The independent., 1907-04-18
now being carried out, was born.

but by the Church Army, whichshas its |
kindling- wood brigade's headquarters |
there. Mrs. Holder, six years ago.
personally started befriending the fam |
lilies of men in Jail. The work grew
to such proportions that she called the
attention of the Church Army to it
Four rooms in a building across the
street were rented and Mrs. Holders |
pet charity established there 1t is
this little eginning which the Duchess
of Marlborough has taken over. To-
days roll contains the names of more
than a hundred families.
Consuelo would have been the Lady
Bountiful indeed but for the staying
hand OF her lieutenant, Mrs. Holder.
The very poor remain contentedly in
the gutter for all time if given abun-
dant food and clothing in return for
nothing. Slowly the Duchess learned
the science of real charity. learned how
to reclaim the lowest of the low. In
a week she was not the fine lady, but
the superintendent of the Prisoners
Families Aid society, with Mrs. Holder
as her assistant superintendent. Daily
she attended the Office and on Friday
mornings she held the weekly levee.
On that day all the mothers and their
children on the roll have to attend and
report. At the daily session only new
cases or emergencies are looked after.
| 1t was after the first week that the
| Duchess astonished her lieutenant by
outlining her plans. She announced
that the society would continue in
| Banner street only until she was able
to get new and proper quarters. Firstly
she explained, there should be build
| ing devoted to children Here the
little ones should live until their
fr4I 4Ix1w \ h. Eor11 t1xr
| could be united once more. Here they
should be taught to work, to read.
and write and to play.
The next item of the Duchess plan
was maternity home, properly and
thoroughly equipped as a real home
rather than a cold, Whitewashed ma
ternity hospital
Lastly she declared she would have
a Woman's home. Here prisoners
wives were to be housed at least those
whose health or condition needed
something better than the Wretched
accommodation of a single dingy room
or filthy hovel. And here there should
be an employment bureau and skilled
women to teach these prisoners wives
sewing, domestic economy, ironing, ar
tificial flower making and such like
simple industries.
For many a day the Duchess, Mrs.
Belmont and Mrs. Holder drove
round in the Duchess's motor car
visiting addresses of suitable build
ings given them by real estate agents
None suited until Endsleigh street was
reached. There are situated some
large houses almost under the shadow
of the old gray church of ST. Pancras
No. 16 was vacant. 1t contains four
teen large rooms, and is four stories
in height, in addition to commodious
basement The two houses on each
side are at present occupied though
one is ito be let" So the Duchess
closed the deal for No. 16, buying the
lease, which has twenty-one years to
run. The tenants of one of the other
houses want $1,000 before they agree
to move, and with other little snags
in sight Consuelo has handed the
matter over to an agent, and will go
ahead with the one house.
The four big rooms now rented in
Banner street will be continued until
such time as the Duchess decides TO
move everything to Endsleigh street.
But her office, the headquarters of
her new charity, will be moved at once
to No. 16, and there also will be es-
tablished the employment bureau. On
the register of names to be kept there
will be placed the occupation best
suited to each woman. The Duchess
will then advertise in the daily pa
pers or her little office staff will an
swer advertisements. Many OF the
women, IL they can do noting else,
will go into domestic service. know
ing full well that their children are
. comfortable and we'll cared for at the
children's home.
The entire responsibility, expense
and management will be in the hands
of the Duchess. She may ask the all
of helpers from the Church Amy from
the dainty DANES OF high society or
she may be satisfied with the simple
help OF the women 10 whom she now
has become the guardian and minis
tering angel.
The other day ] visited Banner
street. II is long and narrow. II Is
mixed street OF mammoth modern
factories and ancient tumbledown n
! tenement houses. No because or It's
whltewash, Is unmistakabic. ! en-
/ to.md 49, l~@L rrnutI.H tttfrn aAnra