Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-03-10

no friends to whom to apply for advice,
the best plan would be to secure quarters
through the Bureau of Public Comfort,
headquarters of Worlds Columbian Expo
sition, Chicago, who will send list of ho-
tells, boarding-houses and private families,
with graduated scale of prices, on appli-
cation
l wonder if any of The Phoenix readers
remember an account of Christmas din
ner at the Waits Mission, written some
three or four years ago. The event, with
its attendant fusilade of turkey-legs and
chorus of ecstatic howls, was my introduce
tion to the hoodlum element of the city, and
inspired an interest in the work of this
mission which has never quite died out.
Connected with the mission is a school
under the city board of education, and a
printing-office, which is good source of
revenue, while at the same time giving
the boys good trade. messenger SER
vice has also been established from which
in two months enough has been realized to
pay for the uniforms of "a boys, about $50
apiece, and place a small sum in the treas
W ONoluNo bilio3 oh VApiCoo
was organized three months ago, and dur
ing that time the boys have handled $780,
600 worth of goods without the loss of
single package Three wagons and four
carts are in use, and the boys are establish
ing good reputation for promptness and
fidelity in delivering goods. Thus far the
Waits Mission has been handicapped in
its efforts by lack of room and money-a
state of affairs which promises to be done
away with soon if an enthusiastic meeting
of its friends, held last week. may be tax en-
as an indication of public sentiment 1t
| is proposed to make an active canvass at
once for contributions of money, and when
sufficient amount is raised, a ten-story
building will be erected on a centrally To-
Gated lot. The basement will contain a
! large free bath, and the stories above will
| be leased for light manufacturing where
the boys will be taken as apprentices,
or devoted to the use of the mission for
such purposes as dormitories, dining
rooms and mammal training schools.
This experiment in behalf of street boys
who are in danger of becoming criminals or
have already started on the downward
path, will be watched with interest, not
only by our own citizens, but by people
everywhere who believe in the ounce of
prevention theory. Already the city Bride
well has such great number of boys in
side its walls that their disposition is a
serious problem, and being thrown in con-
tact with older and more hardened crimi-
mails greatly lessons the chance of rescuring
them. In three years, the boys of the
Waits Mission have earned S10,500, and
Mr.. Daniels, the superintendent, promises
that, given the ten-story building above
described, no more money will be asked of
the public, and six per cent interest will be
paid on the sum invested.
Admirers of Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin-
and where is the person who has read her
charming books and is not numbered
among them?-enjOyed the rare pleasure
of hearing her read in Central Music hall
the other evening for the benefit of a
child's free bed in the Presbyterian hospi-
tal Mrs. Wiggin is in the closest and ten
derest sympathy with children, and ha1
| Deen JHOTOugH SIuutuJ vi Cuilu-lliS III All
its phases. She has charming person.
ality, a voice soft yet penetrating, and as
she read, in an almost conversational tone,
the sunshine and pathos, the humor and
tenderness, of child.life were pictured to
the mind in the most exquisite coloring.
Extracts from "Timothy's Quest" "The
Birds Christmas Carol" and "a Cathe-
dral Courtship' were given, in an easy,
|. graceful and peculiarly natural style, which
had no taint of elocutionary drill, and the
,, entertainment was so thoroughly delight
ful feel impelled to say to all who will
listen: "Hear Mrs. Wiggin read, if you
: can; but at all events read her captivating
little stories.' E. f. G.