The Somerset reporter., 1894-02-08

Go often enough into any humble
quarter of any city in the republic and
you will see acts that will stir your admi-
ration for the masses who are 80 com
pletcly unknoNn. You might suppose
that in their narrow dingy abodes, i'll fed
and i'll clad, ever fighting the hard fierce
battle of life, they would be as savages.
! Why or how should they have minds to
think of, souls To feel for. the woes of
the unfortunatcs about them? They
could not be blamed if they were as I'M
| yielding rs the mountains, as cruel as
the SEA. Are they: Let us look
In This tenement, consisting of three
little rooms, is Il family of six-four
small children, The parents are i'll
caused by bad air and insufficient food,
aud may die. The neigl bors have given
ot their slender store to buy Il few COM
forts. Two women across the dirty hall
have left their washing, and are taking
care of the little folk. When that Is
done they will prepare the simple meal.
viii administer tn medicine prescribed
will put the tenement to rights so far As
/ it may he righted. In these plain offices
they will occupy four or live hours.
most precious to them in earning their
daily stipend. and never think how good
they are. Other women will then come
/ in and watch by turns with The sick
couple. SO these invaluable kindnesses
will continue until death or recovery
makes their service for the time super
tluouS.
In a dark basement, through whose
rafting windows the MONDAY lighi
scarce ~ struggles. n baby has Just been
born. Ii lies Waling on soiled, ragged
quilt, as if to protest against entering So
grim corner of a relentless world. The
mother. young and not uncomelv, APP
pears happy, even IN that dismal cellar.
smiling family at "A Wriuked female,
who, having volunteered for the occa-
sion, has hobhcd down from the top
story to render, unsolicited and unre-
compcnsed, such assistance as she may.
Other elderly females. hearing of the
new birth. are brought thither by sym
pathy with the event, and are eager To
proilcr their assistance. The father, or
daincd like his order to repeated pater-
nifty. WAS called away 1T sunrise to his
task-clraning the strcets-and knows
not yet what his fellow. scavengers, I'M
conscious of sarcasm. { rm. his good
luck He will be only less happy than
his wife when he is told OF what has oc-
CURED in his absence.
Happy: Can he be happy, born to in
digencc, ccaselrss labor, and ever-frown-
ing destiny? The majority of the pro.
-perous would be in the depths of de-
'pair, would hardly care to live. were
their lot his or hers. Surely happiness
is relative. The very poor, invariably
Wretchrd Is they mus appear Ia the
rich. have their compensations. after all.
One of these is the will, without ponder
ing or Standardization, to do good where
good is most needed and fortune most
Malignant
The poor, in order to he resigned t.
he world, must be optrmists. May i
not he that they who have least cause
tor contentment possess the largest
share. May not the poor be too en2r"s>-
ed in austere bread winning 10 reflect on
what constitutes contentment? l. not
their l0rmless faith generated by Lack at
leisure, by grinding, consuming toll:
Can this be another disguised compcusa-
tom