The Washington times., 1895-02-11
CanVassers Saw Skeletons Of
Meanness in Family Closets.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE
Rebuffs and Cold Shoulders Given When
Charity Begged at the Door-Experience
of Bright Young Lady Quotations from
Scripture contributed-one Jewel of a
Different Water-Modern Widows Mite.

The pathway of the charity canvassers OF
Washington was not precisely one strewn
with primroses. rebuff or cold shoulder
was, however, the exception to the rule OF
kindly and sympathetic reception.
The exceptions were stories which can
yassers told with reluctance. but some OF
them have ''come OUT in the course of the
comparison OF notes. AS for examples:
A bright young lady canvasser called at a
new palatial mansion on Third street north
west The servant announced the canvasser
as ga lady who called" The lady of the
house came down presently in the parlor, and,
after the mutual Introduction, the owner OF
the house insisted on showing ''the visitor
the handsome dining-room, the pantry, and
even The luxurious boudoir, all with the nat
uraI pride and ostentation of wealth.
SHE WAS REALLY SORRY.
After this personally conducted tour of the
mansion the canvasser stated the purpose OF
her visit and asked something for charity.
The rest Of the visit was short. The pro-
prietress was really sorry" but her ''ex-
penses ut present were SO great that she
had nothing now 10 give"
Another canvasser called at house on Co
lumbia Heights. The lady of the house came
down and received the canvasser quite pleas
antly, but when she impatiently heard the
purpose OF the call she said brusquely:
Il am not accustomed to receive beggars
at the door,
The canvasser went on to the nearest house,
thinking that rule over on the way.
One OF the canyassers got this reply in writ
ing: The time Of trouble is upon US spoken
OF by Daniel the Prophet, 18th chapter, and
also by Christ, Luke u. ~ aud %. and next
year viii he worse and SO TO the end of this
age
house Of rich widow. A colored girl re-
sponded TO the bell.
my mistress is asleep" she said. without
being asked anything ut all.
"Then. Will leave this slip for her; and
see that she gets il. -
You can't leave any slips" replied the
female MAJOR domo. I'VE have no use for
slips il this house..
The canvasser made a mental note Of the
I'VE" and passed on.
HAD NOTHING To GIVE.
At house on H street, the lady called on
did not come down in any sense of the word.
She'sent down word that they had just bought
s5 worth of groceries and had nothing to
give. Not even any of the groceries?
Another lady in the same neighborhood
sent word that she didn't care to be bothered
with tramp cauvassers.
This case is a jewel of a different water: A
canvasser called at the house of a widow
with several small chill Iren, all extremely
poor. When the canvasser entered she told
OF her mission. The widow burst into tears.
''Somebody sent me % this morning, but,
here, you can have half of it" she said.
The canyasser apologIzed, withdrew. and
saw TO it that she got her two talents in
creased several fold.
The canvassers distributed their advance
On calling for them two days afterward they
entered dwellings from which to take a cent
would he a crime. The canvassers in these
cases said:
Another of the canyassers will call to see
you again.
1t was a common thing to have wretchedly
clad and hard worked women offer the can
yassers 3 cents and cents and cents. This
is the kind of good will that counts in the
country where they neither give nor take
money on any occasion.
TREATED WITH KINDLY CONSIDERATION.
Mrs. J. W. Babson. who had charge of the
whole OF East Washington, in which she col
lected 81, zoo, mostly in sums of 81, said that
the canYassers were almost universally treated
with kindly consideration. There were how
ever. two cases of rebuff. but she would not
relate the circumstances. They must have
been very bad.
One of the most singular of all the miscon-
ceptions was that OF a lady with whom a
printed request for a contribution was left
When it was returned it read: Il would like
to have anything that you can send. would
prefer clothes for three small children, four
six. and Line years OF age. Ifpossible please
also send a little money'