The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-02-28

sickness the father has been so Ill
with asthma that he cannot lie down
nights. The children who are able,
with the assistance. of the Salvation
army are-keeping the family.
Mother Keeping Family Together.
"A mother in Mankato is supporting
her two children and keeping them
in school with but little assistance.
The father sin the state hospital at
ST. Peter. The case of widow,
with four children to support was re-
ported to the Salvation army The
mother had the flu and almost died.
Since that time she has been unable
to do steady work and the family
have often faced actual want
An aged man in this city is i'll with
Leakage of the heart and his daugh
ter, obliged to remain at home and
care for him. cannot do any work to
support the two. 1t was only through
assistance-from others that they have
been able to get along. Another
girl is keeping her blind mother.
In another family, where the in
fluenza affected all members, the
father has been unable to get work
since he recovered. He is crippled.
having had his leg broke in three
places. ind formerly gathered junk
with horse and wagon. This winter
he has been unable to get anything
to do.
Family in Sad Straits.
Ensign Swanson discovered fami
ly with four children in terrible cir
cumstances during one of the coolest
spells this winter. The father is
worthless and provided little or no
support for the family. The mother
had barely clothes enough to cover
her and nothing fit for winter wear,
there was little food in the house.
Clothing, food and fuel were all pro-
vided and since that time the family
have got along much better. In
another family of five children the
man has been unable to get steady
work and has barely been able to
make erds meet.
An elderly widow was found in
destitute circumstances this winter
Her home was poorly furnished
stove and no fuel-a cupboard and NO
food. The army sent 500 pounds of
fuel and asked the woman what
groceries she wanted The old lady
broke down and cried, saying they
had done enough and she would try
and get along. She received an order
of groceries and has been cared for
since that time.
Aid For Widow.
Aid was also given to a widow who
was left alone with two small chill
dren. The children are too small 70
be left alone and the mother is IN
able to work. In another instance an
aged widow was discovered who was
barely able to exist from day to day,
doing what little work she could
Another woman in similar circum-
stances has been down twice during
the winter with pneumonia. All her
children married and able to but
barely support themselves, another
widow was found IT. dire stats. She
was sent fuel and groceries.
About year ago laborer in the
city who had been well, had boasted
of his strength and ability 10 work
steadily, caught severe cold. He
paid little attention to his condition at
that !, time and continued working
through the spring until June, when
he was obliged to quit work because
of lung trouble. All through the sum
mer his condition became steadily
xc<N nd of he ic III,
hopefessly i'll with consumption. There
are four children in the family and the
wife is obliged to spend all \her
time at the bedside of her husband.
Ensign Swanson stated that the
fight this woman had made to keep
her children in school and to make
both ends meet was most pitiful.
During the, early summer, the men
planted potatoes on the railroad right
of way. He had an excellent crop,
but when fall came he was too i'll to
dig them, his children were too small
and his wife had no time Conse-
quently enough potatoes to furnish
the family Through the winter froze
in the ground. When the sick man
told Ensign Swanson of this fact he
broke into tears over his inability to
provide for his family.
Another Pitiful Case.
Deserted by worthless husband
a mother in the city is keeping her
four children in school and support
ing the family as best she can with
but little assistance. Another sad
instance of a man who is wholly
paralyzed has come to the attention
of the Salvation army workers. The
man is in the hospital and every day
his wife has to go and feed him. AT
the same time-she has to earn liy-
ing for three children in the family.
Still another case is reported where
man who worked nineteen years for
Fowler and Pay has been sticken
with paralysis it all but his right arm.
He has been in this condition for
five years and the family>of three
boys have often seen hard times. At
present however the young men are
all at work and they are d., no i'm
mediate financial difficulty.
Washington, d. c., February 25.-
The war department issued casualty
list today in which there were nine
ty-four casualties reported. The
Minnesota men are as follows:
Died of disease Priyafes Arthur I