The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-23

yesterday afternoon Il gentleman came
to Il reporter OF The Times with n story
OF restitution and want that ut once
reached sympathetic chord in the re-
porter's breast. The scribe at once re-
ported the case 20 n number of gentlemen
who began 10 30 down into their pockets
for contributions. No money was nc.
copied, but upon expressing determines
ton to investigate the family's condition,
And see whether or not they We're really
deserving of charity, j. j. Cox, proprie
tor OF the st. James, and Il memb of the
lilks Christmas tree committee, proposed
to furnish buggy and go with the re-
porter, which proposition was at once ac-
cepted
me case of restitution whicl has been
ut hrSt reported was the first to nc looked
after. There were six in the family. a
father. mother and four children. The
father, Il puddler by trade, had been out
OF work FOR nearly two years. except little
odd Jobs that he could pick up here and
there His children were barefootcd and
OH this account were kept out of school,
They were without the necessary fuel and
are now borrowing meal to subsist on
1t seemed that this family were in needy
circumstances and will doubtless spend a
dull Christmas unless some of the good
people OF the city, who are charitably dis.
1
with something substantial in the WAY of
clothing, fuel and food
Mr.. Cox and the reporter after leaving
this place drove into the flats, better
known aS ''Pecdee Bottom If eyer -
| place was cursed with wrctchcdncss. nov.
erty and suffering, it is the place in cues
ton. The starved, pinched faces of the
poverty stricken women and children are
there to speak for themselves, aud can be
| investigated by any who care to look into
| the matter
The first house reached was occupied by
an old man and his wife with six or seven
| children, among them being two daugh-
| te1s nearly grown. They are without fuel
except such as can he picked m along
the river banks and in the outlying wood
land, possibly II mile or more away. The
husband and father is i'll and unable to
work and the extent of their stores i, n
| little cornmeal and less than Il pound OF
| tat bacon. The first coffee that they have
had IN long time was burned Yesterday
while being roasted. This family needs
to he assisted. They want something to
eat and fuel 90 keep them warm.
Inc next house investigated consisted
| OF Il husband, wife and seven or eight
| small children, maEy of the little fellows
| barefOotcd and their clothing thin and
my WHY III DLOI SlIdDe so Itlr as
| iuei was concerned, but il seems shat they
have been enabled through the work of
the husband TO keep the wolf of actual
want from the door. They have been
! placed In Il bad fix for the winter owing
| to the recent confinement of the husband
| III the city jail for n misdemeanor and
the sickness of the mother. \ little char
| ity bestowed on this family would not he
amiss.
Another family visited was that OF a
widow with six children, the youngest
Just two years old. She has struggled to
| support her little ones by taking in wash
ing and by sewing and such other work
| as she could obtain. Her children are
small and mostly girls, all bright chill
Gren, but they are now facing n cruel
cold winter. The mother has managed
to provide comfortable clothing for the
children, with the exception of shoes, but
now Tor three days they have had no
| bread except what they borrowed from a
neighbor They are out of fuel and per-
haps have enough fat meat to last them
| thronghssth day. If ever there was an
| object worthy of charity, surely this fam.
lily is.
| Another family living in the same row
| are almost i'll similar circumstances so
far rs their immediate needs are con.
| cerhcU' iheS may not be rs worthy OF
charity as others, but the suffering, little
! children are not responsible for their
| present condition.
The last place visited was house
which has many of the windows broken
out, and mas cold, chccrless appearance.
| The reporter entered and. found seated
within the room and around a small egg
stove, a mother and seven frouzy headed
childrea ranging in age from IL wears
down to the two weeks old infant which