The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-09-04
Pomp and Poverty.

| Ills Is uO IOLuduCc. III TIC ldlc
we add no coloring. 1t is taken in
its entirety from the twelfth page
of the issue of August 10 of the
New York World, that heartless
apologist for and upholder Of the
single gold standard. We have
always commended that that fnan-
cial system creates millionaires and
begets tramps, the New York World
and its kindred parasites of the
gold power have denied our con.
tention, Now, let us see.
In one column of that page was
an account of the debut of Miss
Mary Van Allen, a daughter of the
multi-millionaire, James J. Van
Allen, who contributed $4,000 in
1892 towards the Doodle fund which
elected Grover Cleveland to the
twin positions of President of the
United States and creature OF
Rothschild. The reporters account
of the entertainment would make
one almost forget that want and
misery are rife in the land. After
describing the priceless gowns,
laces and diamonds worn by the
women who assisted at the function,
the reporter went on as follows:
The broad veranda was covered with an Egyp-
tan tent, and from the ceiling and the sides were
draped rich Egyptian tapestries. Here the floral
decorations were of wild grasses, lotus flowers Of
| the Nile and various shades of night blooming
water lilies, all conforming to the hangings and
trimmings of the tent. Passing from the terrace
down long flight of steps, the guests reached
the outdoor ballroom, erected over sunken
| Italian garden. The structure consisted of large
wooden frame, covered with heavy canvas, and
the interior sides, and ceiling were also of can
vas but painted by skillu Partisan artists to rep
resent a ballroom of the Louis " period. The
panels were painted in blue-and-gold tints, with
decorated medallions. Flowers were introduced
in the face of each panel in rich garlands of del
| icate green and pink shades, suspended by broad
streaming silk bows. At intervals about the sides
of the room were large palms and huge vases
containing rose-bushes in full bloom. Here was
stationed Mullay's orchestra, which played fol-
the dancers Just outside of the ballroom was
large tent, where fifty tables set for the sup
per served before the cotilion by Russell.
How magnificent !! What proof
of the wealth of the United States
But the reverse of the picture ap-
pears in another column upon the
same page, in which another report
er records how Frederick Pittman,
his wife, his wife's mother, and his
five children were found homeless
and starving in Prospect Park, New
York city. The report says that
they are eminently respectable,
hard working people, but the nat
ural supporter of the family had
been out of work for over a year
and piece by piece they had been
forced to sell their furniture to buy
bread and pay their rent, until at
last no furniture remained and they
were evicted by their landlord,
perhaps Van Allen himself, if not,
then one of his kind. Let the
World reporter tell the story. His
account relates how friends shell
tered them for a few nights, then
he goes ON thus:
Another night they sat ON porch, telling the
kindly Irish women who lived in the Louse that
they had been driven from their home by the
heat Two or three nights they managed to get
enough money to buy shelter for themselves.
For all the time Pittman was seeking work and
| doing whatever came his way. The weather was
kindly towards the homeless ones. The intense
heat made the outdoor life possible, but there was
the difficulty about food
At last they turned to the park. They chose q
part not frequented by the rougher element, near
| the Ninth street entrance. There they lived fol
three days and three nights. They lived like
hunted things, for they watched always for police
men, whom they feared, because they thought
they would be arrested and the children sent tc
an institution.
They lived on what picnic parties left behind
The father mother or grandmother was left with
the children while the others looked for food.
i They could not beg any more than they could
steal. They could not even ask for help. They
were ready to fight to the end, preserving theil
selfrespect to the last.
The change in their fortunes came when Mis-.
Mary Pease, Kings Daughter, saw Mrs. Baxter
looking for scraps of food in Prospect Park. Mis-.
Pease made Mrs. Baxter tell her the truth. Baby
Meltram was very sick and needed care.
They were befriended, and Mr.
Pittman, who is an entry clerk by
profession, was given employment
by the Park Commissioners.
Can such contrasts be in a Chris.
tian land ? Is it right that millions
should live ON scraps like these
poor people, while few squandel
in frivolity and vulgar display
''what would feed those millions.