Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-21

number of poor persons who have accu-
mulated as much as 81 In the bank. II
seems almost absurd to speak Of economy
among the poor. Poverty is necessarily
eNtravagant. 1 made Inquiries in the
homes We visited concerning how supplies
are purchased In the alleys Coal is DO, ght
by the cents and 10 cents worth at a
relative increase of cost nearly double the
price OF a whole ton. Meat is bought of
ire very lowest grale-refuse of the mar
kets. in fact-which is peddled from ,.uich-
eTs' carts that depend on the alleys for
their trade. Bread OF adulte-ated sub
stance, made into under weight loayas and
potatoes, bought by the few pennies worth
at proportionate increas Sc of cost relative
to the nri2e per bushel are other items of
TIE eNtraNasan"e of poverty. Moreover
comparatively little food so substantial and
nutrltive as bread, meat or potatoes is
Purchased. The few pennies on hand Thar
are always 50 much less than the poor
creatures actual necessities are expended
for cheap sweets or groc. because the one
clogs the appetite and the Other dulls Tho
sensation Of both burger ard coda IN
or candy doing for a child's meal ar.l
measure OF beer going as a substitute for
loth food and clothes for the par~nts
In my excursion among the submerged
incidental 10 what learned of their money
question. ] stumbled npon sorna industries
"hicn nour'sh only among me conditions
of the alleys. one is a babies harding
house. The other is. rot a dav nursery
nut more exactly, an afternoon nursery
Al me former were eight or nine babies
az the crawling age and younger who arc
boarded out bv the mothers. who iii s.scr,,-
zee places To see these poor filthy helm
loss. tiny creatures lying sauattirlr Green
iHE aiouhh on The ioor, dependent upon a
destitute, depraved woman whose only in
tefest In the little mortals is the : or 10
cehis month she receives irrcgularly for
th"lr board and keeping. one wonders
" Eether the child life insurance M, -t,,arl
beings . = inn 4.
u not 1t occurs TO one how a baby board
ing Rouse in connection with life insurance
might b" made very profitable Industry.
Substitute for the Nurse.
The afternoon nursery is conducted for
the accommodation Of nurses who prefer n
bit Of gaiety 10 spending p dun afternoon
trundlng madam's baby on the street or in
the park. 2y this convenience ttei,. Troll
hieSome charges are put UP I'm thu alley
While they seek pleasure elsewhere Mad
ANS baby is disrobed its fine white toy
gerry carefully packed ore side. and giug-
mam slip Is put on maGam's Daby instead
Thus projected against getting dfri on its
hi3ery, ana the nurse also thus protected
against possible eC,iOn, the baby S;snds
The afternoon under the eye OF an old NVo-
man in the alley. who receives good price
from the nurse for her services
As L said at the start I went into tls al
ieys TO learn how poor people save. and ac-
compllShed only desire TO know me re
than anything / discovered In our com
Portable homes on the street feel i'm
hIeasurahly remoN cd from The distress the
social and moral disorders prevailing IN
our alleys. Yet our children. unknown to
Us, are introduced in these dark places and
selfish Interest, if nothing higher. indicates
the wisdom of studying life through orr
back gates a bit more than We are accds-
toned 10 doing. Perhaps you live 50 eNclu-
siYely in the street you have no back gate
ana communicate necessarily with no one
lower than is entitled to penetrate voug
- mere through the front basement door
Then the Associated Charities will sand
you the street and number and nam- cf
some family in an alley leading from your
street. There Is no excuse for your not
Knowing the poor within your reach and
II you fail to iind in them any hint or hope
OF the millennium, you will accomplish the
next best thing-loSe yourself temporarily
which is the first fruit of paradise accord
Ing TO the notion of PAULINE PRl