Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-10
Silk and Flannel Waists
All our Silk and Flannel Wais

IL.
because to keep one of such magnitude
for any number of years was impossi-
BILE But even now there are few who
know the truth.
Another instance of quiet benevo-
lencc carried on by a man who care
fully sought to avoid the publicity of
thanks is that of bail commissioner,
who for years has not only waived his
fee in cases which seemed to him de-
serving. but has induced friends TO
stand as sureties for the accused only
in one instance did the released pris-
oner fail TO appear for Trial, whereupon
the bail commissioner paid the neces-
sary amount out Of his own pocket, but
did not on that account cease his
charities. His wife collaborateS as far
as possible. and expects him to bring
to his own house any prepoSscSSing
child whose mother has been arrested
for drunkenness or the like-any child.
indeed, for whom there seems to be no
place at the station house. The police
have always assisted in this work and
frequently call his attention to cases
which he might not otherwise discover.
His benevolence is the more remark
able in that he carefully cultivates q
gruf manner and is intensely annoyed
by thanks of any kind. He recognizes
neither church nor charitable institu-
ton. but simply goes on his own rough
way, stunning publicity far more care
fully than he would the plague.
Physicians are continually practising
quiet benevolence; this theme certainly
needs no elaboration. In connection
with medicine. however it is in order
to note the fact that people of wealth
who fear the approach Of some disease,
or are already its prey. or who have
lost friends or relatives through ii. not
infrequently send special help to poor
people upon whom the blight has al
ready fallen. one woman of wealth
sends consumptives away to a proper
climate. This sort of thing, however,
calls for so much money that It Is
naturally less common than other
forms of quiet charity.
The benevolence which comes from
people of comfortable circumstances
who have little money to spend is per-
haps more interesting than that which
involves 4 great outlay of money. Most
settlements can give tales of artists
to them any of the young people who
show special talent for art and music.
These people feel keenly the loss the
world Sustains through wasted genius,
and make it their duty to stop the
tragedy so far as possible. Moreover.
every volunteer leader of a club of
boys or girls (their name is legion
may fairly be classed among those who
give quietly, expecting no public
thanks nor the halo which surrounds
the brow Of those whose names oc-
eur at the top Of the lists of contribu-
tors to charitable societies.
Those who have neither money nor
tiEle. but who do not wish to ignore
their responsibilities to that portion of
society which has to fight against I'M
fair odds. find themselves confronted
with a difficult problem. One woman
has solved ii in the following way: She
has one humble friend. a washerwo-
man of strong Common-sense and con-
s.dera BILE tact, whom she makes her
"midd!cman." Everything in the
house which is no longer wanted is put
aside and made as presentable as
possible. 1t may be a gown or toy,
neatly mendcd, or q book. long unread.
or any Of the thousand and one things
which accumulate in an ordinary
household. Worthy Mrs. Sullivan
takes charge of all these things, APP
propriating what she needs for her
own family and giving the rest to her
neighbors as she thinks wisest. In this
way the self-respect of the very poor
t. I1> NO.
as charity bestowed by strangers. but
as a friendly bit of neighborliness or
the part of one of their own kind.
The woman who gives the help is
spending a good deal of her valuable
spare time in persuading her friends
to seek out some sensible, good woman
OF the East Side and make her the
distributing agent for anything that
can be spared from the house. she
says that gifts from missions and the
like can never escape the faint of cold
charity. while donations of neighbor
simply encourage one of the best fea-
lures of life in the crowded parts or
great cities. She calls her system The
Sullivan underground railway
Another woman, similarly minded,
the recipient Of many books while she
lay on her sofa. These books not only
gave her pleasure. but taught her that
she herself had some little talent, so
that for years she wrote stories which
found q more or less ready acceptance
among the lesser magazines. Her
work for others now consists in gather
ing together books from her various
friends and distributing them among
such of the poor as she numbers
among her acquaintance, and, through
them. among others Of the neighbor-
hood. The amusing feature Of this biz
of benevolent work is that the story
writer, while supposed to distribute al
kinds of good literature, unconsciously
seeks that sort of story which she
herself writes-good love tales with {
great deal of plot. She is not an edu-
| Gated woman, and has little idea o.
| STYLE. but she is endowed with ;
mighty imagination, and found sue
cess through that alone. Not un