35 THE LETTER THAT 



PROMPTED THIS BOOK 



but for an aged mother, possibly, whom circum- 

 stances have thrown upon her care! Yet what 

 a common story it is to us living in the big cities. 



DIRE NECESSITY. 



Passing through Fifteenth Street in New 

 York recently, I noticed a woman and a young 

 girl with small pieces of iron raking the refuse 

 out of ash-cans and putting it into a bag. 



It is a revolting scene you have often seen, 

 but you probably turned away, praying for 

 power enough to place these people in a posi- 

 tion where such acts would not become a neces- 

 sity. The woman was poorly dressed, but from 

 her energy and activity she had nothing of the 

 beggar about her. The child, not more than ten 

 years of age, had inflamed eyes, due most likely 

 to the unhealthy occupation. The husband prob- 

 ably was out of work at the time, or was strug- 

 gling along on five or six dollars a week. From 

 this at least two dollars a week must be paid 

 for rent, so, in order to help along, the wife must 

 do some such work as this in addition to her home 

 duties. 



