Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-09-09

MRS. Is. IL. STEVENS.
The Associated Charities" Work in
Chicago.
(From an interview with Mrs Agnes +. Sterng
Northern District Superntendent.)
THE FERRARAS.
Among the arrivals in Alma from Chi
cago last month, was the superintend-
ent of the Northern District Of the
Bureau of Associated Charities and
hoping to gain information of interest
for a publication whose principles are
charity, peace and order, one OF our
reporters hastened to obtain an interview.
She found chatty lady, kindly, willing
to impart any information on the nature
of the work so dear to her heart. She
related number of experiences, some
pathetic, some amusing, while others
were calculated to show how hard is the
path of the transgressor; all illustrating
clearly the work done by an admirable
system established to help them who are
willing to help themselves, guarding
against imposture and feeding and cloth
ing the worthy poor, remembering that
all who are suffering for want Of food
are worthy to be fed. Forty six churches
and societies co-operated with this dis
trict during the past year-sending in
applications of inquiry about individuals
and giving relief to those who belonged
TO their own orders when informed OF
cases. in which they could help. I'VE
have to be guarded lest we are imposed
on said she, land are almost what you
might call detective bureau. are con-
stantly in communication with the
police station which is near the office
and more than once impostors and
crooks have been discovered through
letters of inquiry received or written
to bureaus in other cities"
II must tell you" she said, "of my ex-
perience with the Ferraras. One day
last summer | received a summons to
the assistance of poor Italian boy, who
had been badly burned and was without
medical advice So furnished at a neigh
boring drug store with some sweet oil
and cotton, | FASTENED TO the address
given me-out on the open prairie found
him. on the outskirts of the city, lying on
the ground near the ashes of his former
home which consisted of "a poor house
and barn, that had been destroyed by
fire that morning within the space Of a
half hour. His father, a stalwart
Italian, who had contract for lighting
the street gas in certain district, at
midnight when the electric lights were
extinguished, and Of course of eX-
tinguishing them at daylight, had two
or three OF his poorer compatriots work
ing under him; he also kept horse and
wagon a COW and was dog fancier.
! The boy layed uncared-fOr until my ap-
pearance, for the father had objected 10
taking him to hospital and in their
/ ignorance. the family and neighbOrs
could do nothing for him. The burns
were in patches mostly, where he had
been struck by falling cinders, which had
taken his slight clothing and skin off
together, while he was dragging some
of the smaller children from the loft
where they were sleeping. The fire had
occurred about five in the morning and
was undoubtedly caused by the careless
ness of the hired lamp-lighters who had
gone TO rest about daylight after at
tending TO their duties. My attention
was then called TO the helplessness of
the rest of the family thus left shelter
less and needy. SiXty-five dollars which
Ferrara had drawn as pay on his con-
tract had been burned with the house,
so, as he was without cash, | obtained
a shelter for them and sent them, from
the store at the Bureau, some bedding
and other articles which had been part
of camping outfit and had been do
mated for deserving cases. The priest
was then notified of their need and he
obtained for them food, coal and other
necessaries until they could get started
again in life Ferrara and his wife
were profuse in their expressions of
gratitude and when | had admired the
fine dogs they had, they offered me a
&c -
Bull Terrier looking them all over
selected the finest of the latter strain and
was TO take possession in about five
weeks. Visiting them, little later
found for the woman domestic TO helu
her with her household duties for she had
TO work for the employees as well as the
! swarm of little children. At the ex.
piration of four weeks, when | thought
TO claim the puppy / called and found
Mrs Ferrara in state of great excite.
, ment. She had dismissed her help in q
| fit of jealousness and greeted me with
"That woman you sent me was nc
} good" and with many EXPLANATIONS
; about the badness of the woman and
/ invectives against her husband who
| wanted her to keep the woman. He
! came in, she went on with her in.
, vectives. "You tell her, you tell hel
; that" he said, then turned to make ex.
plantations to me for he seemed anxious
to appear well in my eyes. "She jeal.
Gus, she jealous" he said, Jealous OF
, every woman, jealous of Mrs. Bunk
, (the little German woman who had
: called in to their assistance) because
let her ride home in my wagon" The
wife continued her recriminations and
} he, turning to her. berated her in their
own language until, to my horror and
amazement, he seized her by the hair
| wound his hand into it and pounded
| her head against the wall until / ex.
| pected to see her skull crushed. She
| meanwhile fought and scratched as well
as she was able. Finally he let go his
, hold to turn and ask me. "You think
! me to be blamed ~ "You think me to
J be blamed?" The woman at the same
| time, course, she think you TO be