The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-18

Mrs Blank entertained at euchre
yesterday afternoon. Favors were won
by Mrs. x, Mrs. Y and Mrs. c."
Were the proper names supplied the
above would be q correct copy Of a So
cial item that appeared in st. Paul
paper not many days ago. If one could
read between the lines he would find
that some interesting personal history
was contained in the little notice.
People entertain at cards every day
so that the mere fact that some Mrs.
Blank" has given card party is not
in itself exciting. But that this par
ticular Mrs. Blank should have given
a party is a most encourag ing record
in the short and simple annals" OF one
Of st. PauPs poor.
To begin at the beginning which, OF
course, is the proper place to begin, one
must first Of ell pay a visit to dingy
little office on the ground floor OF the
city hall. 1t is the Office Of the city
board Of control and the gold letters on
the door, the only gleam Of color in the
whole Office, tell you, among other
things, that it is the place where ap-
plicants for city aid must state their
needs.
Into this office creep all sorts Of for
lorn crea lures to tell their tales Of woe
and to receive, should their cases be
Judged worthy by the associated char
clothing, sometimes money. Some
shrink from this ordeal of asking aid.
Others tell their wants boldly, betray-
ing by their manner that their visit
is not a new experience.
Of the many who came in years gone
by Mrs. Blank was one. Had Mrs.
Blank been rich she would have been
termed eccentric" But she was poor
and those who knew her alluded to ner
as queer" She had fadS, which are
tnems elves most unusual possessions
for poor person. One Of these was
inexpensive, she loved to wander
abroad in her bare feet in all kinds
of weather.
The other fad revealed aristocratic
tendencies. Mrs. Blank was fond of
society, she dearly loved to entertain.
For many years she was an occasional
visitor Of the board who consc1entiousiy
endeavored to reconcile her to boots
and to turn her attention from enter,
tanning.
For, in spite Of her 'queerness," Mrs.
Blank was deserving of aid. Aside
from that single extravaganza Of dfssir-
ing to gather her friends about her,
she economically expended the money
she earned, providing for the wants If
herself and her small children With
only occasional visits to the board.
Those children are now grown up end
Mrs. BLANK" is enjoying her reward,
for today she can entertain to her
hearts content without any unfeeHng
board or disappearing charities" to re-
buke her extravaganza.
Poor Have Aristecratic Tastes.
1t is a mistake to think that aristo-
cratic tastes are a monopoly Of the rich.
Nor are the Daughters of the American
Revolution the only ones who pride
themselves on ancestry.
The dingy little Office Of the board
Of control tells a different story. There
is family living in st. Paul who for
over year have been receiving aid
from the city. The members Of the
family are well able to take care Of
themselves but they are improvident
and as soon as one obtains fairly
good position the others make UP their
mind to take rest. Sickness or some
other special misfortune forces them 10
ask the city fer aid.
! Not long ago, however. the family