Mrs. Keenan soon afterward secured regular work at a settlement, earning six dollars a week, and as her son Charles also had employment, she notified the society which had aided that she could now manage. Two years later Charles was away for a time, and when he returned found steady work, and had increased wages. His mother was still employed at the settlement, and her daughter, Jane, also had work there.
The following is an instance of effective relief through transportation. It was justifiable in the case of the Brad shaws because they had been but a short time away from their Virginia home, and actually owned a small farm in that state, to which they were returned. The folly and the hardships inherent in the "passing on " system are so serious as to have led both the National Conference of Jewish Charities and the National Conference of Charities and Correction, following the lead of the former, to adopt a set of rules,' binding upon the societies adopting them, and a telegraphic code for communication between those who purpose sending, dependent persons to another com munity and their corresponding societies, and to individ uals in or near the community to which it is proposed to send them.
Bradshaw, Henry and Florence, were brought to notice by the church which they attended. Mr. and Mrs. Brad shaw had formerly kept a boarding-house in a southern city, but this they had given up as Mrs. Bradshaw was ill with lung trouble, and had come to New York, hoping to better their condition. Before keeping the boarding-house the family had lived on a small farm which they owned in Virginia, and which at this time was rented. Mr. Bradshaw was unable to do heavy work, and failed to get employment of any kind. His wife's health failed, and as all their money was gone, they pawned what jewellery I See Appendix.
they had. Mrs. Bradshaw's relatives aided as far as they could, and one of her sisters took the two oldest girls.
Through the church and a private society, assistance was given in rent, fuel, and food, and transportation was provided for Mr. Bradshaw, who returned to Virginia. A month later, by a newspaper appeal, enough money was secured to send Mrs. Bradshaw and three of her children to her husband — the two girls remaining with their aunt—and to pay for the transportation of the furniture.
Part of the money was also sent to a private society in the city to which they were going, and with this amount groceries were provided for them upon their arrival. A little later, upon hearing from the family, it was learned that they were all well and happy at their return home.
A typical illustration of the futility of furnishing trans portation in ordinary cases, even when such transportation is to the original home of the applicant, is that of the Campbells, who on each of three occasions presented plausible reasons for the giving of aid in transportation to Scotland, but who showed themselves equally irreclaimable in both countries.
Campbell, Peter and Agnes. Peter was known chiefly on account of the occasional sprees in which he indulged, but the enterprise which really characterized the family was shown by the wife, who was a persistent beggar. Three times the St. Andrew's Society helped the entire family to go to Scotland, but each time Mrs. Campbell re turned because there were greater pecuniary returns in this country. A corresponding society in Glasgow re ported that Mrs. Campbell had succeeded in establishing that her husband had been killed by a car in Scotland, and had received $100 damages. It was after this, how ever, that the same husband established his reputation for laziness and intemperance iu America. A son Charles in herited his mother's fondness for travel. He went to Africa, but returned to find humble employment as a mes senger at four dollars a week. The decision of the Society was that the family was entitled to relief in work only.
The writer personally well recalls the circumstances under which the next-mentioned family was first brought to the attention of a charitable agency. It is one of ex ceedingly few instances to which the word "starvation," just short of its fatal stage, might be truthfully applied. The limbs of the infant, which afterwards died, bore a striking resemblance to the startling pictures published to illustrate the results of Cuban reconcentration, or those which exhibited the conditions of the victims of East India famine. The infant rallied and showed immense improve ment within a few days of the beginning of proper nourishment.