The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-02-17
Repaired Sons Exchange St.


one whom found last New Years day
clothed only in a thin pair of cotton
Turkish trousers and two threadbare
waists with cotton rag over her head.
and with bare feet. She stole into the
church to hear the music, leaving a sick
mother at home without fire or food,
and the child herself seemed starving
l had on my heaviest winter clothing
that day and wondered that the girl did
not die from the exposure. However,
she is clothed now, and has learned of
the riches in store for those who love
the Lord.
Many times people ask me how the
exceedingly poor people can give as
they do. They often manage it by
going without breakfast, l think, and
by all giving. They have learned we'll
the lesson that mans life CONSISTENT
not of the things that he has, and the
massacre has made them anxious to in
vest their money in something the
Turks can not take away.
But the condition here Is really very
grave. The government is pressing so
for taxes that they go into the houses
of the alleged debtors and if they can
find even cup it is taken and sold.
There is no furniture to mention in any
house here, but the poorest must have
bed (rolled up and put away in the
day and spread on the earth floor at
night) one or two cooking dishes with
covers which serve as plates, a cup and
perhaps a pail, knife and wooden
spoon-of couIse, no chairs, tables. or
rugs, nothing but what have mentioned
unless they are erich" enough to have
tub for washing. The last mentioned
article is one of the first things seized
for taxes, always, but now they are
taking the drinking cups and any of the
stores that have been provided for
winter. | have not yet heard of any
beds sold. see many of the shops shut
and many times learn that the owner
is in hiding so that he may not be i'm
prisoned for taxes. Very frequently
man is called up and back taxes for
years past demanded; when he remon-
strates that he has paid them the tax
receipt is demanded, and when the
officials are reminded that the receipt
went with the mans house in the
massacre, he is abused and ordered to
pay the tax or go to prison.
Wheat is very high-over a dollar a
bushel, with wages 10 or IL cents day,
when work is to be found at all. There
is great deal of bitter feeling over the
German Emperor's visit, for the people
attribute the pressure for taxes to that,
but as matter of fact, it seems as if
those spared from slaughter were to be
handed deliberately over to famine.
The poor women and little children
1t seems as if the thought of their
misery would crush us at times, but
they bear it patiently, for in all the
wide world there seems no help.
Yesterday my associate, Miss Blakely,
was asked to help young widow now
studying in the city schools. She re-
piled that she did not seem a promising
student, and was quickly answered,
"Perhaps she could do better if she had
had any breakfast; now her sister spins,
and of course sitting still in the house
she can do without, but to study we'll,
perhaps food would help"
must try to write you soon about
my embroidery workers, whose pictures
l am sending now. l am sure you
would be interested, and perhaps some
would like to order cushion covers or
other work. Very sincerely yours.
MEDA HESS.