The herald., 1895-02-24
THE LADIES
OF THE ASSISTANCE
LEAGUE
Philanthropic Women Who Have
Time to Minister to the
Deserving Poor

One day, a year ago last October, Mrs.
F. X. Ainsworth invited a number OF
ladies ''to spend the afternoon with her
and bring their work. The conversation
turned upon the vicissitudes of life, and
number of cases were cited which had
reached the knowledge of the informants,
in which misfortune ill-health or other
affection had brought about condition
OF misery which seemed as unavoidable as
it was infelicitous, since none of the cases
mentioned seemed to be of the kind dealt
with by any existing charitable organza-
ton.
Ways and means were discussed regard
ing the possibility and practicability of
reaching such cases. and then and there
was formed the nucleus which grew in a
few weeks time into the Assistance
League. Methods adopted at that time
regarding finances have never been
changed, and are as follows:
One day each week, and the dav is
usually Saturday, a meeting is held at the
home of some one of the members. Each
lady who attends pays % cents, ana be-
sides, there are regular subscribers who
may or may not be able to attend meet
ings, who pay 81 each month. Every
active member OF the league is yolun-
teer, who, having heard OF the character
of the work, has signitied a desire to ioin
the little band. The monthly subscrip-
lions are also voluntary, and the list is
made up of gentlemen and ladies too, who,
while they feel a deep interest in the sue
cess of the league, have not time or
strength to take an active pars.
In this way the league has grown slowly
but surely from the first few meetings OF
five or six ladies to the present, when,
at the weekly meetings, there is an aver
age attendance of from fifteen to twenty:
and the list of monthly subscribers num-
bers thirty-6ye. OF course, small
amount of calculation and the simplest
rules in arithmetic will show that no very
great amount of good can be accomplished
with such small resources, and at three
different times the Assistance League has
given entertainments to swell their tnan-
cial condition and enlarge their sphere of
usefulness at the same time
The first of these was a butterfly tea
given last March in the beautiful home of
Mrs. Charles j. Ellis, who has been one
of the most active workers in the league,
and who generously gave the use OF her
house and grounds for the occasion
About $3.50 was cleared at this tea, and
dispensed with the other funds as various
needs became apparent Last December
the league gave its first charity ball,
which was so successful in every way
(about $400 being cleared) that it will be
an annual occurrence hereafter. The
winters demands have been so heavy that
the bank account is again dwindling and
now the league has taken two privileges
(1owers and candy) in the Citrus Fair
commencing February 2Sth, from which
they hope to realize enough to keep them
with the regular weekly and monthly
income added) in funds through the sum
mer months.
Many of the cases that are helped by
the league are recommended by friends of
the members who vouch for their rea-
need Others, that come to their knowl-
edge simply as cases without reliable re-
commendation, are investigated either
individually or through the Associated
Charities. Two memberships in the AS
sociated Charities were bought by MEM
bers of the league for the purpose of
avoiding useless waste of time or money
on impostors, and it is remarkable, con-
sidering the inexperience- of the league
members in charitable work, that their
efforts have been free from mistakes.
Most of the people who have been
helped are those whom misfortune or ill
health or both have reduced to real want,
yet who will not ask aid ; and it has been
a very beautiful and ennobling experience
to all these women to be able by little
aid to help so many sufferers back to
health, with medicines and nutritious
food; to ease the last moments of others
with comforts they otherwise would not
have had; to help the unfortunate friend
less ones to get work, or to supply women
and little children, and men, too, with
clothes for their backs, shoes for their
feet, and blankets or comforters for their
beds.
AT the weekly meetings cases already
under consideration are reported upon by
the mmittees-charged aith looking
after them; new cases are taken under adj
visement and other committees appointed
to look them up and act upon them The
first investigating committee started out
in fear and trembling, for it was new
work to them to come in actual contact