The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13
The Poor of Montgomery
 ---An Appeal. BY BRUCE
BY BRUCE KENNEDY.

.>>>>>>>>>~>>>~>~~& i Then she smiles again, smile that ra- dates throughout that desoiats home. | aOh. no; my husband win be here- | when he Is well. We hope-we hope" | her voice faiters. ''If you would be 90 I good as to lend us i've cents to get some | our" she asks. candidiy and steadily. "1t
 is 50 lonely. so comfortiess here at night | in the dark. . rive cents-
 Think of 1t. you people of Montsom- cry!
 Five cents will purchase more sunshine. more light, more peace for some of these your neighbors-than you may hnd at your clubs at your balls, in your gilded saloons, in your handsome piayhouses! Here Is home that will be in despair on Christmas morning unless our hearts are cuickened to it's condition. Out in the extreme edge of West End found twelve persons--one man. five women and six chiidren--living in two- room hovei. A rude hut evidently con- structed for an outhouse sheltered them. Great cracks in the walls let in the icy winds of December. There was no fire. little furnishing and nothing to eat in the house.
 Mrs. C.. an old woman with hard, drawn features. said her son, his wife. and three daughters one a widow with chil- dren, had just gone to work in the cot- ton mills, but they would not areceive money for some time a4t The children, pais-faced little things. their gaunt frames and hungry eyes speaking a story of terrible deprivation, ciung to their grandmother- It was too cold for them to playl They were clad in one garment, were barefooted and otherwise ill-kept-
 And three of them had whooping cough!'
 Why don't you wrap something about | those children?' the old woman was asked.
 She cast her eyes about the room. There's nothing here to wrap them up l but we have no money" Mothers of Montgomery. think of thisl Children are dying in Montgomery for l the need of clothing. The cast-Of4 cloth ing in your homes would save their lives! Another case to touch your heart: Over in East Montgomery a widow Is slowly dying of consumption. She has | seven children and they need food and clothes. The family name of this woman is known to all of Alabama She is sif- fering alone. She would not-eves4 for the sake of her dear little ones--gnt tt be known that she Is reduced to cola end | poverty. s'ts
 Mans inhumanity to man. has rnass pride an memorable rule of society and this woman is it's victim. A Kind word. gentle touch is more to her than the
 practical help which must eventually come to save those children from starv- ing.
 Let me introduce you to q woman fin | Riverside MV-m rnv1aSk s- | -S Montgomefy-a woman whose deed is worthy of great poem; woman whose name deserves to be preserved in history. She is widow She is lame she walks with a crutch. She has known the cruel, pitfless bangs Of poverty all the years of her life and, knowing, she feels for others of her kind. She Is caring for two women-widows-who are i'll. She Is | dividing with them her all--- And her all Is 60 cents a day! Here Is the story told by Mrs. IT. with eloquent simplicity:
 They worked in the factory with me until they fell i'll and could work no more. They had no kin folk; they had nothing to eat; they had no fire. i just took them to my room. What else could | do?'
 What is the answer?
 What else could she do? She asked ! command: Thou shalt open thy hand
 wide unto thy brother, to thy poor"
 Christmas will find this good woman
 this heroine of Montgomery sharing her 60 cents with those of her kind less | fortunate
 Is there no one in Montgomery who will
 help her in her labor of love?
 These are but few incidents written
 here hastily of things I have seen.
 The tried newspaper man is seldom inn posed upon by the unworthy. He is taught to observe, to ask questions. And
 he is not always impressionable.
 But the average man of the world will say these people are poor. because of their natural profigancy, because of their lack of management. because they are thrift less.
 Suppose these things are true. Will any | one say that women and children must snn, suffer II because S3us they have not bn taught
 Montgomery has a most excellent
 organization for the amelioration of suf-
 fering in the Organized Charities It is not properly supported.
 Rabbi A. J. Messing, its earnest, heart sympathizing, tireless working president
 is giving the poor great share of his
 time. Gladden. Harrison its resourceful.
 humanity loving Secretary answers every call made upon him, and these calls are | often and persistent The organization needs money. As Christmas approaches the organiza-
 tion realizes it's inefflciency. These words are written without sug-
 gestion from the organization or its of- | fcers. They are written because the poor of Montgomery cry out for relief
 And the holiday season approaches.