Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-01-08
Hoods Fills arr ART III iIo "Gy Ears s to tnk'
TFiEY WE'RE SUBS, NOT SOUP.
and the Female Investigator Didn't Get
Hcr Name In the Paper.


There is an ambitious young wOm-
an reformer in st. Louis whom
every reader of the papers knows.
Not long ago she heard that the city
government was about to make an
inspection of the workhouse, and
she made up her mind to forestall
The investigation by making one on
Dehalf of the alphabetical associa-
ION of which she was Il member.
She had heard horrible stories TO the
effect that the Wandering Willies
in the workhOuse were sadly mis-
treated, starved, bastinatloed and
deprived of many of the things
which are essential to the advance
ment and welfare of mankind.
Armed with Il permit from the
secretary of her society and wear
ing the badge of member, she
sw0oped down upon the wOrkhouso
one morning, and, aftor gaining adj
mission to the grounds, stole with
stoalthy steps around the Basement
Of the building in search of the
kitchen. She knew she would find
the cook making sausage out of the
lays killing at the adjoining dog
pound or serving the dishwater as
soup to the fricndlcss inmates. 1t
was lust dinner time. She would
catch the mlscreantS redhanded and
expose them in tho public prints
Her name would appear as one of
the leading retormers of st. Louis,
aud maybe Lady Somerset would
send her an autograph photograph
of herself. Oh, rapture!
She stepped into Il long hall unob-
served and was rewarded by seeing
twomCn,appnrently walters, march
ing toward her. Each carried a
mighty caldron of stcaming liquid.
"Sollp!" Missed the reformer Turk
ing in the shadows. III sec
whether they are feeding dishWater
to these poor prisoners and, calling
it soup, the Villains And she
waited for the coming walters.
"St0p," she almost shrieked in
her excitement, as the two soup car
riprs came opposite lar. "Set down
these caldrOns. | am Mrs. Hot Stuff,
second vice president of the Wom-
ans Society For the Prevention of
Di,hwatcl Soup and she gave her
name and showed the aluminium
star on her hcaving bosom. The
men set down their burdens in awe.
"Get mo spoon, said Mrs.
Stuff, shifting the steam from the
liquid while one of the carriers dis
anpcarcd into Il doorway, to return
in moment with soup spoon.
This smells to me like dishwater, ~
said tho lady, ladling up Il spoonful
Of the stuff. The men stood grimly
Nv while the dauntlcss reformel'
blew uron the hot liquid Il breath
like the sou;h wind Oh the sanitary
company.
Then she slipped the "soup' with
Il grimace THAT is not SOUP she
said sulemniy. You know it Is not
IL to drink. y
NO, ma am, it is not SOUP said
tho first wretch.
1T is dishwater, and you know
it,, said the reforner.
"Nn. ma am, it il not dishwator,'
said the second wretch humbly.
"What is it, thent Speak out. 1t
may IT, that it is not your fault, and
l will intercede for you il you tell
me
"You see, madam, this Is wash
day. After the washing is done we
yet the hot water from tho laundry
and use But she was gone. She
didn't wait to learn that tho two
TRUSTEES we've gong to scrub the
SUPERINTENDENT back porch with
the hot soup" and the next morn
ing there wore no tl.1ing headlines
about Norl-!iuusG abuses and the
brave woman 1eformer. st. Louis
Republic.