Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-09-08
A POLICE STORY.
REALISTIC INCIDENTS ATTACHED TO
ONE OF NEW Works. CHARITIES.

SNG VT NEW rOhN' OF1AfNi leo.
How the Idea OF the "Night re fugo
For Friendless Women" In New
York Was Born In the Heart of
Woman.
Go into any station of busy police
precinct of New York and on the wall,
by the side of the sergeants desk, is
big placard announcing In fat black let
tering that the Night Refuge for Friend
less Women is to be found at No. la
West Fifteenth street. The placard is
the first object that strikes the eye of
the homeless creature rs she opens the
door OF the station. says Leiiie's
Weekly, and she reads these words:
Open all night for the reception of
those who need succor. No questions
asked. no cards or letters necessary to-
secure shelter and food"
"On n winter night Wen sometimes
have more than dozen women come
here for shelter. We just point ~
that placard, and they read 1t and 20
right out, and we know that they'll lind
bed. There waU one woman, | re-
member, came into the house dur,HS
the bitter storm, 10 coat, boots worn
In holes, nothing but thin oS,tou
dress and Il battered old hat: face all
fallen Unlocked as IL she hadn't cai-
EN- anything in days; starved WI ,ac
cold, weak for want of food just the
usual sort. She was going to ask me
something when she caught sisGt oi
that pasteboard. She clutchcd hold of
the rail and, brushing away the hair
where 1t had fallen over her eyes, she
began to read the address with her
hand at her forehe I'd stupid like.
Then she turned to me with Inc blind
stare, and says, in n far-aw2y voice:
Say, is there such places as thttf'
Yep, says l. Where they give yer
food and n bed just because yer need
1t? Yep l says ag-in.
And they don't ask yer no qucs-
tions?'
That's about the size of it, tells
her.
"'And don't want to know who you
are? Or how many times you've been
locked up? And don't went ce.,id-
cate of character from yer m,nister?
And won't turn yer away COS yer
cant give no references from yer hast
place? Don't want to know who yer
are or what you've been. so long
as you're unfortunate and ponr?'
II gave her Yes to all these ques-
tons
Then sho turns and says: I'm glad
saw that plaoard. I'll try ii. | amt
got any hope, but I'll try 1t. I've been
turned down everywhere / went, and
| was just going to see whether the
North river was kinder. She went
out" adds the sergeant, and saw no
moro of her. But | afterwards heard
that they'd taken her in and found
work for her somewhere"
I
ter of 1S76-77 that Mrs. sb0rnc. hur-
rying to her home through n by-strcet
on the West Side, saw two girls hud-
ding for shelter in n doorway. Some
thing in the aspect of the women.
something in the expression of their
tear-worn eyes us they looked out tll-
on the driving rain. stopped her ON
her way, and she turned beck and
spoke To them. Their story was soon
told. I'VE are two sisters, Our home
Is in Winston, Conn. Our people are
poor. There was not enough food la
feed us all. and so we came TO New
York to look for work and didn't find
1t. We are penniless and homeless and
starving"
Within an hour the two women were
housed in Mrs. Osborne's hcme. With
In week they had by her aid found
employment. And out of her chance
meeting with these two women arose
the thought that there were other sis-
ters in the city who might be In need
as desperate; that here was tho nos
sibility of work which might be car
rled to an endless good. IL will make
this work the object of my life" she
said, and never for a single instant in
twenty years did she weaken in her
purpose.