things. She built air
castles, had lovely plans Of what she woulo
dc when she was . woman
~ shall havc = splendid house, snesa!u.
II won't have it in 4 row with other houses.
1t shall STAND by itself. All the roomssha!l
have books and pictures. And ! an gong
to hays it just right in the midst Of dlncy,
dreadful houses. streets and streets or
them, so that people who don't have much
can come and enjoy ny things"
1t seemed likely that this little girl could
have anything she wantcd. shs was al
only child, and there was plenty Of money.
She had the usual round of school and
school friends. Than father and mother
were taken from hsr, ana she was left an
~orphsn-with . fortune.
She went abroad for travel and study.
taking with her q friend to share her ad-
vaRtagss.
There she law palaces finer than the
splendid house abe had dreamed of. She
saw pomp,~ luxury. She saw close %neighbor
to tho great and ploasure-sesking the dlngy,
dreadful houses with their toiling poor; and
these were not invited of the rich. But the
rich Illinois girl cared more for these than
she did for those in palaess.
She wanted her splendid house more than
before, much more, and wanted it in the
SPOT where Woodworking men, women, and
children were.
She went to London. She and her friend
devoted themselves to learning all the ms
and outs of charitable work. She was
hungry to determine how practical her
ideas were, tested by the experiences Of
other friends Of the poor. Then she came
back homo to Chicago.
She looked about for & locality where
there were dingy houses enough to make
such a neighhorheod as she had set her
heart upon.
She found it in the west division Of the
C1EY on IlEl8b0Hu kklo0l. l1lASe GIL Il BIoe
she ohoas, and between that and the river,
is an Italian colony Of about ten houses
and persons; south are thick settlements of
Germans, Poles and Russians, merging into
q large Bohemian quarter; west ars Cana
dian French. and north are Irish. That
was 4 good size for q "nslghborhood."
The house she chose il a big square
building-an old family mansion, aban-
donea long ago by its owner az trade and
immigration made the vicinity undesirable.
It had long been used as = tenement. It's
occupants had swarmod in its spacious
rooms like rats.
This was Just the thing for a splendid
house. -- -
Our little girl-nov a delicate and lovely
young ~woman-said, first make it whole
some, then beautiful"
She had all tie plumbing torn out, the
most approved system pat in its place.
Walls were cleaned and artistically papsred.
were laid, polished, and spread with fine
rugs. Book shelves were built and filled
with books.
The whole arrangement of the vast build
ing WAS that of an elegant, refined, and
we'll ordered private house.
How long will il be pretty after a few
hundred dirty Italian children have tramped
through it?" ono lady asked. But she did
not worry about her "thinga."
What ean they co at Hull House-ao she
calls her homs-to help their tens and tens
of thousand neighbors?
Its influence as o cultivated and Hospital
BILE private home, is even moro than that OF
. college settlement IN such a locality,
Its deors are opened to the lowest. to the
poorest; especially are children Welcome,
Have tasir coarse. clumsy shoes spoiled this
: polished floors and tho vRlusbls rugs? Tn.
rudest of street. Arabs walk softly when
they enter. Are they swearing and noisy
~u1rar upI fnhf1nn in fhAun al onar
rooms? They are attentive, Interested,
polite.
The sick and sorrowful haunt the door
of the splendid house. A German woman
comes to say that her baby has diphtherin.
She speaks and is answere in her own
tongue. Our lady will go at once, anc
meantime tells ths mother what to do.
Another woman, nm Italian, comss stag
pering up the walk to the splendid house
with bleeding and battered face. I1c1
husband has beaten her. She sobs ont hel
story and is comforted in the speech of hel
own land. Her bruises are dressed, he
wounded heart soothed.
Then Il message comes from Fear by tina
the man with deliriun tramens is violen1
again. Our lady il tho only one who ear
quiet him.. She must go Immediately. |
turns out that sho spends the entire nigh
In watch over him.
Is this ell our lady has set ont to do? NJ
only one kind of her daily work.
Tho joyous part IL her schools, from thf
creche and kindergarten, the sewing ant
cooking classes, up to evening lectures or
high subjects and concerts of the bes
music. Philosophers, scientists, and art
ists delight to be invited to address til,
Hull house audiences of humble folk
Musicians devote their best skill to thei
concerts there.
The week is classified SO that every hon
1s filled. Each day differs, SO that a wild
range of work is compassod. Hundreds o
hands reach out TO help, for of course n,
one can DO much singie-handed. Has no
that little gray-e1e1 Illinois oirI'a da
dream hean realized? Her name ia Mis-
Jane Adams. CLARA DoyY BATEs.
Copyright.
Ruckisn's Rrniea SAWS.