The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-31
The Experiences OF
One in Misfortune


This TOUCHING letter'has been sent to The
Tribune for publication. The pathetic
Il story Of a cultured wrman's desperate con-
dition. and her appeal not for herself but
for others WHO, too, must suTere such wretch.
edness and misery through no fault Of their owa
cannot but arouse the sympathies Of the reader.
The cas-" has peculiar application to Scranton
philanthropy as II was from this city that
cmanated the idea Of cutting of all outside
relief and compelling any applicants for relief
from the poor board to go to the poor house.
Lackawanna county still In some portions auc.
tions OIL its poor people after the fashion Of
the slave block system although not to the
highest but the lowest bidder who takes the
miserable object Of charity to his home and
often makes that life one season Of infinite hor-
ror. In our own city there has been more than
one poor woman who with little aid from the
poor board was able to keep roof over her
head and her children with her until they were
old enough to assist her. With no refuge but
the poor house all ambition has left her and
the little ones have been scattered and oftei
driven into depravity. The lady who writes this
letter has friends in Scranton. She was once
teacher at ogontr and is a person Of great re.
fhement and beauty OF character. Old and sick
and poor, for such as herself there Is no place
in the world
WHAT WOULD YOU Dof
Not, "What would Jesus doi'' for we can.
not know what lie would do. We know He
80 %"' ,n,,. nou 'o.n1' anu, VI
e,I,S ~ A. ,. i"''''.e anu We veg
az" rhot uo u., o. , "Tulu ne Ha'e a.. U.
,,ho. ,.a,' .as |, ".m"s ys EnoN' -, !ua'
,n,,I, a. =, -, 49, -" w. o' ',''',n you
see the way clearly, and my question will reach
those Of clearer brains and spiritual vision.
onl .hnt 80 -. L. ,a'. ,'a.t,n IN, u, n w
"n,,,5 g.. ,h ,,,,It H' I'i.. WIZ amu "i
o tt .,'os..,,., .I :" "y ~ "o.n
30 w., =, t 49, ~! "'sn.o'
"''u v",' was ins." pu' .oi' o,ei @
a,,t ,J ,ot, ,,, 49, .y ,,l s4
~ - -, ,'' nH, '0 '"us az ',a'''
Wv 'ea' ho,u ioN"'s Cnlu' .aihe 70 DC ei.
anvS uepeHI."t az ." enari.y' anu nov ha'ins
"S no'i.e' .,1 ~ n,s p,en neay ,i, ~. ioI my
- ~. " - 10 "' ms t''ouen
sIi,. NV "Cs S,''al my LIEU .,
HI'' lyi 49, N"' y. VAIN, n.y
e!'I'e @ VI y'a,, "'rn nGuueu, WIN "noue,'te
o"' 'e, i,'"N.' wv" pa na'u W nl,
"S "t'' aa Lay ~, Nv nI t,i, ruu,u W io."I
"'i'I' ~ - ~ IN 1"'O '1'a'i,' aii
nuI ~. ~ -" 80 ~ ,
- my 80. mn po"'u'n6
,uusIl was .ie Sou.'' mr1's pu' my u.s.
Iu', ~ .''ue ,S a.e N. s ~ ou nT' ue NV t"ete,
~ ~, So "1u W ""a' M P Po'''o'u S''a'Ne .'
~ Io' ~ a., 80 as "tpIi'a'lo"
was maui ~, me W nav "eiP Vu,eiue ''e 'ou,
n"Hee' 'niS; 'ne", was "h,,nsS S sian'eu,
anu - per "eeN a. '"a' ''n'e' WIN 'nis anu
seiIihs t"e ms VI IVY ooons' 'ne oeet Oh my
""iU'oe ,""'' was ."""J' anu III! ae"'
wa''n, WlI'cn ! u,u wan. 10 Keep ! gov aions
,ot a"''io' "''"ou' "''"s 'iu'" VI 'ai upo"
MINUS ,
som Hl''i ss1'Ins 'hS neip 'our'S uoc'o,
Vsoh oi an ON 'iienu'' eAheu 'h me u,u see''eu
Erea,y iu'e'eS'eu IN NY o"se- anu hihuly or
,c'eu 70 uo al nc oU"'u io' ne an onei "hich
accepteu FROM an that ne sara ! hau every
tG'Non 70 SuPPose wa. ser'ioe wouiu pe He''
lie at last INSISTED that ! ought 10 nave
surslcai operatioh tone Whlcn was lao WIN
MN anu ior "hieh ne enaIeeu fOo) nc "ouIo,
however nave ahotner doctor perform ~ IN my
case VINO Wouiu o',iy ch"'Be MS 'r"Feiihs OK.
p'hSes-or eou,u 30 10 lhe nome 'owh oil
the doctor Wou'a ohly nave 70 pay - per
week ior poaru anu care, for what thought
goou reasons uiu not nave IL uohe' mueh TO
his disgust
ABOUT hNe years ago tne county awoke TO the
true lhwardhess OF the present law which.
was iounu' INTENDED every one VINO couid
De gotten 10 the county mouse must he taken
there' Inc ohy question was anlhy 10 De
taken there' because OF my nervous CONDITION
ana my needs some OF my friends tired To- IN
duce the commissioners TO stlll let me have
help outside the county house (Which they re,
msed). Such weary struggle as they and |
had Tor neary four months ! never want agair
lAie IL not worth IT, Lille, liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness were really denied But
at last' the pressure was so great, they reluct-
antly granted me Sl.5o per week Others, so far,
have made up the 50 per week which have paid
Tor board and care (what ! have) OF those
Others two have since died and gone past
the helping. Eighteen months ago Scranton
friend kindly interested some OF her friends
and sent me nice hit which helped me greatly,
more than they knew
During the struggle TO get the last help again
from the county, learned that one objection
made was that | had made such heavy doctor 8
bills-that nearly 500 had been paid when |
had no idea there would be anyl could not be-
heye II until Obliged to, Then it almost broke
my heart as ] never meant to make any eS'