The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-10
"OTHER SIDE" OF
Topeka CITY LIFE

daughter and other children, was in
vestigated and a change made elim1-
mating any cause for gossip.
The principal of Branner school re-
quested Miss Corning to look after
little Mexican girl living at 219 Chan
dler street. The girl had dropped out
of school and report had it that her
mother had died and that her father
and an older brother compelled her
to remain at home and do the house
work There was also complaint of
drinking in the home. 1t was said
that the father had threatened to kill
his daughter, should she leave home
even to go to school. An lnVestiga-
ton substantiated all reports except
that of drinking. Miss Corning re-
ported the matter to the probation Of
ficer and now the little girl is going
to school again
Woman After Man!
An East Fourth street business man
sought the protection of policewom-
an. He appealed to Miss Corning,
complaining that grass-Widow, pro-
prietor of a rOOming house, was en-
the telephone with the result that
other men were getting jealous and
making remarks. He had family
and to avoid trouble sought the help
of the policewoman. So Miss Corn
ing visited the woman, and tactfully
explained the purpose of her call She
reports that she expects no further
trouble.
Girl Kept In Yard.
An erring girl and a too severe faith
err were a combination which called
for Miss Corning's attention. The girl
had been in Topeka only few weeks.
She got into bad company and trou-
BILE The mother is dead. The father,
worrying over his daughter, gave the
extreme order that she was not to
leave the home of her sister.
Two weeks had passed and the girl
had not been outside the yard. Miss
Corning advised the sister that it was
right to be careful, but that too eX-
IRENE measures would lead to rebel
lion and be harmful. She urged that
the girl be permitted to go out with
her sisters and in company which
could be trusted. The girl has a good
father and family connections.
Later the girl telephoned Miss
Corning that she had secured work
and was getting along nicely.
Goo-ey Letters From Married Man.
mother called Miss Corning to
confer about her daughter. The
mother objected to the cOmpaniOnship
her daughter had with another girl.
Some silly letters, written by mar
ried man. were discovered. Dear lit
tie baby sweetheart wife" was one of
the terms used. Lectures all around
seem to have stopped the affair.
Poverty and Death.
A story of poverty and death is told
in the following:
companied by her pretty little four
year-old daughter, came to the office
to ask for relief. She introduced her
self as Mrs. Charles Keeney, saying
she lived at 207 Kline street The
family came here ten months ago
from Arkansas. Her husband had
been out of work two months. Then
he was taken i'll with pneumonia and
was under the care of Dr. Massey.
They were out of groceries, the gas
bill was unpaid. 1 took her to Poor
Commissioner Bacon and she was sup
piled with groceries. [ then took
her to the Provident association
where it was promised to look after
the gas bill and give her help. The
situation caused her embarrassment
and tears.
This is the young woman, mayor.
who called upon you for relief and
who you directed to us, and her hus-
band is the young man who asked you
for help in getting work. The wife
and mother was only eighteen years
old.
"a day after we had given her help
she took sick with pneumonia, and
within a week she was dead. The
body was sent to Arkansas, and her
mother took with her the father and
children"
She Remembers Them.
Another part of the report shows
that Miss Corning keeps in tactful
touch with persons whom she feels
she can help. 1t reads:
Il try to keep in touch with these
girls who come to me for help and
protection-girls who are strangers
and are homeless, either by a personal
visit or by remembering them with a
postcard, because a little encourage
ment and the fact that some one
thinks of them means much to them
and stimulates them to a useful life.
Zone young girl whom I called upon
to help, whose parents were dead, had
diScnuTa
believed everybody was her enemy.
She did not believe any one meant any
good for her. Fate had not dealt
kindly with her, or so she had allowed
herself to believe.
After helping her into a splendid