New-York tribune., 1901-08-11
WHAT JOY FLOWERS BRING.
DAY WITH A MISSIONARY WHO DIS
TRIBUTES BLOSSOMS TO DWELL
ERS IN TENEMENTS.


Those who have flowers all the year cannot
easily understand how much joy a few blossoms
give to the dweller in tenement gloom and the
patient in bare hospital wards. To such as have
experience of flower missions ay spent
with one of them would be revels
One that does beautiful work is the New-York
Fruit and Flower Mission, begun in 1870 by two
young women-the Misses Ella E. and Fanny L.
Russell-who had idea that they were founding
an organization" but thought only to carry bright
ness into a few lives Others joined them. and
soon society was formed which grows larger
every year. but still counts the two sisters among
its most constant and untring workers
From May to October the mission pursues its
work, its friends meeting every Monday and Thurs
day in the basement of All Souls Unitarian Church,
Fourth-ave. and Twentieth-st. From o'clock un-
I'll the scene is pretty and animated one. Differ
ent forces appear in the morning and the after
noon, but the characteristics of both groups
alike. There young girls, young women, middle
aged and old women but all are eager and inter-
ested, in arranging the flowers. some in taking
them away distribute In hospitals and slums.
Flowers sent from many places within
radius Of hundred miles. They seldom
from greater distance. they would be spoiled,
probably, by the journey. The express companies
carry them free within that limit, and also return
the baskets. when baskets are used without
charge; which proves" says OF the officers.
that corporations are not all soulless."
In the middle of the room stands large table,
Bunches OF white cord lie at each end Of the table
and several pairs of scissors In easy reach
Chairs there for those who want them, but
| often some eager worker forgets to sit.
AS the boxes and baskets OF flowers In
their contents are enptied on the table as wanted
| or are placed on a long side table until needed
The bouquet making is conducted wholly on in
| dvidual lines each suiting her fancy in se1ec-
| ton and arrangement At this season there are
many wild flowers sent in. All the August flowers
| hoxa o1Io- ,v,I al
suggestion of afluence that make them extremely
| pleasant to work with and reduce the difficulty in
| grouping them to minimum. One of the workers,
"a dear old lady with silvery locks" was radiant
| with delight that infected all the others on find
ing basketful of larkspur. zinnia and other
| "grandmother's flowers" Holding up a spray of
the purple larkspur she said: This was the
blossom dear to the hearts Of children in youth
| for making wreaths I still have that made
when a little girl, and it is graceful and purple
as ever in its home in old book"
The zinna, she told them, used to be known ir
her country home as youth and old age" and
also as Turks head
Busiest Of workers was a young girl OF seven
teen who has assisted at the mission since sh'
was nine years old and is regarded as part Of it
Elise 5 1 is always ready to do anything from sweep
after she has helped to make them.
& Inc distributors are of all churches and creeds
races and colors. Some Bible readers ant
city missionaries; some are women of leisure ant
hospitals and such institutions the others dis
tribute to the tenements they know so well. Th
cation of scholars to get the share that Away
awaits them. them The messengers come armed witt
position ton The The flowers usually serve hrst as mod
given to the children to take home.
DISTRIBUTION IN TENEMENTS
The tenement house distribution is full of inter
est. In the first tenement visited was a '1ttl
father" about nine years old. who was valiantl
trying to a fretful baby. while tot of
rrg-I ryfr
to get comb through wealth of pretty hail
She tossed 1t back and fixed her eyes upon tn
flowers that peeped from uncovered corner O
the basket, with intentness that left no roor
well known there. A few kindly words to the boy
tickets for the excursion next day; lovely bunc
Of sweetpeas placed IN a glass by zIf the wee sn
was time to pass on to another homo
There. as in the the first, the mother was out ,.a a
keeper. "oh. please. lady may have the yeleoy
she begged as the basket was opened ned 10 70
ceived lovely bunch of coreopsis and mignonette
IN the nex place 20 Was R an az Old CID woman VIII
LIVED all alone and Was so nearly blind thst thai sa
within foot Of neri To her the hoWers rdy give
lemon verbena and sweetpeas-and she buried he
face in them with loud delight. Such a cheerfu
almost repulsVe fe in her wthered seniie decay
I'm going tO. the picnic to-morrcw." she croaket
"Ain't goin to have fine tinei III put o
my best clothes and my bonnet with the fowe
All the yards were filled with children. Of ever
size and age. CHEEKY little mothers devote
themselves to tired babies, and even the play
mates helped to amuse the more troublesome one:
How they greeted the flowers! How they presse
around 10 get some! Mothers left their washtubs-
everybody seemed to be wagdi9g15O ash g 0dia ask wit wit
for them forgot for time the drudgery of dali
| life.
So II was everywhere. They could not walt fo
the missionary to reach their rooms, but hurrie
| into the yards as she approached, so eager weT
| they to receive the bloom and fragrance tha
| never reach them except on such occasions.