The evening times., 1896-01-15
APPEALED TO WOMEN.
She Was Given Food and Kind Words
by Mrs. j. W.. Ba bSon

bS -hES Il w. DSOIt.
/ slipped away from the mission made nv
usual detour and went TO call on the Rev.
Byron Sunderland. He asnot Il home so
| went on To the southeast section of the
city to look up Mrs. j. W. Babson, OF whose
charitable works | had frequently heard,
and was directed at tier house TO go To a GER
tain vacant store not far away. l didn't I
know what for, but followed directions.
AT the place described 10 me found a
store, with the shutters tightly closed Co.
ing in | found two ladies ana two or three
servants in tie midst OF great confusion OF
bundles.
The lady L was looking for was seated on
the floor, almost covered with flour, sorting
out bundles. The other lady was filling
baskets. and the servants were being dis
patched with them. 1t took me some little
time to discover that this harvest was the
work Of the Santa Claus Club, and that re-
lief was being dispensed for needy families.
Mrs. RabSon resurreCted herself from the
depths OF the flour, Strengthened her bon
net, which had been perched at a rakish
angle, and asked NE what desired. | sup
pressed a strong inclination to laugh and
told my threadbare story again. a S usual,
/ was hungry, penniless, out or work.
She didn't take time to go into my story
to any extent, but went and got ME Some
crackers, ginger cookies, and apples, and
told me to eat them. made a feint of doing
SO, and ] suggested that help them with
VERY well. you go to work at that
counter and hep us for an hour or so, and
I'll think about you"
/ went to work. Almost every packag
had to be rewrapped, as flour, oatmeal
and sugar were ouZing out where the chill
dren's fingers had gone through the paper.
I'm afraid l got Il trifie too cheerful over
the task, as Mrs. Sutherland, who came
over to superintend me al work, looked
at me q little curiously. She offered me
eggs and other provisions to ts Ike home to
my room, but refused them on the ground
that had no way to cook them. Another
lady came in, aud after awhile my case
came up for discussion.
THEIR ADVICE TO HER.
"She ought to go down town and be look
ing for q. place. II she goes to the Asso-
ciated Charities they will advise her about
getting work, aud the Young Woman's
Christian Home will take her in over Sun
day." advised the newcomer, whom they
called Mrs. Fuller.
but don't want to go to the Associ-
ated Charities" l objected. ~ don't
want to be thought pauper."
But, my dear girl" said Mrs. Fuller,
THAT isn't pauperism any more than your
coming to u.s. They are simply there to
help people. If you ask them not to put
your name down they won't"
"But don't believe that can get in at
the Young Woman's Christian Home. The
girls there pay board, and 1 haven't any
money"
"If you don't get H. said Mrs. suther-
ldUu, 7COlilt DdCk " iut, duNl w Keep
you over Sunday, SO you won't be in
want" aud she wrote her address on a
scrap OF paper for me.
Once more was surrounded by a bevy of
women. Mrs. Fuller took my hands warm
ly In hers aud told me to have courage
and to use the best of my efforts, aud
was sure to succeed. Mrs. Babson also
gave me the weight of her blessing, and l
was sent forth again to battle with the
world and to find that much -talked-of Sit
uation that always loomed in the distance
like a mirage.
A queer thing happened on my way back
to the northwest. was riding along in
the car and 81 W n friend whom had parted
with three months before in Chicago stand
ing on the curbstone.
stopped the car and got out at once to
speak with her, but remembering my char
acter. approached her humbly and asked for
charity. She turned to me and surveyed
me from head to foot, and then opened ber
purse and asked me what required.
Margaret" I exclaimed, "don't you
know me?''
She gasped, and was almost reduced to
hysteria at my appearance. 1t took al
most a surgical operation to get the idea