Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-24
NO. so.
Chicago Paragraphs.

Mrs. LIoyd's Beautiful way Of Helping
Human Kind---MateriaI Help and
Moral Health In "POtatO Patches"
From letter by The Phoenix Staff Correspond
ent.l
Just within view of my windows, at the
old Home for the Friendess, was tall
apartment building, the home of a quiet,
unassuming, elderly lady, the widow of ex-
Gov. Bross, and | thought The Phoenix
readers would be interested in an account
of her only child-now Mrs Henry Lloyd.
Mr.. Lloyd is well known, at least in this
section of the country, as a writer and
lecturer on socialism. He is the author of
"Wealth VS.. Commonwealth" and kindred
works. Mrs. Lloyd possesses fortune in
her own name, besides being the guardian
of her four young sons, to whom Gov.
Bross bequeathed 100000, in equal
share, at their majority. Mr.. and Mrs.
Lloyd have a beautiful home in one of the
suburbs of Chicago and there put in prac-
tice in lovely way their theories of social
equality Their house is spacious but
plain, and is simply but tastefully furnished.
The table fare is abundant and wholesome,
but never elaborate, and there are always
laid five or six extra covers, for Mrs.
Lloyd's hospitality is boundless, embracing
whoever she may meet that seems to be in
need of it. The human being, not station
or attainments, is what calls forth her in
terest and sympathy, and whenever she
meets a needy, unfortunate or discouraged
one, she says at once, Come and see what
Wnnelka air will do for you;" and the
invitation is not limited to a day or a
week, but stands good for as long as the
guest is deriving benefit from the expert
ence.
Without doubt Mrs. Lloyd is sometimes
imposed upon, but she never looks at it in
that way. In the Lloyd household domes-
tic service is simpliied as much as possible
and the mistress makes no heavy eXactiOns
upon her servants. As far as possible, all
sense of class distinction is abolished, and
mistress and maids are free and equal. 1t
is doubtful if this could be done success
fully in many households, however devoted
one might be to the theory of social equal
ity, but Mrs. Lloyd possesses a sufficiently
powerful personality to give dignity to
whatever she does 1t is, as I'm sure
you'll agree, an interesting experiment,
and whether it proves to be success in all
respects or not, one honors Mr.. and Mrs.
Lloyd for living up to their beliefs, and it
is certain that those who are entertained in
their charming home will while there reap
the benefit of 'plain living and high think
ing" whether they carry its influence away
with them or no.
And wanted to tell about a Chicago
experiment, too, and one that has proven
great success. We haven't Pingree,
but we have "potato patches'-at least
we had them all summer-on land fur
nished by the city to poor people who
would use it for gardening purposes.
About $50 lots were given out in May to
families containing total os nearly 900
persons. Many of the lot-holders knew
absolutely nothing of gardening, but were
very eager to learn. Besides potatoes
turnips, radishes, squashes, cucumbers,
cabbage, corn, beans, peas, pumpkins, to-
matoes, and even red peppers, formed the
crops. AS most of the families have part
ly lived off their gardens during the sum-
mer, it would be almost impossible to esti-
mate the total value of the products raised,
but believe the potato crops ranged from
six to Is bushels. The total cost of plow-
ing the land, furnishing seeds, and paying
a man to overlook the work was less than
$3.50, which was paid by the bureau of
charities.
The good derived from the patches
has been wholly out of proportion to the
expense involved. The famili,s helped
were all in the utmost need of aid, and
could not have gotten through the sum
mer without continued assistance. AS it
is, they have lived off their gardens-scme
of them selling little produce and buying
groceries-and in many cases have stored
enough TO carry them well into the winter.
Besides, they have had healthful out-of-
door employment for their evenings, have
nf Oar1aninn
kept their self-respect as they could not
have done had they been compelled to ask
aid from the bureau from time to time.
The experiment has been such a success
that it is likely to be tried on larger
scale next year, as there is much unused
land in all parts of the city that the own
ers will be glad to devote to this purpose.
have been an advocate of the "Pingree
plan" ever since l first heard of it, and
now more than ever. l hope he's a Yer
monter. Is hep