New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-18
CITY WAITS IN THE COUNTRY.
FIFTY GIRLS TAKEN TO TDNAFLY IN
THE TRIBUNE FRESH AIR FUND
MANY OF THE LITTLE ONES. TAKEN FROM IN
TENEMENT HOUSES NEAR BETHANY CHAP
Ell. BREATHE THE FREE OPEN
AIR FOR THE FIRST TIME.


tiers OF the tenement houses are enjoying some Il
the benefits OF The Tribune Fresh Air Fund Late
Thursday afternoon they were taken out or the
muggy city TO the clear. cool Jersey hills at Ten
ahy. There. at Happy Land. the home supported
through the Kindness OF Mrs John s. Lyle. tho
youngsters refreshed by sound nights sleep. had
the first whole days romping OF the season yester-
day. To say that they enjoyed II would be 20
put II mildly, indeed They simply rolled all over
themselves in ecstatic sort OF glee
This occasion does not mark the opening Of the
rea active fresh-air work for this summer. 1t In
simply the beginning OF the merry times TO last
until the latter part OF September AT Tenafy. AT
the end of this month. however. If Americans even
during a period remember this work or hu-
mainly generously as In the times OF peace. all
the homes will throw their doors wide open. ara
country people Will have their houses filled
with their little city guests usual. Curtisvile,
in Massachusetts. Fairfield. in Connecticut, ana
country friends everywhere throughout New-fork,
New-Jersey Pennsylvania. Connecticut, Vermont,
ew-fIampshire Massachusetts and Rhode lslano
will then for the coming season give most cordial
welcome to the poor children from the sweiterins
metropolis.
The fifty little girls now at Happy Land come
from the Bethany Chape in Tenth-ave. near For
tieth-st They gathered together from the
tenement houses in that district by Mrs. Mcknstry
and Miss Murphy. a great many Of them are chill
dren whose home duties have kept them away from
school during the recent hot spell The principals
OF the schools TO which others go have excused
them that they might enjoy this opportunity.
None of the girls excused are higher than tho
fourth grade in the grammar school, so that II
does not make any great difference in their work
If they are away during the closing days Of tina
session. The rest OF the children are little more
than Kindergarten maidens. They are all from very
poor families. but their mothers and the mission
aries have managed by great deal Of care to send
them off in clean and neat. though cheap plain
clothes. As a whole. they look quite weak. Their
faces have an expression of exhaustion. Their
bodies, too. look pre.y well thinned out by their
long year IN the close dirty atmosphere Of the tene-
ments Wthal, however there Is a bright sparkle
in every eye. Each seems full OF fun and
mischief Some OF these little mothers have been
Happy Land before. others have been to the
other Tribune Fund homes, but there are several
who have never spent a whole day out OF the
city. one of these last Is pale thin little girl OF
nine summers. Her big. expressive eyes were wide
open from TIE nent she got on the ferryboat till
they forced tight shut by the sleepiness per-
vading those Jersey hills at night She watched
everything In open-mouthed wonder She was too
surprised for utterance. She couldn't tell just what
she thought Of IT all The seven-year-old Baby Of
the Sunday school" as the other little girls call
her. because OF her dlminutive size and her great
popularity. IS Just such another Half dozen
others also in this party had their first glimpse Of
the green country. And so II seems evident that
the members Of the merry party at Tenafy are
deserving
them.
Perhaps just this meagre description Of the APP
pearance OF the children IS sufficient to show that
they need the country. But when one learns where
they come from there Will not be the slightest
doubt in the mind Of any one as 10 the absolute
necessity for them and FOR the thOusands-yes tho
tens OF thousands like them-to get the fresh air
OF the country. Bethany Chapel is in the midst
OF Of the worst districts In New-York City,
"Iies Kitchen is the favorite term for the neigh
horhood for ten blocks thereabout. west Of
N.nth-ave. 1t does that the name is Ill
chosen. The district, though not quite thicky
populated as the densely inhabited Tenth Ward. on
the lower East Side, IS. nevertheless, packed. Tho
houses for the most part are od-fashoned tene-
ments. None Of them new. none have any
sanitary improvements. Most all OF them have
buildings. which miserable ramshackle
old structures sunless and cherries absolutely
without any provisions for health They two
or three stories high and are usually occupied by
six or eight families. The front buildings the
typ!ca. hyes,ory houses. At least four. and some
rooms. The common family room is never more
dining room laundry sitting-room. and. very fire.
opening according as the apartment IS 'front.' or
rear. either on the street o. on the backyard-a
cherries prospect OK Dirt and the fronts OF sams
moncionous old tenements on the one side. and Of
more dirt. the rear building and the neghbors'
the two bedrooms. the one behind the other. For
the most part the innermost of these is not lighted
~ anything more than a dlngy alrshaft and IL
doesn't often have this Think OF a family OF twelve
living in such circumstances, This is In the
least extraordinary. IL is common occurrence
The only ar pots IN these tenements are the
inaccessible To some FOR they occupy even the cell
lars. four OF the children now at Tenahy actually
come from these damp. miserable easements
ouatev pain,ed- tbnI mus, hs seep =, 80 &
ized-the party Of fifty i!tte girls IN Happy Land
were gathered. The missionaries visited them In
April. From May unui Thursday they Wis
led lSfr inn
chapel. 10 snow her how they were improving in
ca Gos were e given r to many SG a o theme TO
Most OF their fathers are out OF work-earning al
Land is masi be perfectly obvious '''' - ''"pp'
As they crossed the ferry the laughing youngsters
stood on the rear ot the main deck. waving their
haudk erchefs and cheering every craft they passed
all the way across the river
There was considerable wait before the train
started but; once on they sped on their way up
Iendny. There they got into two stages In waiting.
Al the way up the long hi. they waved and shout
men watching them. When the home came in sishs
and the children who had been in Tenany befors
sd Py m5@a the 4Sus 9sen t T
hostess. Mrs Lyle. and the matron. Mrs Arm
buses. The welcome they received. however once
on tho grounds was scarcely less fervd than their
AftSr plentiful supper Of ham sandwiches and
mllk-al th'y wanted OF eacn-the children were
they made one wild dash for everything In sight.
up and down. creakng under their heavy loads.
The swings were dying away at a great rate.
Thu few wild strawberries in the field gone In
no time. After the first dash number OF the
Little Mothers came back to the piazza and sat
afrecilonafely around the kind-hearted matron.
Though not so we'll acquainted with the nurse. MISS
Zulch they also gathered about her for a little
talk About an hour before bedtime n young man.
evidently student, came 10 see the children.
Their cordial childish natures made them acqualnt-
ed with their visitor very quickly. Soon All nifty
were begging him for just one SOUP. which, being
interpreted. means that they wanted him swing
them. The young man would run in jolly way
from swing to another. the whole crowd after
him. Then came another turn az the joggle-board
These are southern creations. taking the place OF
the time honorcd sec-saws. They about twenty
feet long and a foot and half wide. They are sus-
pended about three feet above the ground. on two
Steel supports AZ either end They spring up and
down. Jogging. jogging all day long
But all fifty soon left these apparatuses and lined