Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-04

There are many obstl uctiOns I'm ou
| city streets besides the piles of dir
| from excavations ana of a kind which
| can be removed. They are the mel
| and women who under various pretens
| es receive aims from the people o.
Portland But the aims that are giver
are not a blessing TO him that receive:
| them since the aims a e keeping hin
from honest work and changing tn.
spirit of a man to the spirit Of beg.
gar. A woman here i'm Portland
noticed the easy living of the hand
organ grinders. She had been accus'
toned to hard work as 4 cook. Hers
was a chance to i've without work
She proceeded to 4 Portland music
store and purchased music box, put
OIL some old clothes, and took her seat
on the curb, where the sight of the
poorly dressed woman might attract
the pity and coins of the passersby and
the coins rapidly came and for two
days she lived without work, making
more money than she had by work.
The giving which had brought the de
lightful feeling Of dissatisfaction to
the passersby was -uining the woman.
When talked with in a friendly way
the woman confessed she was ashamed
of her course and returned to work.
1t was fortunate that she was reached
after but two days on the street before
the aims Of generous people had hard
ened her sense of shame.
A woman appeared upon Congress
street about a week ago playing d
hand-organ while her crippled girl. II
years old, stood beside her. She was
told that under the law secured by the
Childrens Protective board last year
it was not allowed for her to exhibit
the girl. 1t was found that the woman
had left a good position in country
town in New Jersey 70 come here.
Letters dispatched to her former en-
ployers and to others to whom she was
known, resulted in securing from the
former employer request to send the
woman back to him at mis- expense.
The woman and her child were per-
| suaded to return to the country home
| at which they would be we'll cared for
| and tie woman herself was grateful for
the interest that had been taken in her.
She had had enough of travel and glad
cured. The little girl was one of the
| children with diseased bones for whom
DR.. LOrenz did so much during his
visit to this country. Since her treat
ment with DR.. Lorenz the girl has been
able to move about on clutches almost
as well as many normal children.
Portland has justly acquired the
NJ of hoi u oft 81 no fnh
pie. But this reputation, doing credit
as it does to our citizens, brings some
to our city for charity, who should be
at home. Mention was made a few
weeks ago of an italian woman who
regularly came from Boston to Port
land during the summer months to play
a hand-organ and exhibit q little child
and it was stated that she had returned
to Boston. People from different cities
are coming to Portland during the sum-
mer months to obtain aims under vari-
Gus preteXts, men who are able to work
and for whom the Associated Charities
would secure some kind of work If they
belonged here. But they have families
in other places and should be working
at home. A one-legged man from n
Massat husetts town has been playing
the accordion as he sits upon the side
walk. He is making a tour of different
cities. staying Il few weeks In each and
in the winter will return 10 his family
This man is mentioned as typical
case of the tourist" alns-seeker. Il
Portland and all other cities close their
gates to such men, they will be forced
70 remain at home and work. And
there are thousands of Dne-legged men
through the country who are working
and suitable work can DE found for
others.