The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-17
NOBLE WORK DONE
BY TRAVELLERS AID


Many Are Saved BY 1t From the
Clutches Of Those Who Plot
Their Undoing.
Instances Of the ignorance with
which most people face the world
and which event Tally leads them into
untold difficulties are daily being
brought to light by Miss Earle L.
Reck. agent for the Travellers Aid
Society, who meets practically all Of
the incoming trains of Richmond. 1t
has been largely due to her efforts
that hundreds of girls have been taken
from the hands of INSCRIPTIONS
men at the depots and taken care Of
until they could be placed on the
proper trains going to their destina-
tons or placed under the protecting
arm OF the society until employment
could be found
Some of these cases almost tear
the heart out Of your said Miss
Reck last night in speaking of her
work, Just the other day / lad an
instance which will In a small degree
snow you what we are trying to ac-
complish in the society. / was on
duty at the in-Street Depot when
young girl left the train. and from
her appearance could tell that she
was right from. the country.
i accosted her as she passed
through the gates. but she would have
nothing to do with me. An evil look
ing man was standing at the head Of
the steps. perhaps the worst looking
man in the place, and It was to him
she applied for information regard
Ing tickets to New York. She had
only little money, which she carried
in small purse in her hand. The
man Immediately said to her. Give
me your money. I will buy your
ticket
II had followed the girl and over
hearing what he said. stepped IN.
Give me your money said to the
girl. and Will buy you a ticket
She gave 1t over reluctantly.
Learning that the train had already
left, l took her to the Byrd-Street
Depot and there turned her over to
another agent, describing the man.
with the other particulars OF the case.
Again Makes Appearance.
TT was not long before the man
Travellers Aid agent was purchasing
the gilr's ticket. he attempted to con-
verse with the child. The agent i'm
inediately told him to 60 about his
business, but he said that he, too, was
going to New York and. being q
stranger he thought 1t would be nice
TO accompany the girl on her journey.
or course, he was sent on his way
with the information that the girl was
under the protection OF the society
until she reached her destination.
I'VE telegraphed the Travellers
Aid in Washington to meet the girl
and forward her on to New York.
and that agent telegrnphed New York
to have someone meet her. The So
ciety kept watch over her all along
the route and delivered her safe to
her brother in the metropolis We
received letter of thanks from him
for what we had done: Just what
the man would have done had We
not been there hate to think about"
Who pays the expenses for such
cases" was asked.
Our work 10 supported entirely BY
contributions from people who ur-
derstand the aims OF the society" an
swered Miss Reck. but sometimes
when our funds run out we have to
put II UP out of our own pockets.
LATHE Ones Travel Alone. -~
Another thing that lie most surpris-
ing" she continued. in relating her
experiences. rs the number OF chill
dren. especially little girls, who are
allowed to travel alone. The other
afternoon, about s O'Clock. / noticed
a child hanging around the depot
and found pinned to her little dress
a notice. Going to Staunton.' It was
getting dark and there were no trains
leaving for that city until II o'clock
at night. She had no money and was
dead tired / tried to make her talk
TO me but she wouldn't say q wo.d
and I concluded she was a deaf mute
going there to school.
IT was informed she would have to
change cars in the dead Of night at
Charlottesville, so I took her in
charge. intending TO let her spend the
night at the Juvenile Detention Home.
AS we left the building I noticed that
she stumbled frequently, but II was
not until we started across the street
did I discover that she was >practi-
fingers clasped warmly around mine.
not seeing the curbing. almost fell. 1t
made nay heart ache.
I'VE put her to bed and she finally
thawed out and talked volubly. but
she could not give her name. nor
where she was from. Her ticket was
pinned to her clothes. like the notice.
We sent her to Staunton the next
morning.
These are two among thousands
that we have had, so you can readily
understand what the Travellers Aid
Society means to Richmond. We need
more agents to carry on the work.
for II is impossible for just me to
look after the entire city and the
Only way it can be accomplished IL
for the public to make generous re-
sponse to our appeal"