The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-07-21

= t<zC<A 1Llf 4
feather beaters. who can just live on
what they earn. being provided with
respectable, cheap lodgings"
II such 4 home did not exist they
would have to go to the common lodg.
ing houses and be subject to the low.
est possible companionsbip, or they
must renounce all hope Of indepen-
dence by seeking shelter at the work.
house. 1t is therefore, an inestlmable
boon, and one for which the untirlng
energy Of its foundress and present
superintendent has gained the graft
tude Of many poor fellow citizen.
The home is situated In Bell street.
Lisson Grove. where 1t provides at
the charge Of ten cents a night a good
spring bed, sitting room, a kitchen
fire where meals can be cooked. and
hot water for washing. The home IS
open all day to the women who lodge
there, under the control Of q matron
and an assistant. AT six o'clock the
night matron, who is a professional
nurse, comes on duty and remains till
the next morning. As the home Is
meant to meet the needs OF women
who are earning a living, however
small. the only question asked Of the
applicant Is as to her means Of living;
the matron must Judge Of her ltness,
and proper behavior is absolutely
necessary. Some strange life histories
have, in the course Of the years, come
to the knowledge Of those associated
with the house; stories that reveal in
what entirely different circumstances
former days have been passed
Extraordinary cases OF starving
gentlewomen have come to light, such
IS superannuated goyernesses, widows
Of improvident husbands. and those
who In the days Of their youth we're
able to make quite q comfortable in
come as clerks or otherwise. By
gradual stages. representatives OF all
these types have sunk lower and low
er. and sometimes, having sought for
getfulness in drink, have come to the
lowest grade before dr'fdng into the
shelter Of the institute. here was, for
instance. wretched-looking creature,
but with unmistakable signs OF having
once been "a lady" whose only source
Of income lay in her handful Of boot
laces which she sold to mechanics In
their midday rest She proved to be
the daughter Of baronet, whose mar
riage had displeased her family. Es-
tranged from her relatives by the
quarrel Of early life, she had too much
pride to reveal to them the poverty by
which she had Of late been oyertaken; /;
but, Absolutely miserable, she crept
about the mean streets Of our vast
city, as successfully hidden as II liv-
ing In another hemisphere, far from
the gorgeous mansion. the carriages
and the servants which once we're hers
by right Of birth.
All her history was, naturally. not
told in one elusive burst OF conf.
dence; but It leaked out little by lit,
tie, In the comfortable surroundings
Of the sitting-room set apart at the
Shaftesbury institute for the use Of
women who, like her, had evidently
had refined up-bringing. There in the
sympathetic companionship Of the
superintendent and her stan she
seemed to feel the relief Of once more
speaking to conslderate hearers.
Some queer little industries are
practiced by some OF these poor hang
ers-on to life-such as making patch
work kettle-holders out Of scraps d
ll2terlal collected With infnite trouble
70 be sold at a penny each to bakers
who use them for the handles Of thell
ovens; and working Saturdays FOR
Jews. doing such light tasks as nre
lighting and hre-poking. which the
conscience Of an orthodox Israelits
will not allow him to perform on his
Sabbath. These substitutes are
called "Jews-pokers." Needless e
say, the proiits on such enterprises ere
not vast; the only wonder 4 that thes
can even be made to eoTer the price
Of food and logging!
Everything possible IL done to cans,
the rare hours Of leisure to Dess pleas
antly for the women who live at Il,
institutes and on Sundays there are
Bible class and q short mission serr
ice. which are both well attended. al
though there ia 10 compulsion to b.
present.