New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-23
THEY ARE TEMPERANCE GlhLS.
THE "Ys" OF NEw-JERsEY AND THEIR
METHODS OF WORK


fopnd a, many of the summer places along the
Jersey coast that is peculiar 10 the locality ms
girl like the others in 'the rosebud sarueh' -
modest pretty and healthy; she wears the ha'ues'
OF shirtwasts the jauntiest OF sailor mats s"e 'iue
a hicyc,e her small sunbrowned hands arc much
be,eveled and her language is perfervd: but if you
show a grain Of curiosity TO the meaning OF the
silver "Y'' that holds in place on her podce OIL Vi
white ribbon, you will learn that she differs from
the other summer girls in tina; she Is somewhat Oh
a reformer and despite the stern stun III her com
positon she is no less charming when she ghoF
overwhelms YOU with a flood OF scientific facts con-
corning the perncious effects Of alcohol and tobacco
upon the human body.
Her badge denotes that she is a member OF the
Young Womans Branch Of the Womans CHRISTIAN
Temperance Union. generally called is TOT con-
venience 1t is said Of these 'Y' girls that there IS
no one OF them who is not willing TO have her
maiden name carved her tombstone before she
will be welded 10 man who drinks whisheS' i"ia
does not mean that she has taken vow OF eterhai
spinsterhood She wants husband just as badly
as the other girls and exer,s all her pretty arts IN
that direction but she wants 10 get the right knd
OF a husband That is the difference She has studied
the saying of the wise ancient: III thou art wise.
thou wilt be wise for myself, and in her book OF
"Y" songs she has put one that reads;
MAY 20 with you. my pretty maii?'
YES if you'll sign the pledge" she said
There are about one thousand "Ys" in New-Jersey.
all possessing the ardor earnestness and enthusiasm
Of youth. 1t Is sometimes said that the Us are
aesthetic kid glove workers" To a certain extent
this Is true. for while the girls do work IN many
lines they are not expected engage in rescue Work
IN the slums. TO see the discouragns' reVoIuHs
side Of the temperance work.
SIZE HOLDS PARLOR MEETINGS.
The y!rs seem especially fitted 10 the holding OF
par.cc tor1perance meetings For one Of these meet
ngs which give her social life with phianthroplc
aim, ;a4 "" girl sends out neatly printed invita-.
lions and arranges an attractive programme OF
music and Rotations with address by some
prominent "whlte-ribboner' then she makes her
yaror cheerful and bright with lights and flowers
dons her prettiest gown and assumes her sweetest
smile % receive her guests. and al the close OF the
meeting chats gayy as she dispenses chocolate ana
waters and gracefully passes the pledge DOCK. Az
those meetings the girls ach the "Honoraries, VINO
are nice Young men, who become honorary members
by signing the pledge and paying fee, though they
ara no; allowed to az the business meetings.
1t is said that in places, as In the college
towns the "Honorares' actually exceed the Us
in number. Besides being a means OF catching Hon
oraries" and sometimes husbands, the parlor meet
Ing tends to discourage drinking customs Newark
girl was heard TO remark the other day:
II called on Miss - and she offered glass
of wine OF course I refused politely, but was
careful TO invite her to next parlor meeting and
! think from the powerful address she heard she
will never offer wine again.
The ''Ys" plan many entertainments to show the
'Honoraries' that really delightful evening may
be spent without any doubtful amusements or alco-
holic refreshments. One Jersey ~ mad leap
year party last spring and had great fun escorting
the "Honoraries" to the place of entertainment and
waiting on them like veritable women.
THEIR WAYS OF WORK.
TIE kind offices Of these girls are sometimes
plcyed in sending boxes the lifesaving stations
along the These contain comfort bags,
fruits jeies. books and various other things likely
TO be appreciated by men living bachelor lives. Last
winter. when Captain Rainier and a force of men
were repairing the ravages of the winds and waves
to the shore and board walk at Ocean Grove the
''Ys'' of the place served hot coffee to the men
each morning and afternoon. This prevented the
men from patronzing the beer arks' that came TO
the line and some Of the men declared that without
x Salem ~ maintained at one time kitchen
h houseReeping .' The Roseve VS. pay for the
temperance to the children of the Newark orphan
Asylum. In the public school at Belmar the
principal, teachers and al the girls in the gradu-
ating class 'white-ribboners state OF affairs
attributable TO the influence OF the Belmar vs..
warfare against the sellers Of brandy drops, The
OF teraTe last yeaf The Rahway
arranged good citizenship meeting on Washing
otto addresses. Elizabeth has strong ~ that
New Brunswick. whore lives the alert and efficient
General State Secretary Miss Mary Campbell the
ing mission open every night in the year. Moores
town has "Y' that knows how to hold grand fetes
and raise money for temperance missionary work,
and Camden. Washington Tuckerton. Paterson,
Ocean CITY Long Branch ana Other nH PLACES h@Ve
The ''Ys'' of the State have united in supporting
"Y'' bed in the National Temperance Hospital in
Chicago They have helped with many contribu-
lions the columbian T." which was started by an
spain and also the Isabel Gibson Y" which was
Organized by an American girl connected with the
Establishment by this French "Y" has recently
been assumed by the city of Paris Boston , U.s.
girls are preparing to emulate their Yankee sisters
BY helping to support 'nG I sOra Tower Wne
has started in the slums at No. 4GS West Thirty
second-st.. New-York.
NO OPPORTUNITIES SIGHTED.
Other work of individual "Ys" has been the for
nation of classes for the study of physical culture
and parliamentary law. They are fond of Flower
Mission work. OF visiting prisons. jai:s and other
institutions distributing bouquets. to each of which
they tie with white ribbon card inscribed with
sentiment They somstmes hsp IN si
cigarette leagues for school-boys. Bands of Mercy,
loan libraries indeed. it would seem II these girls
left % dHr Of on NeWsN are the only So
ciey in the STATE named for the National president
hosorea a4r Ts, prefideni Of The W c Of New
Jersey. now incapacitated by age ana illness ron
aarnk a Of the compliment Of taking her
name-hanging in the hall where they hold their
meetings. - , -. -,
manner that the VS. hold conventions. and they
regard Mrs Barnes with the same worshipful ad-
rniraton that the Tvs" show for Miss Willard.
At some Of the meetings of the "Ys'' one secs
pi oudly displayed elegant banner of white satin.
National and State ''Y'' notices: the National Y'
emblem which consists of an oak leaf an ivy
branch and a spray OF les-of he-vaey denOt-
Ing strength tenacty. modesty and purity and
also tho State Y emblem. spray OF ne PINK
SABBATH ccendia a pant native 10 the New-Jer-
sey sea-coast. This banner IS awarded each year
10 the "Y' having the largest growth in member
ship
The VS. nice girls said an outside observer.
not long ago land wherever they the moral at
mospherc is purer." Miss Campbell in speaking %
them, said What gives stamina TO the organlZa-
l. - IL no rner nhara he