The old father and mother were found to be anxious to get Grace back, and a sister contributed toward the ex penses of the journey. Arrangements were made with the Salvation Army to look after her when she was discharged, and with a society especially interested in English women and girls to provide for her journey home. The date for sailing was set, but unfortunately she had a serious illness after leaving the workhouse, and was obliged to spend several weeks in hospitals. As soon as she was able to travel, however, the postponed plan was carried out. She was received at the home from which she had run away six months before for a few days of rest and convales cence, a suitable wardrobe was gotten together from sev eral sources, and her sister and a representative of the society saw her on board the boat. The sister also sent $5 to the old father to enable him to meet Grace in Liverpool. Word was received from the English charity organization society referred to above that he had been there to meet the boat and take her home. A letter written after Grace had been at home several weeks states that she is sur rounded by kindness, and that although she is sometimes restless she is growing more contented. The case is of interest not only because of the satisfactory outcome con sidering its difficulties but because of the cooperation required from such a variety of agencies.
Greenwood, Arthur H. Mr. Greenwood, at the age of sixty-eight, with a prosperous early life to look back upon, is unable to support himself and his wife. Gradually he has lost his standing with the stock brokers and bankers who formerly made up his business circle, and for years he has been a curbstone broker of no reputation. Accord ing to his relatives he " has at all times burned the candle at both ends" and "has been subject to all vices." He has a physical disability which unfits him for hard work, and he is familiar with nothing outside his old business. He speculates whenever he can get his hands on any money. Recently he was engaged in a transaction of doubtful character which he feared might get him in prison.
Mrs. Greenwood is ten years younger than her husband. She is a nervous, hysterical, dependent woman, with an attractive manner. There are two children by a former marriage. Both are married and live in towns near by.
When a few weeks ago Mr. Greenwood applied to his children and other relatives for aid in keeping him out of prison, the son, the daughter's husband, and a well-to-do nephew formed themselves into a committee to provide for his needs. They are actuated chiefly by family pride and a desire to protect his children and grandchildren, rather than any other motive. They asked a charitable society to act as their intermediary — investigating the case to find what ought to be done, and drawing upon them for the necessary funds, but keeping their identity secret. They were ready to undertake permanent re sponsibility for Mr. Greenwood apart from his wife, but they did not wish to deal directly with him.
Acquaintance with the Greenwoods, which has developed since, has brought out the fact that Mrs. Greenwood has a
brother in comfortable circumstances who, to all appear ances, would be able to provide for her. In this family also there are stories of business reverses, which, as they are attributed to Mr. Greenwood, have caused strained relations between the two families. Because of this " strong feeling," Mrs. Greenwood's brother has been unwilling for the past year to help her and her husband, but there are indications that he might be persuaded, in combination with other relatives, to look out for his sister if she were unencumbered, just as Mr. Greenwood's rela tives are willing to provide for him apart from his wife.
The solution, therefore, seems to lie in getting Mr. Greenwood into a home where he will be properly cared for, the expense being borne by his relatives, and in throw ing the responsibility for Mrs. Greenwood on her relatives. The obstacle in the way is the opposition of both the persons chiefly concerned. They have been married twenty-five years and object to being separated, and Mr. Greenwood seems unalterably opposed to entering an institution.
Piper, Bertha. About two years ago Mrs. Piper asked to have two of her three children placed in an institution. It was found that she had been deserted by her second husband eighteen months before, and that since then she had supported the family by janitor's work and a little sewing and washing. She was not strong, she had not had nourishing food, the work had been far beyond her powers, and she had finally broken down. She was very loath to part with any of her children, but knew no other way of getting along. Her husband had been intemperate and brutal, and she hoped she would never see him again.
She was sent to the seashore with all the children for two weeks, and came back much improved. For several weeks her rent was paid, and she met the other expenses by washing. Then she decided it would be better to take a janitor's position again, and did so without consulting the society that had been helping her. Here she found again that the work was too hard, and it was discovered that she was keeping her oldest child, a girl of twelve, at home to help her with housework and sewing, and that both were working until late at night. She was persuaded to give up the janitor's work and move into more healthful rooms. Since then she has been vacillating between the two modes of existence — taking a janitor's position only to find that her health would not stand it, and that it forced her to give up her outside work, and then moving into rooms upstairs, relying on washing and days' work, and accepting outside help toward the rent. At each change she takes new heart, and thinks that she will surely be able to get along comfortably by the new arrangement. The little girl goes to school intermittently, and does well when she is sent. The main features in the situation are the woman's unwillingness to be dependent on outside help, except as a last resort, and her heroic efforts to pro vide for her children.