San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-04-21
THE LIVING QUESTION

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ticular, is the one that takes up the
idea of a Ben Milan monument,
in the manner OF a home for our
working girls.
A long and fierce war, both men
tally and physically, has enamel
pated woman, and this freedom
has been an uplifting to her char
acter and usefulness in our land.
Now, If this is so, it behooves every
one to see to it that it remains fact.
Look over the data concerning the
working girls engaged in occupa-
lions other than domestic service
and find in Boston there are $4,000,
in New York $4,000, and in Chica-
GO $4,000, and in San Antonio
nearly 2,l50.
Now, in every large city there
are homes by the y. NJ. G. AS for
boys and men, where the refine
ment and even luxury of artistic
tastes can be gratifled in a social
and educational way. In Boston
the Pricilla Home for girls and
the Hull House in Chicago can be
pointed out with pride, but in Tex
as nothing has been done to help
make a weary life of a working
girl brighter or more congenial.
The working girls of Texas who
come to San Antonio, the largest
city in it, need imperatively the
honor and esteem of their own sex.
1t is not alone that we utter the
sentiment, and confess the truth
that work does not rebound to the
sinking of the true nobility Of char
acter, we go farther, we must &C
tualiZe it in our conduct. To lift
the working girl, we must hold out
the hand of protection and by love
lead her to feel her true nobility.
Draw the curtain which has
driven the girls from retirement
and seclusion of their own homes
and angels would smile amid their
binding tears at the pale sad faces
and woes that are UNRELIABLE il
these things could be once seen.
1t is not ambitious naughty COM
mand, but an aged fathers woes,
an invalid mothers, maybe both,
maybe little brothers and sisters,
mortgages that eat night and day,
while others sleep, Sunday and ev-
cry day alike, that has brought out
the delicate girl to battle in the
worlds front for life, aye more
than life, the lives of those she
loves.
"Now womanhood must protect
her own :" are the startling words
of Rev. n. Boynton in late maya
zine article. He dwells on the idea
that women treat working women
with disdain and says with empha-
sis that women who work must be
honored and respected by women
who avails herself Of that work.
And here is where women's work
must come in; loneliness is the
stumbling block the girl has to
climb over, when the office is closed,
the glitter of lights are out and the
rush and whirl of the clerk life is
over and the stuffy bedroom is all
she has for home. Vanity does
not lead the weary feet and still
more weary brain out upon the
street, but the lack Of companion
ship, the congenial voices Of SYM
pathetic friends. A lodging house
life is a small hell, and it is away
from this lie we would take work.
ing girls. 1t is to the Ben Milan
Home, with its kindly loving mis-
tress, Miss Ogden, who would be a
friend to every inmate that we
would take there. In it would be a
parlor as sacred and pure as every
mother, where friends could meet
friends; choice books on shelves,
daily papers on the tables, birds
singing in the windows, with the
flowers their own loving hands
had put there. And a piano, some
great soul had given them for
every music loving heart to enjoy.
All this to be at cost to the work.
ing girls of San Antonio; and how
many lives will be saved to fill the
bright and noble walks of mother
hood, how many from the fatal
steps who can tell?
We appeal for aid to found this
home, and we do not appeal in
vain. Every soul will say amen,
and the Ben Milan Home is an as
sured fact. So let fathers and
mothers, the rich and the poor
think how much good this home
will do, and send in their contribu-
tions in monthly subscriptions or
any way they may desire, to the
members of the committees, who
are all Christian women. We give
the address of the following names
OF the committees.
Mrs. S. G.. COULsON,
President Of Committee, Ben Mi
lam Home. 905 Avenue B.
Mrs. f. A. FREY,
PA Avenue E.
Mrs. II. l.. lockwood,
2105 Monterey street.
Mrs. K. B. BACH,
2l0l Dakota street.
MRS. AMELIA BLANK,