The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-27
TWO BRAVE SISTERS
Their Pitiful Plight and Struggle
for Support Appeal to Pills
bury Home Girls.
They Walked Four Miles Day in
Bitter Cold With Footless
,ro Stockings!

The young working girls that board at
the Pillsbury home, $40 Second avenue
S, have recently been bearing g. burden OF
benevolence rather than tax the limited
resources of the Associated Charities or
the city of Minneapolis These girls have
been buying stockings and underclothes
for ''the little sisters"-that Is for Amy,
aged IA, and Margery, aged II. At the
home 1t was contended that small girls
should wear stockings and underclothing
if such girls had to walk three or four
miles daily out of doors in Minnesota
winter. It doesn't matter very much
whether the girls brother in-law is an
industrious man or not-stockings, ETC.,
are still essential But the inexperi-
enced boarders have been officially in
| formed that they have made a mistake.
Amy Is a cash girl at a local department
store. In the coolest weather just before
Christmas she used to walk to the store,
as she still walks, two miles from her
home on Minnehaha avenue. She used
to bring cold lunch for her midday res
toration. One morning she complained
that her feet hurt her. Then she tainted.
| mission to lie down in the bed reserved
at the store for sick employees. A WON
an removed the child's shoes-she had no
overshoes-and saw that her feet were
practically bare below the ankle. Her
dress was of medium weight. She wore
| no underclothes.
"How do you keep your hands warm?''
asked the woman.
"Oh. I don't. But I put 'em in my
pockets. Maybe I'll have some mits next
| month" said Amy.
But she had little jacket already-ot
light spring weight Her feet hurt her,
| twas found, because they were both FROST
| bitten. No physician was called for, but
| she was allowed to remain In bed until
| late that afternoon. Other girls and
| women in tha store bought for her a pair
| Of stockings and some undergarments.
| That night she went homeswith her sister
| Margery. Margery was temporary cash
! girl and made 81 a week. Amy, being q
permanent and expert employee, received
$3.50.
The girlish whim of wearing no stock.
ings In winter was related at the Pillsbury
Home. Persons that disapprove such cd.
dlt1es inquired. Then they invited the
sisters to take a hot dinner at the Home
during the noon hour next day. It was
learned that the girls are the daughter:
Of an Intelligent American Of good reputa.
ton. He is about go years old. He wa:
formerly a laborer for the Northwestern
Consolidated Milling company. Since las
April he has not been strong enough tt
work because of heart disease. He canno
lie down at night. He requires the con
slant care of his wife. He has an adult
| GULL living Ill dllCcAc1 CITY, d SUI lIOu
whom the father has not heard for months
A grown daughter is married and has two
small children. Her husband has beer
unable to get employment, he says thi
winter. During part Of the time the eigh
persons have lived In the Minnehaha ave
nue. house, which has but three rooms
But the SON law and his family recent,
left town. The father sits up all night il
a STRAIGHTFORWARD wooden chair. TIL
one stove has been supplied with slal
wood bought by ''the little sisters TIL
smaller girl worked as an extra" during
| the holidays. Later she secured a regula
| position. The $3.50 a week obtained b,
| the children has been almost the sole re1i
ance Of themselves, their mother and tf1ei
sick father.
Viewing these things, the young girl
at the Home took up a collection. The,
doubled it with money given by the girl
Of the tailoring department at the Plym
cuth clothing house, where the case wa
talked Of. Ladies Of the Sunshine Soci
ETY. and Of the Pillsbury Home board sub
scribed more. Clothing was provided TO
the little sisters''-also car fare on Ger
tain very cold days. They have been in
vited each noon to the Home, where tn
meals are so hot and nice" Provision
Minnehaha avenue. ~-:-
! For several weeks the city poor depart
ment has been organizing a relief move
ment for this case. Last Friday tho de
partment sent a load Of wood.