The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-04
Alice-The Belle of the
 Neighborhood

Alice was the belle of the
 little neighborhood in which
 she lived. She had many suit
 ors and her admirers were
 numerous. Among these suit
 ors was Tony, young Italian,
 handsome, prepossessing, and
 amiable. He was a sport"
 was always well dressed, and
 was agreeable and entertain
 ing. Alice fell in love with
 him, and although never
 thoroughly trusting him, end
 ed by marrying him 14 years ago
 For several years all went
 well. They had three children,
 Tony contributed regularly to-
 wards the support of his fam fly, and all were happy
 However, Tony began to grow weary of the monotony
 of family life, and his innate selhshnesS and inordinate de- sire for pleasure began to come to the surface. He commenced to leave his wife at home alone nights; would return at all hours, and falling into bad company, took to drink and gambling.
 Alice's endeavors to remon- strate with him only made him worse. He drank more and more heavily, and when intoXi- cated would beat his wife and his wife's old mother, Mrs. D., who was living with them. One night in the state of violent drunkenness, he came home brandishing a pistol, and threatened to kill the whole family; and finding that this caused much ConsternatiOn, he made a regular practice of this for several months, on one occasion discharging his pistol some twenty times. Another evening he struck and serious ly injured his second child, a boy of 8, who had been born a cripple; and finally after an especially violent carouse, dur ing the course of which he beat and knocked down both his wife and his wife's mother, he disappeared and has never been heard of since.
 When the family was called to the attention of the c. O. s. Alice was on the point of nervous prostration from what she had been through, and the old grandmother was suffering from acute palpitation of the heart, and fainting fits A doc tor was called in and after examination declared that neither mother nor grand mother were capable of doing any kind of work for many months. The entire family was undernourished, there was ab- sOlutely nothing in the house to eat. and as Tony had taken away all the family resources, they had no means of obtain ing any food. The children were almost in rags, and their mother and grandmother were in such a plight as regards clothing that they were ashamed to go out of the house. Alice, the former belle of the neighborhood. looked like woman Is or 20 years older than she should have; and in stead of appearing to be the mother of a family. she looked like a care-worn middle aged woman.
 The two oldest children h-d been so upset and terroriged by their fathers brutality, that they had been unable to attend school reSuIarIS; ana were. like their mother and grandmother, in a highly neurotic condition.
 The c. O. S. has seen to it that the- whole family has re- ceived continuous medical care until finally all save the crlp- pie. have been restored to something approaching nor nal health. During the in terim funds were secured whereby the family was en- abled to live with reasonable comfort; and today Alice, with the help of some distant rela- tives. interested by the C. O. S. is able to work for the sup port of herself and her family. The children who go regularly to school, are doing well and are highly spoken of by their teacher.
 Is there anyone who wouldn't help Alice Noi And this is just another reason why we can't help giving double this year to Community Chest V