New-York tribune., 1905-01-01
WORK OF A DEACONESS.
Her Experience in Aiding Travellers
in ALBANY Union Station.

uuon her head a queer little black bonnet the white
sfr1nss OF which are fashioned in a neat bow be-
meath her chin Chatting with little children
now with young women and with the aged
amusing the little ones while tired mothers rest
helping now old woman a timid little girl
10 the right train. she seems rather odd adjunct
10 a busy railway station. She is plainly not one
OF the crowd OF travellers who daily throng the
station for as she walks about she is dressed not
for the street. but as II she were at home. The
railroad employees show her every mark OF respect
Doors closed others until train time are open 10
h@- at all times.
The other day little hve-ysar-old boy. instead OF
sppealir TO the brass buttoned. heavy voiced train
announcer, said 10 her; Say, won't you pleass
hurry that train up and then he added MY htue
sister is awful hungry" That was simply one Oh
many such incidents which develop daily IN the me
Of Deaconess Marie Ellingworth. for that IS tne
name ara title OF this plessant-fsced oack-saroed
woman OF the Albany station Though she couio not
hurry that train up" she saw 70 IL that the hl's
fellow ana his little sister had plenty to ear oe'o'e
the train started -. 81.
,,oooonossas,s Home ct Rensselaer,, N IL sao he'
work IS probably OF the most uhusu@4 " =, -
soura in the State. II ss the duty Oh Deh00hes, - -
i,,p-uorth 20 be almost constantly on eho iOo ,
for those OF all ages in need OF 9'o' .,on
or material who daily arrive at the Albany
f-oy1,e, she hegnn her work four years ago az No
s,r-,a Of the establishment OF the Deaconesses i
~, tha Troy Conference Of the Metnooist -
Church people hardly knew just no" 10 'see 's
v,,,rra-olaa woman with the pleasant race az
i.,. .,,..a xr,o nassed back and forth on erranos
= rne-c, amid the stations thronss. Sne se7ineo
irsraneely out of place, almost In the way s ~
,bo,s hustlins travellers But that was iour 80
- Now railroad officials say she Is ooihs n.i'
80 - go tg a rossibility that IL may De
i s,t,.na :, the Grand Central Station IN TINS
lo.+,, as Il Is already being ouphcafeo iH .s
LsnnnJler cities. A similar work mas pee ,1s and
IN Buffalo, and Il has spread 10
ipther big cities in ether STATES ,,,-.0r+h
"Tt "a Gods work" says Deaconees h
ST, 4. ,hs handing OF the cup OF cold water.
yv xa,s4ever name they call II the lAo' ~
sshafsfed that IN many cities are oiAiioi 81 81 - - 80
l.>srsous who remember with Joy sonae kino1S -,
go thena by the pleasant woman In olacA at "a"
.,L s.a.,on while scores Of young women
800 Of thern now happy wives ano nnothe.
l-eslze keenly that they have her 70 tnAilH +o-
ifDrninz their feet from the way they hAo 'io
,saeI, into the straight and narrow pain -
lSo-sss yruinrzvorth gets letters full OF grahtuoe
-, s,,ch women every little while. only the
,o,ber cav one young woman, whose career she
nad Influenced perhaps the most criticaA petI'u
OF her Mfe wrote this way; ! cannot re"aio 80
sn any material way or help you nhanc1a1is' DN'
Some able person will surely see what you are sc
~,r,olssh,pe and take an interest sooner or later
.-rhat young woman" ssid the deaconesh was
stranger IN this part Of the country. She was go
snx 10 NsE-York. The only iEAin she oouia h@.'
.Isn xEould have landed her In that city al MD
.1T,,s where she could go. / realized her danger
snd Inducing her 10 stay over. TOOK her WIN 'iis
90 the horne that night. i saw her on ehe heH'
say As she starting she SAID. ana ID inns
your work." Yes" answered: and she declared
..It is better than preaching How strange Thai
should have come IN contact with you OF ali
rsrsons at this the most critical period OF my
Mfer
~ sm especially watchful OF young women trav-
.tnr alone said the deaconess. MANY coming
1r3fh
esnrer Several young girls OF thirteen or four-
teen I have had 10 take home with me on ocea-
sion. Oh yes, they usually take my advances Hi'
right and when I get TO know their cases 90
not leave them until am sure they are IN saie
places.
II noticed a schoolgirl sitting on one OF the
benches in the station here once was sure abe
was a schoolgirl from her dress and manner 1
noticed that she SAT alone and. deciding that she
needed my help. addressed her
You are alone and a stranger here ssio
Can help you in any way?'
Instantly her feelings overcame her. oh. yes!
she burst ont Won't you help me?'
That is what here for said I. ana then
she told me her story. She was schoolgirl as
had guessed. and she had run away from school.
She had no money and no idea OF where she
going I finally got from her her name and the
names and address of her parents.
That was at o'clock in the afternoon Yor
must go home said TO her.
A" Don't you dare send word 20 my parents she
insisted. My parents do not know where I
and DO not wish them TO know Then she be-
came suspicious ot and asked. Are you sure
you are q deaconessr Well, I labored with her
until O'Clock thst evening, but she was obdurate
ana refused 20 go home. Meantime managed
on the quiet 10 get telephone message 20 her
parents. Well, at O'Clock she decided to accept
sny Invitation and go home with me for the night
IN the morning while were at breakfast the
telsphone rang and received message that her
mother was at the station awaiting her Sne met
her mother and returned home with her willingly
enough. 1 have not heard from her since.
Until young women. and. in fact. old people and
children. for that matter. understand that my
work is 3 work OF love. they are inclined 20 re-
,ceiye my advances with suspicion But soon as
they come 20 know THAI simply striving for
ltheir good they appreciate it, and thank me for
the Interest have taken in their welfare In the
cases OF young women who for one reason an
other have left home. they usually pleased
when they learn that things have been arranged
soF their return 10 their parents or friends
Occasionally 1 encounter young girl who is
seally desperate. l recall in particular
where young woman whom had found in the
ftztion soon after her arrival here exclaimed.
was talking with her. 7 am Just tired Of living.
wish ] could dieg
eve must ell de- remarked but not until
God plesses.'
" oh, yes, can. she replied. IT wouldn't take
fSae long 10 die.
''yyelI. talked with that girl. labored with her
faithfully. ana finally was successful in getting
her into q better and brighter mood. and helping
her 20 her friends
zone encounters many sad cases in this work.
one young woman I remember well came in late
one night. She was very iil. I knew she suf-
fsring the moment looked at her. She asked mo
~ could get her g room in a hospital / tele-
lhoned and arranged TO nave her cared for. A few
days later I learned that she had died. you can
understand that she was desperately I'll when she
applied 10 me.