Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-25
Pauline Pry Gets Glimpse of a
Life of Sacrifice.
PADRONES RULE IN PURDY'S COURT
A System That Makes Actual Slaves
of Women and Girls.
A RDEN TOO HEAVY

For the past ten days 1 have been living
in touch with the Italians in Schott's alley
and Purdy's court
Here 1 have found an American woman
who is counterpart Of Tolstoi. l have
also found that slavery has not been abol-
ished In the District of Columbia.
First, you must know that Schott's alley
and Purdy's court ere practically under
the shadow of the Capitol dome-the for
mer running between B and and 1st and
I'd streets northeast; the latter between
Pennsylvania avenue and b and 1st and
I'd streets northwest. The latter Is in the
rear Of the row Of boarding houses, most
of them familiar to every person passing
at the foot Of the Capitol grounds. where
the 14th street cable turns off the avenue.
Six weeks or so ago Judge Miller officially
recognized the truth of the statement 1
have made-that slavery still exists in the
District of Columbia. At that time, on the
authority OF the court, the board Of chill
dren's guardians took from their parents
two children-Lcuis and Theodore Rosetti,
the former nine and the latter twelve
years of age-evidence having been intro
duced to show that the girl had been sold
by her father for $50 to Marie Papi, an
Italian abandoned woman.
The complaint against the Rosetti parents
was made by Mrs. 5. E. Lucille Saffold,
a missionary, who has, at 21I Delaware
avenue northeast, a school for Italian girls.
A Case of Human Deprnvity.
Since the removal Of the children from
their home, three times the Rosetti woman,
stiletto in hand, has sought to take Mrs.
Saffolds life and last Thursday she and
the father, aided by another Italian, Louis
Occinero, undertook to secure the escape of
their son from the Industrial School, where
he had been placed by the board Of chill
dren's guardians. Unsuccessful in this,
they still boast among their people that
they will regain the girl from the House OF
the Good Shepherd-carry her off bodily
after knocking down the nun who admits
the mother to see the girl.
AS an isolated case of human depravity,
that of the Rosettis would appeal to char
ity But have learned that 1T is only one
among a hundred. Indeed, for more than a
week L have heard and seen so much Of
human misery my bones ache with pity,
and gladness even at Christmas time seems
profane. l have been initiated in what
Carlyle terms the divine worship of sor-
row." until l lose sight of Christmas for
gazing on Calvary.
The sin and sadness OF the Italian quar-
ter are daily crucifying the soul Of a
woman whose self-sacritce l dimly de-
scribe, saying she Is a counterpart of
Tolstoi Mrs. Saffold for three years has
lived with these Italians. Mind, say lived
with them. She has assumed the condi-
tions that surround them, put on the cor
ruptlon of their sodls--literally died herself
that these poor, ignorant, desperate, de-
praved creatures might live anew.
A Life of Devotion.
can tell you the outward circumstances
of this conservation to sorrow, but to know
it in it's fullness you must touch her cold.
thin hand; you must sit In the light OF
her dear blue eyes. locking direct and big
with the wisdom of newborn babes from
face almost transparent, it is SO white
and worn. You must hear the sound
of her voice, and while she speaks
watch the play Of sorrow about her
trembling lips and quivering chin: Then
you want to see her blessed little girl,
eight years old, growing in the basement
home white as flower budding In gloom
was with this baby-she is scarcely more
last Thursday, when her face was like
Paran marble and her lips scarlet with
fever 1 wanted to get a doctor for her
but she said: please don't l am praying
to God all the time, and He is healing me
as He sees fit.''
The story Of Mrs. Saffold's religious cx
perience runs like chapter from the liV rs
of the early saints, and 1 know the skep
ticism Of my kind too we'll to try to repro
| duce 1t. A successful sculptoress. she aban
doned her art and the refinements of life
| for her belief that she is "anointed tC
| suffer- with the outcast of earth. She sup
ports herself and her child and her charity
| sewing. BY reason of her strict adherence
| to the ways OF the apostles of old, she lives
and works alone, but for the maInstay the
| little girl who shares her every though
and care.
| They Flock to Her.
| The strange pair sleep in hall bed room
| and live in the basement room where Mrs
Saffold has her school. This room is desti
tute of everything in the shape of conven
| tional furniture except child's rocker and
1 one chair. For the rest, it is furnished