Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-09
.PAWNs DEAD SONS WATCH
TO GIVE CHILDREN FOOD
Pathetic Appeals Come From All
Parts of City to Associated
Charities.
GIRL GOES HUNGRY TO WORK
Invalid Mother, Driven to Ask Aid,
Tells Of Unpaid Rent-Thirty-T Two
Able-Bodied Men Saw Wood in Re.
turn for Provisions.
CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED.

Aid for the unemployed is coming
to them through the Associated Chart
ties. and DR.. James Buchanan, general
secretary, is gratifled that the public
Is responding so generously to the
need. The Times Dispatch has received
up to this date a total of S179.5O, and
few cash donations have been sent
directly to DR.. Buchanan. Yesterday
morning thirty-two men called at the
central building and asked for work,
and all of them were put. to saving
and splitting wood. which they were
glad enough to do. 1t was with smil-
ing faces that they received their pay
In the evening. and the baskets OF pro-
visions to take home to their wives
and children. To one man came n
sorry blow. DR.. Buchanan had Just
received letter saying that there was
open position for man to care for
an invalid. One of the wood -sawyers
sprang forward. and was in his coat
In second. "Ill co." he said. GIVE
me the job But the telephone rang
and DR.. buchanan was informed that.
the position had just been filled. With
a sigh. the man returned to his wood
1t was rather discouraging, but he
knew that his children Would not
starve SO long rs he had wood to saw
MANY FAMILIES ARE
NOW BEING CARED FOR
Many of tho visitors connected with
the Associated Charities called at the
central building yesterday, and all
were gratifed to see that so many
families were being cared for, and that
the unemployed were evincing such
willingness to do any work that their
hands. could find to do; that men who
once earned SO or more a day. were
SO eager to saw wood at IL 1-2 cents an
hour. How pitiful Is the need Of some
may be shown in the following letter
received yesterday by DR.. Buchanan.
The name. for obvious reasons. is
omitted. The. letter follows, copied in
the exact words and phrasing:
Dear DR.. Buckhannan,-I do hate to
ask you for help but am In distress
ing need. / have nothing to eat in my
house and no wood. My son went to
work last week, made 81. 1 owe s165O
for rent months. I took every cent
he made and paid ono months rent
Now he Is down sick. DR.. told
me yesterday he will have to be
operated on before he can get we'll
He will have the spells until he
is operated on. My little girl went off
to work this morning with out one
thing to eat. 1t all most broke my
heart to see her so OF with out one
mouthful TO eat. My Boy has no shoes
fit to go on the street. but he tryes
to do all he can. If you can help me
today l will be so thankful for any
thing you can do. 1 do wish I could
come to see you myself but ! have not
been able to go out for years"
YOUNG Girl. GOES
HUNGRY TO HER WORK
This woman, IL her. story is to be
believed. was actually on the verge of
starvation, and her little Eirl had to
go to her daily work without q bit
OF bread to stay the pangs OF hunger
probably she looked ut other girls who
had brenkfasted well MS she hurried
BY, and If her young heart enYied them
because they had good clothes and
plenty to eat there could be none
to blame her. There is no anguish
comparable to that OF the child, no sor-
row SO keen as that which comes to the
child who gazes from distance on
plenty and returns home to n bare table
and an uncovered bed. Yet, In Rich
mond, little girl went to hor work
hungry, and a mother watched her go,
unable to help or comfort her Upon
her meagre earnings depended the
FEEDING and clothing of family OF
three, and she herself worked through
the day without food. 1t is such peo-
Pile as this little girl and her mother
who are asking aid because they ARE
unable to fight the battle Of life alone.
PAWNs HER LAST TREASURE
FOR SOMETHING To EAT
There was another case. as sad, If
not sadder. A woman presented her.
self at the central Office of the Asso-
ciated Charities yesterday morning and
offered her dead sons watch in pawn
for something to eat. She had toiled
about the streets looking for work, and
everywhere she had met the cold re-
Spouse that there was nothing to be
offered her. Driven to desperation, she
returned home. got her dead sons
watch and took 1t to the Associated
Charities. 1t was all she had. She
would have liked to keep the watch,
she said. but she was hungry, and
there were little children at home who
were hunGrier than she, and so she
offered the watch in pawn. She would
return and pay for 1t some day, she
said. Would they please keep 1t for
her as long as possible? DR.. Buchanan
took the watch. not as pawn. but
as evidence of the womans story, as
something to show few people who
refuse 10 believe that in Richmond wo-
men and children may. and do. some
times go hungry. basket was piled
high with provisions, and the sad
hearted woman was sent on her way,
and babe to return when she needed
more. Tho watch Will be returned to
her, but for day 1t was held as mute
evidence OF woman's sorrow
MEN COME TO CHARITY
BUILDING FOR FIRST TIME
There are other cases OF the kind
by. the score. Letters OF appeal come
through every mail. All day long men
rap at the door OF the Associated
Charities and ask for help. They hest
tate about giving their names. for with
most of them it Is their first call on