A year later Mrs. Young, who was then in poor health, was referred to the society by a private individual, but upon a visitor's calling, declined aid, saying that she did not need it. Her daughters were living in the same house, and they had comfortable homes. Mrs. Young was aided occasionally by a private individual and received sewing during the winter, for which she was paid a dollar and a half a week. Threats of arrest for vagrancy were neces sary to put an end to the begging letters.
Burn, Annie and John. Mrs. Burn is the daughter of Mrs. Kate Young (see above), and acquaintance was first made with her twenty years ago, at which time she, her mother, and another married sister, all had the reputation of being untruthful and beggars, and the brothers of being lazy. Mr. Burn, who was supposed to be in poor health, but whose ailment was really laziness complicated by intemperance, never remained long at any work. For a time he earned fourteen dollars a week on a street rail way, but there he was considered unreliable. His wife did sewing occasionally.
Nine years later Mr. Burn deserted, and his wife with two of her children went to live with her mother, where she posed as a widow, — although Mr. Burn visited her frequently, — while the two oldest children were placed in an institution, where they remained for a year. At the end of that time one of them, Arthur, obtained employ ment as a hall boy, and, at the same time, Mrs. Burn was aided in securing work as a saleswoman. It was later found that she was filling the position under the assumed name of a cousin, whose excellent references she had used in obtaining the place. Her employers, however, spoke well of her.
Soon afterward Mrs. Burn left her mother's home, upon the return of her brother, who had become a widower, with his children; and a year later Arthur enlisted for war, returning, however, the following year, ill. He reenlisted four months later, and was ordered to the Philippines. His mother made this an occasion for appeal to two pri vate citizens, who aided her. Mrs. Burn's health failing, she left work and was aided in rent and in procuring an elastic stocking. Her daughter Emily was employed in a shop at four dollars a week, and later at six, at which time her mother also had employment at twelve dollars a week, but gave it up soon afterward.
The following year Mrs. Burn was ill, and her mother and married sister, Mrs. Low, lived in the same house
with her. Two years after this a private individual was applied to for money in order to give Mrs. Burn a start with a firm in another city. Her daughter Emily had married a farmer in New York State and Mrs. Burn's second son was employed in a New York store.
During the years the family was under notice they were aided frequently by different private societies, among them a society for the aid of widows, which for a winter helped Mrs. Burn, until the fact was discovered that her husband was living. In addition to this assistance many private individuals had aided, some of them for a long period of time.
Holton, Alfred and Frances. Mrs. Holton is the daugh ter of Kate Young and sister to Annie Burn (see above). Her husband, whose references gave him the reputation of being intemperate and dishonest, although a few years before he had worked steadily and faithfully, had deserted, and under an alias enlisted in the army. A friend who had previously aided referred Mrs. Holton for work. During the next few months many private individuals re ported the family, Mrs. Holton having applied to them for aid. Her daughter Lucy was regularly at work, and sew ing was given to Mrs. Holton by a society, which insured her a dollar a week. A private individual also aided and gave temporary employment. The opportunity for a fresh air outing was given to the children, but this was declined.
In the autumn of the same year Lucy secured a posi tion in the millinery department of a dry goods house at seven dollars, and through the assistance of a private citizen and a charitable society the needed outfit of silk waist and skirt were purchased, with the understanding that the money was advanced only as a loan. For three seasons a private society supplied Mrs. Holton with sew ing, and at the end of that time, her husband having returned home, the family became self-supporting.
The immediate cause of the dependence in the follow ing case was a loss of employment owing to a change in industrial conditions. Whether the ultimate responsibility should be assigned to industrial causes or to family condi tions, may well be left to the student, who in either event will undoubtedly feel a considerable degree of sympathy for the draughtsman who lost his employment just after finding himself called upon to provide for four infant children.