The times., 1899-02-11
The Bnrren Interior.


shanty was close TO the zero mark The
contents Of the shanty were chair, an
apology for a table, and little ramshackle
''two-by-two" stove. This was a case in
which the Associated Charities should have
gloTied. Here was no rag carpet, no fur
niture no food nor fuel nor other sinful
luyuries. Here the woman was nearly
naked, for shawl a cotton skirt, and a
rag waist are but little protection. Yet
this woman was ignored and left TO her
misery.
The shame OF il all is that this woman
cannot leave her shanty to go forth and cry
her wants. Her feet are CARRIED in bundles
OF rag carpet tied about the ankles with
string She possesses no stockings and
treads bare, frosty planks in her impro-
vised shoes. These are facts. Facts so
hard that the shame of them is pitiful.
This woman is Mrs. Annie Granger. She
is 81 years old and the shanty in which she
is imprisoned by want is at the rear OF the
yard at 1851 First Street southwest. She is
a widow and for years was dependent upon
her son, John, for aid. Last summer this
son enlisted and is now in Cuba. a private
in the Fourth Immunes. He has a wife
and four children living in this city near
the navy yard, and they receive all that
he can spare out of his Sl5 per month.
Associated Charities Indifferent.
Mrs. Granger has been entirely depend
ent upon herself since last September. She
| is an aged woman and for a time earned
scanty living by sewing and scrubbing
! floors. Last November she could obtain nc
! employment, owing TO her age and weak
ness, and she finally applied to the Asso-
| ciated Charities for aid. This was during
the first week in December last. The
! woman states that she then received
| small quantity of coal, but no food She
/ eked cut an existence through the kindnes;
/ OF the neighbors, who are also very poor
| She again applied TO Miss Foster at The
Associated Charities, and received no re-
| sponse. She made still another appli.
! cation, but has never received any aid
! The case. she states, was not investigated
! and she would have perished from colo
| and hunger but for the scraps donated bl
| the neighbcrs, who could spare little.
This woman may be an imposter, as ha.
been the cry from the Associated Charities
in each case of neglect, but why should :
woman willfully freeze and starve hersel
to death had she comforts? 1t is mys
terry how she has survived thus long. ant
| it is 4 certainty that she must succuml
unless she is soon relieved.
No Food and No Fuel
Two days ago the woman borrowed
peck of coal and the last lump of the peel
was used yesterday afternoon. As 70
food, she tasted nothing during Wednes
day and Thursday and yesterday after
noon the corner grocer, who has a heart
sent her a loaf of bread.
A bucket Of water stood on the ricket,
table. 1t was frozen solid. The woman
nursed her red, bare arms and tried I,
appear as though she were without a paii
or want. She Is white and intelligent
and unlike many who are not in heed
she stroye TO hide her condition =athe
than parade it.
If there be those who might find pail
in seeing their mothers freezing to dealt
in a hoyel; if there be those to whom III
spectacle of a hungry almost naked oil
woman is painful, let them 20 TO thi
shantY and see what manner of charity /
bestowed by the Associated Charities.
Think, ye who have arisen from warn
beds and partaken of good breakfasts
think of an old woman sitting alone il
the bitterness OF last nights cold. in
dark hovel, freezing, starving, and hope
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