Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-02
CHARITY AND RICHIE IS
The Appeals That Marked the Experience
of One Woman.
The Burden of other Peoples Charf-
ties is Rather Hard to Bear
On Every Hand.

From the New York Herald.
1t has been said over and over again
that the rich need pity as well as the poor.
But l wonder how many people in their
heart Of hearts believe it. The drawbacks
which wealth, or reputation for wealth,
brings to women would make many less
envious were they fully chronicled.
This was the way in which little white
haired woman, we'll known for her broad
interest in philanthropy education, society,
&c. began to voice her grievances:
To-day is sample of what the season
brings to one. In the morning mail found
two requests outright for money to help
deserving cases., proteges of the writer's,
who were women themselves Of much
greater wealth than mine. There were the
usual number of societies, charitable. lit
erary or otherwise, asking me to become a
life member or at least a subscriber. Four
letters contained tickets which it is under
stood you will pay for if not returned 1t
would do my heart good to express freely
my opinion of that species of blackma1l
AS II my correspondence was not heavy
enough without having this extra burden
continually thrust upon me.
Il had just settled down to write as po-
litely as possible to the applicants when the
bell rang and the maid brought me card
Miss Jones, introduced by Mrs. Brown.
nave a great aQmlrdt1On Mrs. BrOWI,
who is a neighbor and fellow worker of
mine. So l hurried down to see what
could do for the young woman she sent.
But l was somewhat unprepared to hear
her-whom l had never seen before in my
life, Of whom l knew absolutely nothing
tell me that she would like me to lend her
one hundred dollars. Mrs. Brown had de-
clined the request when made to her. but
had sent her to me, saying l was known to
be so wealthy and so charitable that L
would be sure to grant it. Mrs. Brown for
once was mistaken.
Modest Beyond All.
Il went back to my correspondence, hop
ing, but not too confidently, that I would
lie undisturbed. 1t was fortunate had not
been too confident. The bell rang again.
This time it was woman, who had, she
assured me, a wonderful voice. All she
needed. she said, was an introduction.
Now, If you will let me have your parlors
for two or three nights. and will sell tickets
for me- she concluded, I will surely be
launched And she added few depressing
sentences of flattery. How did you hear
OF me?' l inquired, with natural curiosity
as to who was shifting her applicants
me this time She named Mrs. X, a
woman of wealth and social position, with
not tie in the world to hamper the eX-
ercise of any charitable whim. 1 determine
ed that the next time l met Mrs. X.
would thank her for having passed on to
me such an opportunity of doing good.
by this time another mail was in, bring
ing piteous appeal from woman l knew
quite well. l had always supposed she was
possessed Of an assured though small in
come. The letter told that this was gone.
and she had been compelled to practice the
severest economy all summer. Newspapers,
sugar in her coffee, even the coffee itself at
length, had to be given up. She had even
remained at home lest exercise in the open
air should give her an appetite. The shock
of such an appeal was positively painful.
When wealth is given woman she ought
to supply herself with ironbound nerves.
II had barely regained my compoSure
when a man came asking me to get his
son into the Blank Hospital where l had a
bed. / explained to him that it was already
occupied. but l would give him card to
the hospital people. No, that wouldn't do.
He had understood that patients in my bed
got special attention. and so he wanted the
whole loaf or none. l humbly told him that
l would he rejoiced to have the honor of
helping him If he would only permit it.
But he wouldn't, and l went back to my
letters.
Fer the Space of Half an Hour.
Peace reigned until the midday mail, in
which there was a request for subscrip-
ton from the Woman's Echo of Squedunk,
two notices from societies that my dues
could he paid any time that week, a note
of gush from some one to whose pet hobby