Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-11-08

Ts'whose feet have taken hold on hell"
1t is kindness to give food and shelter
to the fallen women, and the helping
hand should never be slow to action,
but it is very questionable whether
there is any real charity in lending as
ssistance to morally pure girl, if, in
order that she may be helped, she has
to be brought into close contact and
unavoidable association with the
weaker or more willful of her sex. The
results are not always what philan-
thropists would like them to be, but
they are just what any reasoning being
would imagine they would be. Time
and experience have failed to discount
the story of what the one decayed ap-
pie did in the basket of sound fruit.
There is rest for the weary; shelter
and food for good women in the Wilkin-
son home. The idea of discriminating
between the pure and the impure in
extending the helping hand of charity
was first entertained and practically
advanced in this city by Mrs. Mary G.
Wilkinson, a lady who for many years
had toiled in church and temperance
work; and many man and woman will
.cheerfu1ly testify that her labor was
not in vain. There were homes in eX-
,istence at that time, but in all of them
there was a promiscuous commingling
of the good and the bad. Mrs. Willzin-
son saw the evil which was uncon-
ssciously being done and she at once
hastened to remedy it. Six years ago,
IN very small and very cheap house,
she commenced the business of shelter
ing and feeding the hungry and virtu-
Gus female strangers within our gates.
The early struggles of this noble wom-
an were very trying. At times the
existence of the plan was seriously i'm
periled and there were crises when it
seemed beyond peradventure that
the enterprise must come to an igno-
minious conclusion for lack of the neces-
ssary financial support. Much s1ppli-
cation on the part of the founder, and
responsive liberality of those who had
means, prevented the calamity which
more than once threatened destruction.
Then came congressional recognition,
small, but welcome, and now the home
draws the sum of 81 600 annually from
the general government and the dis
trict jointly; and the Young Woman's
christian home is permanent lnstitu-
ton.
1t is strange that SO many young
women should be found in this city,
penniless, homeless, friend1ess. Some
of them come here with prospects and
promises of employment. These girls
are assisted in their endeavors to Sc
cure the places which were partially
promised them before they left their
homes: Once in awhile misfortune
clings to some poor girl, and she fails
entirely to secure employment. Then
there is nothing left for her to do but
to return home If her finances are
gone she is furnished transportation.
Many foolish girl in the country i'm
agines that she would easily succeed In
the city; only to find her dreams and
aspirations shattered. They find their
way to the home. They come from
everywhere.
does not furnish representative, at
some time or another; and foreign lands
have also furnished inmates Just now
a young German lady is enjoying the
hospitality of the place while endeav-
oring to secure employment as gov
erness, or to organize a class for the
study of the language of the father
land. It is not difficult thing TO get
into thehome. The only requirements
are poverty, lack of friends and good
behavior. Any woman who may ap-
ply for admission at night is always re-
ceivcd and attended to, but unless he1
moral condition is satisfactory, and heI
references good, her tenure Is brief
she is forwarded to one of the homes
where the reSormatorv idea is more