The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-20

In response to the plea made Mon
day morning in The Virginian for n
fund to be raised by children and to
be used in the relief OF unfortunate
children In the city. contributions
amounting to thirty-six dollars have
been received. This money. ii is un
derstood, was raised by children in the
city, and presented By TWO persons
who wished only the initials of their
names to be given. Another person
applied TO Or. Buchanan and stated
that he wished to do something for
little crippled Mike. if some one would
give him an idea as to the appropriate
thing to do. 1t Is hoped that today
the fund will be increased greatly,
for there are many others besides
Mike who are in need of more assis
tance than the social workers can cas-
lily and readily provide.
In fact, the number of cases In which
children, who have not the proper use
of their faculties. have rendered help
less not only themselves, but devoted
mothers from whom the child's afflic-
tion only calls forth more affection. is
surprisingly and pitiably large. Per-
sons living in comfort. shut In from
snow drifts and blasting winds that
tax the strength and endurance of even
tho healthy and well-fed, do not realize
that often within earshot of their door
some mother is suffering through
struggles and trials in tho effort to
provide for some helpless little one.
Paralysis Victim.
On the long list. there Is little
boy whom infantile paralysis has left
In st sorry state. Not satisfied with
this, disease has robbed him of the
use of a hip. and nothing that can be
done will leave him free from pain.
which Is slight. perhaps. at times, but
AT other times 1t Is great. To lie all
day In a helpless state. unable to move
from one position to another. is de
/ plora Bile. But to lie this way for weeks
/ and months. never a moment In which
| there is not some pain, surely is the
! lions share OF grief His mother
works all day. to lay NJ pittance for
! his needs, but the pittance Is small
and his needs are very large.
| She went to charity headquarters.
and tolA a story. which the usual In
vestigation found was true certain
kind of shoes and a specially made
brace, alone can give her boy n poor
sort OF relief but without which his
suffering is too great to bear for long.
The price of shoes IS high. and the
special brace expensive. but she has
toiled week after week for n beggar' s
wage to give him these things he
needs She works in a store where she
/ can earn Sc week, hut this will not
answer very handsomely the many
calls that are made on her for money
to support her little family and home.
! A Deserted Family.
| She is a young woman still, but into
her late years have been crowded so
much of the sordid and so much care,
81 a.
were six children, three of whom she
has given up TO be sent away to a
charity home, Her husband. as the
old old story repeats itself, does moth
ing for the famly's support. and for
some time he has failed to even add
his presence to the family circle. The
woman Is OF a type which would de-
serve a better lot than to labor and
toll until old age premature1y slips
in to take from life all the JOY of
living.
Her little son will probably never
be we'll SO long as he lives, the lit
tie woman because she Is a mother
will be willing and eager to expend the
last ounce Of her strength to make him
as comfortable as the bitter toll OF
her hands can do. She will not suffer
for the necessities Of life. for charity
forces here will see to that. But they
can do more. and the bitterness of ne
cessity grows more bitter when for
tune stops Just there.
This is one case of many. ThOus-
ands of people In Richmond. young
and old, will spend this Christmas II
the midst of the happiest of surround
with-aparp-~ provided
and need thing banished and un-
known. Would it not be a beautiful
thing to share these good things with
others whose measure of happiness
would be unbounded by the gift OF