The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-06
baby 4 WEEKS old Wins
PITY OF RELIEF WORKERS
Continued From First Page.

|
held some visitors who were talking
with Mrs. Francis Jordan Hall and
Miss Mary Reilly, who are in charge of
that committee.
"Look at that woman!" whispered
visitor as she caught sight of the
little visitor swaying uncertainty in the
door.
Several of the visitors turned and
! glanced quickly at her. Then Mrs.
Hall, who was looking after new appli-
cants for work, came in. The woman
stepped slowly across the room and
halted beside the desk.
Under the kindly questioning she
told her story. How her husband has
been without work since early fall,
excepting for an occasional days work
| picked up from time to time. Her
mother9 Yes, she had a mother, but
mother has five little mouths to feed,
so the married daughter could not get
much aid from her, though there had
been some assistance from that source
before work really got so scarce for
both men and women.
What the Shawl Contained
When the work became scarce mat
tiers went along well enough for a
time, then their small fund ran out
and they got along as best they could.
Even then matters would not have
been so bad if there hadn't been the
new baby.
"Is that the baby?" questioned
Mrs. Hall, indicating the closely wrap
! ped bundle that didn't even move.
Let me see it. -
The woman unwound a turn of the
worn shawl and with a brave attempt
to smile lowered the bundle until the
women about her could see into its
depth. What they saw made their ewes
fill again, as they had when first the
mother told of her plight. A weazened
pale face, with an excessively strong
growth of dark hair on the ton of the
! head, showed against the white of the
white of the inner wrappings, while
two wavering, wrinkled little hands
clawed at the open space with its rim
of pitying faces.
"She's four weeks DID," volunteer
ed the mother.
None of the women who looked into
that bundle said openly what was in
her mind, but each acted quickly.
Warm, new clothing, from clean, soft
underwear to a warm baby blanket
that would exclude winter air. was
brought. A long, warm coat for the
mother was quickly found and when.
with eyes showing unshed tears, the
mother mentioned her 4-year-old
daughter, whom she admitted was al
most without clothing, as were she and
the baby, they provided amply for her.
They gave her enough work to per-
NIT her to make wages enough to buy
food, did these women of the relief
committee, for by that time a crowd
from the supplies division had been
drawn upstairs. Mrs. Mercer B. Tate
and Mrs. A. Carson Stamm worked
speedily with home supplies they knew
of and by the time the mother and
baby reached home across the river the
future had frightened and the won.
an s fears for her family had vanished.
Where to Send Contributions
"Underfed, both she and the
baby" declared Mrs. Hall, who has a
little chap of her own at home. And
the other women agreed with her.
This was just an incident in the
days task of providing work for the
needy women of the community. And
there are others just as pitiful happen
ing every day or two, though ali Of
them don t have an innocent little
baby and hungry mother as subjects.
Clothing and food for the whole
family of that, little woman are going
to be provided for long enough time
to make certain that the hollow cheeks
will round out, the color come again
and baby grow big and fat like well
fed babies do, and maybe a Job for the
unemployed father, for the woman of
the relief committee are greatly inter
ested in that little family, and are
bound it shall have fighting chance
to get on its feet this summer.
So the work has been going on this
winter, since first it was begun. De-
cember 8. And if you who read think
it is worth while, capitalize your
thoughts so that the relief measures
can be continued until times brighten
and work can be had. Send or bring
your contribution to headquarters or
to John F. Sweeney, Mechanics Trust
Company, and-do it NOW!