New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-13
THE SUNSHINE MISSION.
EXCEPT IN IT'S NAME IT IS DESTITUTE
OF EVERYTHING LIKE BRIGHTNESS.
MRS F.. T. GADpIs AND THE STORY OF HER
WORK IN HELLs KITcHEN-A PLEA
FOR RAGGED TOTS.

WORK IN HELLs KITCHEN-A PLEA
FOR RAGGED TOTS.
Down on Eleventh-ave. in the shadow OF Heirs
Kitchen" where dirt and crime and disease and
lawlessness hold high carnival the year round.
Sunshine Mission" has its home. The great tene-
rnent building in which the mission rooms are STU
nted rises a gloomy height Of four stories. and
the topmost windows overlook an area OF utter
wretchedness and despair The rough horses. even.
that unwiilingy drag the heavy ill-emelng freight
Of the ne,ghborhood have almost as vicious and
reckless look their human prototypes-the
overworked laborers-and 1t seems a difficult matter
10 imagine that rosy fingered summer ever strayed
I'm this forsaken locality and left a sunbeam or a
blossom.
The morning was dark and sullen when the re-
porter stumbled upon Sunshine Mission frowzy
old woman slowly and suspicously opened door
In response 10 the reporters knock
Can you tell me about Sunshine Mis- -
Nav 'Tairt me- Yer'l have see Their
woman at Their bottom O this passage. sco"i
accompanied the unwilling answer. and the re-
porter was glad TO find that this beldam was not
part of the mission she was seeking Down
narrow cammy gloomy passage running TO the
rear OF the tenement the reporter went and hnaiiy
came to a battered-looking door. A knock brought
a cheerful invitation from some one on the other
side. and yelp from Invisible dog was foilo"ed
by the opening Of the door.
can you tell me about the Sunshine Mission
began the reporter. a woman's figure appeared
out of the gloom of 'miGdle" room with no WIN
dows in Il
Indeed I can" answered the cheerful voice.
sounding strangely out OF place in such cherries
surroundings IF you will walk right IN III tell
YOU all / know about Il. and as | am the supern-
tendent / think I give you all you want
. Passing through the dark room to a small one
IN the back with windows opening on u dreary
court, the reporter found herself talking TO Mrs
F. T. Gaddis who has been in charge OF Sunshine
Mission at No 4s4 Elevehhave for the last sixteen
months Mrs. Gadd!s's cheerful face and KIND blue
ewes were about the only sunshine the visitor could
see in the mission big, fat. brown cat was Sit
ting on the mantlepiece in front OF small mirror
placidly washing its sleepy face small dog sat
on the floor and whned because the cat was out
Of reach.
"They are all the compa nionship have during
the day" said Mrs. Gadds indicating the two pets.
II don't know what l would do without them
Reauty-that's the dog -teases tho cat so she has
10 live on that mantepiece. But they are not such
bad friends after al! Come here, Beauty, and
while the dog cured up in her lap Mrs. Gaddis
told the story OF Sunshine Mission.
THE STORY OF THE MISSION.
Tho Rev F. 7. Lea founded this mission.
bnt he Is now doing missionary work in Africa I
bave been superintendent since he went away and
nm Sunda,s Mrs l.. A. Goodwin. OF the d.
rectors and Miss l. A. Goodwillie the secretary
and treasurer. come and help me teach the Sunday
school. / never have a meeting without a police
in he
that cone here are said to be the worst In New
York and while they respect me in certain way,
I must nevertheless. have the protection OF an
officer The captain Of the Thirty -seventh-st police
station details officer TO come here every even
ing at : O'Clock and every Sunday. do not dare
TO let @ boy eighteen years old come into the
rooms. Girls come TO the evening meetings as well
sc the bows and they are almost as bad. Such rag
ged wretched, dirty children you never saw
cannot have carpets, curtains nor upholstered
chairs. for fear OF vermin and the wooden chairS
and benches In the large room where the chlloren
come have 10 be secured and scrubbed with brush
daily.
How many children come here at night? Nearly
Sner e psY the Organ and to join in the singing
The policeman sits in a big window right ny 'hs
the BOYS Out of the room. Sometimes have had
the door almost broken in II the policeman was a
broken. and the boys nave thrown brickbats. Jumps
OF mud aE di s afS owed ike al liver down here
and most OF tho children got drunk one OF me
boys shot at me. and tho bullet whisued close ny
once the boys arranged large rock so It would
TO another part Of the room ..o,s n.,.r q, 70 90
5o% Sr e 20 ec aP TR y Ne Sorry
for these poor hsf-starved ragged mlseIaoe c an
Just obliged to ba KEEP o sewns
the girls and they seem willing 70 learn end really
read about This mission would send me- some scraps
0f any kind OF msersi fSr and tho S chill
dren would be delighted. receive no saiary ah1
cannot supply the many little articles we heeu
here.
I'VE need chairs and benches-pla.n wooden ones
planks laid across other boxes. reed pictures and
pcture-b''oks for my liitle tots. Why, pretty COL
ored picture would be a wonderful thing 20 them
! wish some one could tune my organ Tor me anu
attract the bCcs more than anything else. II
could have apple some evenings give TO every
boy and girl who behaved while they were here. !
think II would De a great help. Some time | wish
I could give each child o little cake.Gny thing 10
rot mr.
that good behavior will be rewarded Fruits and
little cakes would be most welcome donation.
But I especially anxious for my little girls
TO doll apiece for Christmas. The poor little
things will not know * is Christmas unless |
piain simple inexpensive dolls ready dressed
would make my little barefooted, unkernpt children
wild with delight. feel that cannot bear for
- Christmas TO come II cannot brighten the day
for these little walls The homes OF most OF them
are fearful places. Two little motherless girls in
the room above mine here come down to for
their breakfast every morning. IT. has
been dead two years, and n = gets only $40
old. and life is already n burden to them The
father does the best he can with the little money
he has Every Saturday, he sends down 20 cents
by the children; 1t Is all he can anord TO pay tow
ard their food We have eight rooms here for the
mission work and all our meetings are held at
night for the larger children work in the rag and
carpet mills near by.
Mrs Gaddis took the reporter over the
where the children gather. The walls and floors
are pitifuy bare and the furniture is only
apology There are few cheap coIored prints OF
Bible scenes and pieces of coarse white cloth with
Scripture texts printed in largo black letters on
them. The tiny organ is patheticany small and
uRsezy- looking, but It Is one or the main influences