Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26
FILES MORE CHARGES The OTHER SIDE
Dr. Hawkes. Takes Hand in Much Sorrow, as Well JOY
Emergency Hospital Affair. Christmas.
NOVEMBER REPORT PINCH OF POVERTY
OFFICER FAMILIES LIVING IN ONE ROOM
LAST MONTH
of
Wants an gated by Star Re-
Recent porter
Much Sorrow, as Well as Joy,
on Christmas.
PINCH OF POVERTY
FAMILIES LIVING IN ONE ROOM
AND ONE BED.
Some Examples Of This Sort Investi-
gated by Star Re-
porter.

How many of the thousands Of people
in the artstrcratic residence sections of
Washington thought while they were eat
ing sumptuous Christmas dinners yesterday.
and giving and receiving beautiful pres
ents, that there were hundreds in the city
who had no presents to give and no dinners
to enjoy. and in mary instances were actu-
ally suffering from the cold because of the
fact that they had not the money with
which to pay for fuel they needed?
While the fraternities churches and
charitable societies reduced the sufferings
of many, there were scores of families too
proud to make known their wants. and so
enjoyed none of the Christmas cheer dis
pensed by the big-hearted, people of the
city.
In every city of the Union poverty exists
and Christmas passes without bringing joy
to thousands upon thousands of homes.
Many people in Washington have an idea
that there is no such thing as real priva-
ton In their midst, but If they would visit
many sections they would soon discover
their mistake.
One Family.
A reporter for The Star visited several
homes yesterday where trouble reigned al
most supreme even on Christmas day.. In
one of these he found woman of perhaps
sixty and a son of nineteen. The mother
was a sweet-faced woman, and the boy a
youth possessed of big, generous heart
and great ambitions. S5-F-
1t seems hard to believe that this woman
once owned a beautiful home In one of the
most aristocratic sections of the city, ana
yet such is the case. Her husband was HF-
ing when this was purchased. He was a
well-to-do man, in the mercantile business.
But sickness came and he was taken away
from her. And then. those whom she en-
ployed to conduct the business for her took
advantage of her in various ways and
creditors refused to pay their bills and she
could not collect. Finally she was forced
to close her store at a great loss. Her
home was located on a corner lot and
when the concrete pavements were put
down she was forced to mortgage the place
in order to pay her proportion. Then she
struggled along for some years, but at last
the home had to go for debts and she was
forced to move. Change after change was
made. one misfortune followed another, and
home in this one little room. and today
earns on an average about dollar a week,
while the son gets "a in store down town.
On this pittance these two are endeavoring
to keep soul and body together in the hope
that some day God will enable them to
spend their Christmas in place they can
really call home.
Could the readers of this paper but see
then compare it with the one she now oc-
cupies they would indeed marvel >Her
present abode Is one small room on the
second floor of an old brick house in the
northern part of the city. 1t Is reached
by narrow flight of stairs that the yisi-
tor is compelled to mount In almost total
darkness. and when the top Is reached 1t
Is utterly impossible to locate the door ,n-
I'll 1t Is opened by the occupant within and
even then but little light finds it's way into
the hall.
The room Is no larger than the ayerag
bed room. 1t contains a small bed a cot
and miscellaneous lot of furniture much
of which was evidently transferred. from
the old home. On a table stands flat
on which the simple meals of the two are
cooked. On the walls are many pictures.
feiiIs OF better days In one corner is a
table and bookcase and both are filed with
BOOKS. largely of travel. Most Of these have
been collected by the son. Small and ~un-
inviting as the room appears from without
the mother mas made 1t seem wonderfully
homelike
The One Rag.
In a miserably furnished home not far
from the steamboat landing on the. Potomac
river white-haired grandmother, her
daughter and two little children. were gath
cred around a table on-which was turkey.
mince pies. cranberry sauce and other good
things that go to make up Christmas din
ner. These had just been brought them by
the kind-hearted members of a church
which the grandmother attends
This Is the only sunshine that Greens into
our ltves-these little acts of kindness shown
US by these good friends" remarked the
grandmother. People who have never en-
dured real poverty have little idea what it
means When l was a happy girl living on
a farm in the country l used to sometimes
hear people tell about the privations and
worries people had in the great cities, but I
did not believe the half / heard was true
But now know that these stories were not
oyerdrawn. And in those days. you know
there was nowhere near the suffering there
is today.
Il have lived in Washington quite a mum
Der of years now, and 1 have seen little ex-
cepting trouble. Often / have not had a
single penny to my name, and have gone to
bed without my supper. You can imagine
the state of my mind at such times l con-
fess IL did not seem that l could bear IN
under the burden This was especially true
in the winter time, when the room more
than once has been so cold that | would
have to go to bed in order to get warm.
and my daughter here has had the same ex,
perience."
Yes. indeed" said the daughter .ATore
than once L have sent these two little ones
OF mine to bed without a thing to eat ex-
eept stale crust. 1 could stand hunger
myself, you know, but / can assure Won
that it nearly killed me to see these little
ones suffer-
The reporter looked at the two children
ana did not wonder that such privations
touched the mothers heart. for two sweeter