Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-12-09
RAISING THE FALLEN
NOBLE WORK IN LONDON OF A
PHILADELPHIA GIRL.

Dons Rags of Factory Girls and
Works with Them to Rescue Them
From Intempernnce and Its At
tendant Evils.
All Philadelphia is commencing the
remarkable work Of former Philadel-
phia girl who, after having become
the wife Of the heir presumptive to the
estate of one Of the noblest families Of
England, has put aside the comforts Of
her own luxurious home to don the
rags of London factory girl and be-
come one of them for the time being In
order to rescue them from intemper-
ance and Its attendant evils.
In Philadelphia, where she was born
and reared in one of the most devout
Quaker families. this exceptional wo-
man is better remembered by her
maiden name, Alice Smith. Today she
Is the Hon. Mrs. Bertrand Russell,
wife of the brother and heir Of Earl
Russell, whose estates are among the
most extensive and valuable In all Eng
land
1t is but short time ago that the
Hon. Mrs. Russell inaugurated her
unique temperance crusade, but al
ready its results have more than ex-
ceeded her most sanguine expectations.
Girls who formerly gloried In their
drunken debaucheries are focklng to
her banner In great numbers. A res
taurant has been opened for them In
one Of the factories wherein Mrs. Rus
sell worked, and 1t is being taxed to
Its utmost capacity to provide for the
girls who crowd its spacious tables.
Mrs. Russell perceived the alarming
increase in intemperance among the
working classes some time ago, but
friends could hardly accept her est-
mate of the condition, believing that
the cases which she had observed were
exceptional To convince these power
full workers Of the imperative need for
energetic action In behalf of these I'M
fortunate girls was one Of the prime
motives that melted the noble woman
to her great self denial.
The conditions in England are far
different from those which exist here.
American girls who work In factories,
Mrs. Russell states, are ladies COM
pared with the English girls who do
the same work. What the factory girl
In this country spends on dress the
English girl spends for liquor. Most Of
them have been raised to It, Many of
them were carried into the public
house as babies In their mothers
arms and have never been told of the
dangers lurking for them within the
flowing bowl.
In one club Of girls in which Mrs.
Russell became member there were
forty girls Through her efforts every
one OF these girls has now given up
drink and has become steady In her
habits. But there are $50 other clubs
In London where the temperance ques-
ton has practically been ignored, and
Il Is to reach the members OF these
clubs that Mrs. Russell Is now work
Ing.
Instead of striving alone and unald-
ed, as when she undertook the work
originally, she now has vast organl-
cation back of her that promises to
revolutionize conditions prevailing
among these workers. In the few
months that have elapsed since she set
for herself the task Of proving to other
charitable workers the urgent necessity
OF immediate action to save these girls
she has won to her support the king
dom Of charity
This has been largely accomplished
by simple recital Of the conditions
which she found. Argument has been
unnecessary, she says.