The record-union., 1893-09-16
THE LOVE OF BEAUTY.
Among the Tenement Sections @
Great Cities.

Among the Tenement Sections OF
Great Cities.
1t was some years ago that / came upon
a fugitive newspaper story of two mites
of girls in the tenement stricken section
OF New York, who were seen one summer
day clapping their hands and exclaiming
ioyously. They had found few spears
of green grass that had somehow struggled
into brief life between two stones of a
pavement and they were making to
themselves garden thereof. The writer
of the sketch inferred that this was the
first glimpse of green growing things
that these pale growing babies had ever
had.
1t was a pathetic little tale at the best,
and made almost unbearably so by the
inference, which l shall believe was in
correctly drawn; for life in it's fact is pitt
less enough to these tenement dwellers,
without trenching on the fancy. 1t is
possible, even in these days of fresh-a air
missions, that children may be found
who know not the freedom OF grassy
meadow, whose sight has never run the
limit OF natures horizon. Possible, but
no more than that. For these things are
done for the poor-in-purse that they may
know something, catch some small
glimpse of the better part of life. Chari-
ties, however, are but sporadic; and how
about the poor-in-purse during the in
| tervals?
Happily they are not poor-in- heart as
well. Equally with their benefactors they
strive for better conditions; equally, for
the instinct is common to no class or
caste, but runs through all mankind, from
richest to poorest. And though the at
! tempt in the tenement is made meagrely
and amid difficulties, it is heartfelt; and
there springs from it pale beauty that
brings high comfort and peace TO the
longing, Impoverished soul. This, at
least, the very poorest can and will at
tempt for themselves.
1t has been mine during these summer
days to go by lane and alley, street and
row, through the tenement districts of
New York, where the living are crowded
together as the stones in the street, and
life is most sordid and miserable. Here
wealth of charity, public and private, is
cast-and makes about as much commo-
ton as stone cast into the sea. Here the
rich, with more or less, ostentation, strive
to make amends for the unequal gifts of
fortune. They do something for the
poor. What are the poor doing for them
selves?-George /. Putnam ip Godey's.
A Priestly Hero.
There recently died in Macon, Ca, a
man who was truly one of the heroes of
the Civil War. Though he never bore
arms save those of the warfare of the
cross, Father Hubert-he was known by
no other name-went to the front from
no motiYes of political ambition or love
of glory, nor at the call of an imperiled
country; he was a Frenchman, with no
stake in the great struggle of North and
| South. He came to the field of war be-
cause he saw there an opportunity to
minister to his fellow-men.
| LAS Chaplain in the Confederate army"
l t1n 81. rl,1
| highest courage of manhood and the
manly gentleness of the minister of God. !"
| To be near the men of his command, he
shared their tolls and privations to the
! full. He marched afoot with them
| through bushes and brambles until his
cloths hung from him in honorable rags.
! When the Merrimac put back disabled
after her duel with the Monitor. he sent
word to her commander, Admiral Bu-
chanan, that he wished to go ON board to
attend to those who might need his
services.
"Falher," said the Admiral, ST do not
wish you to come aboard. If the Mon
! itor returns tomorrow, l may blow up
the Merrimac, with all on board, for We
are in no condition to fight. and we will
never surrender. Remain on shore"
"My place is with the wounded and
dying" replied Father Hubert. "1f it be
necessary, I wish to die with the men,
| Surely such quiet and earnest devotion
| is the stuff of which the truest heroes are
made, whether they wear epaulettes or
! cassock. Blue and Gray.
Joseph Jefferson has written friend in
Cincinnati that he is much annoyed by the
reports in the papers about his illness,
especially about his having cancer, say
| ing: II am afraid the public will fancy
that 1 am making bid for its sympathy.
like the prima donna who loses her sum-