New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-29
SOWE FRESH AIR FUND BENEFICTARIES.

SCENTS OF MISERY FROM WHICH THEY HAVE
HAD rnsrITE. WEEKS WORK
Tho class ~ people reached By Tho Tribune
Fresh AIR Fund can De shown In no better way
than by giving short history Of the daily lie of
a few - the children who are sent 10 the country.
Much has been written concerning the condition OF
the tenement population Of the great cities but no
words AN Adequately depict the abJcct misery and
depths - degradation which can be nclosed within
four walls. II may be described and talked about
Cor DAYS. but the fact remains that to be fully
realized II must Doe seen. IL Is. however impos-
slhlc for M" great malority OF the friends OF The
Tribune Fresh Air Fund TO obtain n personal
knowledge OF the facts and to them the following
short sketches may give "A faint idea OF the every
day nfe a. those whom they are h"friending
These notes were obtained from the parish visitor
who comes into contnct with the people the year
round and t. intimately acquainted with all their
wants and ncscsslfes
one family. consisting OF mother. father and
i've children 1--we IN tisce small. close rooms on
the fourth noor. Through the Kindness OF the
Tribune Coal and Food Fund they were enabled
to pull through the last winter The father was
a hous.-movcr. bat was hurt two years ago ny
beam falling on his legs and has not been able 70
secure steady employ ment since. IIls family has
suhsstcd mainly on oatmeal and milk. the latter
being supplied hv 4. kind-heartcd milkman. Ar
rangcmcnt, have been made to send the children TO
tho country for tour weeks. thus relieving the
poor mother for that length OF time.
Another family OF six 1--we In two rooms They
formerly had four but the mother says 1t Is better
to crowd than 20 beg. The father Is totally blind
and IN to have an operation performed on his eyes
lie IN a man we'll along In years aud feels his
nfnicton kccnly. Ills constant prayer IL that the
Lord viii spare him to his family. only one 'h'ld
Is working receiving 81 80 week. The mother
helps ont by taking in washing when she can s'' H.
Another sad case Is that OF a mother and four
llf.. In lVn
they receive rent free for keeping tho halls clean
Tho father liz "a worthless drunkard ana was 80
abusive to his wife. who IN small de'ica'" woman
that tho visitor ~ the chapel wh'r" ih'S "ro
regular attendants. secured this place Tor her h"-
lief from the brutal husband was Obtained by the
threat OF arrest one boy seven years old, II u
cripple ana at intervals during the last three years
has been In the hospital for crippcs His health
Is poor and 1t Is improbable that tho htto Fellow
viii live much longer.
| ono more instance IN that or hho'her ''"'S
| wrecked by the saloon. There are two bright
| children. aged seven and nine years inc mo'her
supports them by taking I'm washing inc nus
| hand spends most OF his time in the grogshop. iio
refused let the children 20 to the country. smpy
because the mother wanted them to so. she SAID
he was so cruel that she Intended TO nave MN ar
rested. but did not want her children to Know or
the disgrace. with the tears streaming down her
cheeks she unburdened herself to inc visitor say
| ing that there were days when they mad oniy
such food was given her by me peop.e iol
whom she washed and the brutal father tries 10
| compel her to give him even this. together Win
| the little money she earns to pay the rent Inc
visitor went 70 The house when he at home, and
when she told the children she had come Tor thein'
| he did not dare refuse. so they are now away en-
| joying a two weeks vacation which they VIII look
| back upon for months to come.
Fund last week is not AS good the previous week.
| much was accomplished. More than four hundred
| children were sent out for two weeks outing.
making the total number of children who have re-
ceived a fortnights vacation 1898 There were also
| Exce carried
| over two thousand persons. This week win be q
| busy one Twenty-seven parties including wy
| chudren have already been scheduled. There Will
also be three day excursions to Excelsior Grove.
To-day's parties win be two IN num a%,s ms
at Tarrytown n Y. This s the third company
| 10 vistt This beautiful home. This afternoon
| twentv hove win take the Norwich boat for Lake
! Asqunm n H. They Will spend the next two weeks
i'm camp there with twenty youngsters from Boston.
| They viii have all the fun they can possibly get
! into two weeks and will probably be heard from
| later.