The age-herald., 1897-10-08
BY MRS. GEORGE C. BALL.
'''s W.

There is brave young Chicago girl, Miss Louise Pelham, who is making a comfortable support for herself in very unique and original way. although she has only reached the maturs age of r summers. Miss Pelham is a doll dress maker, and began her business or pro- fession in purely accidental sort of way. Mrs. Pelham, her mother, had frisnd, it seems, who desired to present two dolls to young girl of whom she was fond, and not finding the kind she wished in her village home, wrote to her Chicago acquaintance, Mrs. Pelham, ask ing her to select two dolls, dressed in certain style. Mrs. Pelham could not find thsm either and her young daugh- ter dressed two dolls in accordance with fhe descriptions given in the letter. From this incident sprang the present remun- eratlve occupation Of Miss Louise Pel- ham. As soon as ilsr friends discov- cred her talent for doll dressmalxing, she had as many orders as she could well fill, which necessitated constant shop ping, at bargain counters and among remnants and short lengths of dry goods. This finally attracted the atten- tion of the m m.lrchants and when Miss Pelham explained her reasons for haunt Ing the bargain counters, the merchants, who dealt in toys and dolls, gave her dozens of the latter to adorn. In the lat act o,,I II ham generally does her shopping on Monday mornings, in the great depart ment stores and the balance of the week dsvotes her tima, to sewing for the dolls, according to clrders. She usually dresses fifty in every month, which of course yields her c1mfortab ble income She enjoys a vacation during the sum- mer months, and resumes her duties the 1st of October Sha is described as bright, sparkling young woman, With wealth of dark brown hair which she wears in two long braids hanging down Gretchen fashion. Her health is not always good and her continued indis- position, prevented her completing the tiiSl SCllOOt cOuISt UT SIuQy. MISS PSl- ham regards her novel business as a de- c.ded diversion as well as means of SUD- port, and her girl friends consider her as quite a star in their social cfrcle; they are very proud of her capacity, de- termination and pluck. She lives with hsir parents in an attractive part of Chi cago, and IS a great comfort and pleas ure to them
 Sorosis has hal its first meeting of the season. whicl. occurred a few days ago at the Waldorf Hotel, New York. There were many guests present at this meting, besides large number of mem bers. There was the usual luncheon, which was partaken of with the same relish by the notable women that would have been felt by the most frivolous and vacuous female to be found.
 Subsequent to the luncheon the wo- msn adjourned to the ballroom of the Waldorf and listened to forceful papers and essays upon the leading questions of the day. Mrs. Washington Roebling, widow of the distinguished civil en- gineer, was chairman, and read strong paper upon the subject By What Means Can the Condition of the Poor in Large Cities be Practically Improv- ed?" Among other admirable senti- ments Mrs. Roebling said:
 "One well known philanthroplst has said that those who would fight to help the poor must fight the poor to do it." and after commenting the work of the six college settlements now in New York she continued: Any charity scheme, however it may be disguised will in the end make paupers of the poor. The peo- pie must be encouraged, stimulated to work for themselves. It is estimated that New York city spends every year in public and private charities $SO0O GOO When you add to this the S7 GOO 900 which was raised last year by direct taxation and used for the care of our standing army of paupers, criminals and sick poor, it does seem that something be- sides money is needed if ever the condi- ton of the poor in large cities is to be improyed."
 Mrs. Theodore Satro spoke of '"rhe Improvement of the Criminal Poor:' Mrs. J. N. Leeper read fine paper on