Luxurious Paupers of Staten Island
fCbpyrtgM. 190. by T. C. MeClure.)
1H only want a few billiard tables-
w
yew, and a bowling alloy una
then wo shall be fixed up ail
right."
So enld tho superintendent ot
the Now York City Farm colony on State
Inland tho other d;iy, when ho was showing
initio visitors about tho jdaco where tha
moat luxurious paupers In tho world arc
boused and cared for.
AH tho world over, the Rdmlnlstrat ion
Of poor relief has Improved Immensely
Since the days of Mr. Humble. OHv f
Twist would not tremble nowadays as ha
asked for more, lie would register a vh
lent "kick" because 'Worcestershire sauca
Was not served with the soup.
In England and other European coun
tries paupers are being better cared for
every year; but the old world still lags bo
bind the m w In this respect. Tlu Am:l
can poorhouses are the best In cvVry way,
and they certainly provide luxuries f.r
their inniutcs which would harrow ti e so-.il
of a liritlsh poor law guardian even today.
But tho most luxurious of all la th? estaV
llshnient on Staten Island, where they only
need pool tables and a bowling alley to
make their state idyllic.
An experiment is being made there which
has caused much comment anm s pot r law
administrators all over the country, mid
which Is being carefully watched by the
authorities of several ciliis.
Several fine houses snme of them real
mansions of the colonial style have been
built at a cost of about $4S,00. To all prac
tical purposes they are as well etpilpl ed a
a Rood modern hotel. They have hard-wood
floors, electric lights, pi red tin hatha,
twisted Iron und copper work decoration,
and, in fact, all the fittings that a ri
man would put in his house
Some of these houses are given over ta
old married couples, who hitherto haa
been separated in -the poorhouse; others to
old bachelors and spinsters. Darby and.
Joan have a large, comfortably furnished,
airy room assigned to them the kind of
room you would pay at least $2 a day for
In a city hotel. They live their own fam
ily life there; It is their home, and nobody
has the right to intrude on their privacy.
Joan can make a pot of tea for the old man
on the wide veranda with the cu'onlal pil
lars, and even servo him a tasty lit tlo mejd
out of the provisions assigned to her. Bat
there Is also a spacious, well decora'.ed
dining room in which breakfast und dinner
are served to all the couples in the houte.
In tho other houses rooms are assigned
to two old bachelors together or to two
old spinsters. Tho same comforts and lux
uries aro provided for them as for tho mar
ried couples. There are common room
widen they can use much after the fashion
of a club, und they can even get up a
dance in the dining room if they choose.
Some of the poor o!d folks have never
hud such fine accommodation in their Uvea
before. Others, ho have "seen be;ter
days," ure profoundly thankful to be abla
to live a real home life again and not ba
compelled to herd in largo dormitories w!U
a lot of possibly uncongenial companions.
Tho farm colony Is a great success II
raises ns line fruit and vegetables as ever
get into a city. Strawberries that run
eight to the pint and cabbages weighing
thirty-four pounds are not uncommon. Tho
ONE OF THE
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DARBY AND JOAN TAKING
NEW MANSIONS FOR THE MARRIED
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THEIR AFTERNOON TEA.
COUi'ES.'
-
produce is distributed among tho hospital
and other institutions for poor relief In
New York.
The Inmates work on the farm, un
der the direction of tho superintendent,
and more than pay for the coHt of their
malnteivunce, so that they have a right
to some comforts and luxuries. They ar
not made to work any harder than they
choose, for most ot them are old people;
but the superintendent has a Machiavel
lian way of arousing the spirit of emula
tion in their breasts.
He sets old Hank Roberts, who guesses
be raised the llnest vegetables In Oranga
count v. to work on a plot of ground.
on
nn , nn, .site nlot Juko Hancock,
another
nn.lmit lu; rlcul tui'iHt . is located.
Jaka
naturally scorns Hank's pretensions, and It
Is not dllllcult to create a rivalry between
them.
"Say, Hank," says the boss, after awhile,
"havo'you seen Jake's tomatoes lately!
You'll have to watch out! They're coming
up a whole lot lifter than yours."
Hank throws his rake on the ground
and fairly dances with rage.
"It'gash! I'll show him who kin grow
tomatoes!" ho cries. "But 'tuln't fair, basl
You give him more fertilizer than yo
give me. I don't get a show. You let ma
hev more manure, and 1 11 show you to
matoes 1 Igger'n yer two flats."
"I'll te.l you what, Hank," says tho boss,
dropping his voice to a whisper and as
suming the ulr of a stage conspirator, "I'd
like to see you win out. Y'ou sneak around
to my house tomorrow nt 8 o'clock, and
I'll give you all the fertiliser you want,
lint for goodness sake, den t let Jako see
you. I can't be giving away extra, fertilizer
to every one, und ho mustn't think I'm
favoring you."
Hank promises Joyfully, and then tha
buss .saunters over to Jake's plot, looks
at his tomatoes und shakes bis head in
silent sorrow.
"li'gum, Kupo! You don't mean to Bay
they'ro worse than Hank's?" Jake asks,
anxiously.
"Not la the same class," says tho wily
siiN'r'utendent.
"Closh all hemlocks! but I was afraid of
It," replies the crushed agriculturist. "Now,
if you'd only give me as much fertilizer
as you give Hank "
Again Machiavelll dons his conspirator'
cloak and whispers. That night, ufter
Hank has removed bis firtiliz'r nt S o'clock
und got sal'ely away, Jake calls at 9 for
his supply. The result Is that both of
them grow tomatoes that are a dream tt
the eye and a Joy to the palate.
This hi the system en which the farm is
run. The old people are assigned to the
tasks they like best and are specially fitted
for, and, consequently, they take an im
mense pride In their work.
The dietary s.-alu Is better than that of tha
aerago working. nen, for the Inmites are
fed generously on whatever Is raised on
tho farm. In summer, for example, they
git strawberries and cream afior dinner,
to say nothing of tenuit ies, lettuio, pe ir:i,
ni'ples, and all kinds of fruits and vego
tabh s. Fresh milk and syrup are fur
nished them daily at one meal, anil stowed
jrui.es are i Ireijuont and favorite disb
(Continued oa l'uge Fiftiiui.)
