Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18


ing to get response from the front door
the reporter sought another entrance.
small wlndoW Wasspushed UP in the base
ment and a kindly voice, weak and trem-
bling, inquir4i tho mission of the visitor.
we've come to help you out with lit
tie provisions
God be praised, sir: am sadly in need
was the response heard.
The side door was opened and the re-
porter inviteahin. Mrs Scrivener is abso-
lutely alone in the world, and her wrinkled
race shows the burden of sorrow and care
she has struggled with. Eighty-nine years
of age and alone! Housed in howell with
only the memories of other and better
Gays, she nVes without even the companions
snip OF can, sustained by a faith made
sweet and pure byT the suffering she has
endured. All of ,heE life she has lived in
this city, and during her conversation re-
called bits of the early history of Wash
lnSton, when 1t was a struggling village
She remembers the burning of the Capitol
and told how at one time in her life she
was happy, with loving family and plenty
of the worlds goods
A Pitiful story.
Her story of the sufferings she endured
during Monday and Tuesday was pitiful
when the storm came Monday night"
she explained, land the weather got so
cold, l thought the good Lord was ready
to receive my poor soul. Thy will be DONE
L said; good Lord. take me if you are will
ing l SHOULD dwell with you in heaven I
mad little to eat in the house. but 10
fuel, and oh, how cold it was, Everything
IN the way OF covering L put about me-
and there L sat shiverng, waiting for the
daylight. l knew my God would not desert
me, and L never gave up for mo-
ment was afraid to go to sleep for
rear OF freezing. The morning came. and
with 1t assistance in the shape of fuel and
food. But L never dreamed of this sur
prise you have given me. Oh l am so
proud 10 think of all this good fortune. And
now can thank The Star and the good
people of Washington? Well, when 1 get
on my knees L am going to pray for YOU
all: Goodbye; God bless and keep you
Next door was a crippled tailor He had
NOT earned cent for two months, he told
the reporter AT one time he was the
tailor at the Washington Asylum hut he
lell ana broke his leg, and after lying at
the hospital for some time was discharged
from MS position with one months pay
Here was another worthy case and his
good old wife was profuse in her .nanks
for the food left with her
Soldiers Wife and Baby.
The word soon passed that The Star
pound party sleigh was in the neighbor-
mood and poor people f1ocked about it for
assistance A gentleman volunteered the
information that on Sth street there was a
young woman in destitute circumstances
without waiting to investigate, a big arm
Iul OF provisions was taken to the address
Up three flights of stairs in the front
room, the reporter found very pretty
young woman, certainly not over twenty
tnree years of age. She carried a wee baby
that insisted upon being healthy despite
Its surroundings. The young woman was
pioou ana refused to accept anything. She
was toid that people in much better cir
cuhstahces mad been helped and there was
no reason why she should not accent as
Slslance- 1T was not until the reporter
mentioned the baby that she consented and
tiien sile broke down and wept. She told
Ihe reporter between her sobS that her hus-
band had enlisted with the volunteers and
since ne marched away she had not heard
anything of him.
IN anoth 9r house, ISOLATED almost, on d
common near the navy yard, family con-
slsting OF mother, drrughter and husband
was assisted. iFhe daughter explained how
ler father, who had been a Woodworking
man, was taken i'll about three months ago
with the grip and since that time had been
confined to his bed. Fit was quite cold in
the house and. there was no food The
daug inter- showed half-finished piece of
cfochetlng and explained how she had
made such things and sold them Since the
blizzard the storekeepers had put up the
price of wooden and the little money she
had been given wasqnot sufficient to meet
the advance. The money had since been
used for food. They Were grateful, indeed
for the help given.
Another case of destitution and absolute
want was found back of the Columbia rail
roads power house. Here. again sickness
had put the only breadwinner in the family
IN bed, and the hungry children Juggling at
the mothers dress afforded testimony
enough for The Star man A generous sup
ply of provisions and some money for fuel
brought forth heart thanks.
Widow without n Helper.
Away out the Blandensburg road to Levy
street went the supply sleigh to hunt out
deserving widow who had no one to care
FOR her. AS the sleigh entered the small
court there was a hue and cry and the en-
tire popuace turned out, The old lady was
found and provided fer. She followed the
reporter to the door showering upon him
her blessing. In this place several other
cases were called to attention, and they
were all taken care of. Several cases of
restitution were on the list, with various
addresses, on Kramer street. The snow
was so deep that 1t was impossible for The
Star sleigh to get there. A mounted police
man kindly consented TO notify the people
and a merchant in the neighborhood agreed
to take care of the provisions for them
AT the corner Of 9th street and Florida
avenue two very destitute cases were in
vestfgated. In one house there was a fam
lily of seven little ones and three grown
adults. There was neither fuel nor food
in the house. 1t was the first time they
had ever accepted assistance. Next door
the conditions were equally as bad Both
We're we'll provided for.
One of the most pathetic incidents of the
trip happened on Delaware avenue north
east. A hovel was located where, accord
ing to a letter received by The Star, an
aged colored woman resided, utterly help
less and in dire distress. The snow was
piled high about the house and it was with
difficulty that the reporter able to
reach her 1t required vigorous knocking
to get response. Finally the old woman
hobbled to the door. The mission was ex-
planned, and the old woman replied:
This is the mercy of God. / have been
living on bread and moasses for a week,
but I can get along for few days more
If you would just as soon take them pro-
visions next door, they need them worse
than l do" Here was Il revelation. A
poor old woman, with scarcely enough to
keep body and soul together willing to
help a neighbor who was in worse crcum-
stances. Not only was this generous old
woman we'll provided but the neighbor
referred to and all the neighbors in need
were fed. They swarmed out of the houses
like bees and surrounded the sleigh
Thanks be to Gawd. Dis hyar am a
feast frum heben. Glory. glory glory.
Praise de Lamb. My Lord look at dat
meat Jerusalem returneth. Oh, praise
Gawd."
These were some of the expressions given
vent to as the food was distributed The
cbildren i,Irnpe for low and ono how about