RELIEF DUTY--SAN FRANCISCO--MISS B___.
As this is not a history of the awful calamities of that trying time,
they will be but lightly touched upon. Suffice it to say that when late
that night our train slowly crept along the streets of San Jose and
finally reached the station, the people thronged the streets. They
heartily cheered and welcomed us. Upon learning that an "inquiry
bureau" had been established right there, we soon packed it almost to
suffocation, and oh! bless the Lord! I was one of the few to receive
news. I got three unstamped, torn-out-of-note-book letters from my dear
son, stating that the fire had not reached beyond Van Ness Avenue. He
lived a little beyond. He was anxious for my safety. I at once sent
similar short messages of assurance to the "inquiry bureau" of his
residence district. Then I was passed through the line and taken to
Beth-Adriel (martial law was in force), there to discover all of the
family lodging under the beautiful walnut-trees. The house had suffered
considerable damage, but, praise God! the inmates had escaped personal
injury.
Relief duty at the depot was my next call. For two days and nights a
large delegation of us remained on perpetual watch; for the refugee
trains, crowded with sick, hungry, homeless, or penniless men, women,
and children, were now arriving, at intervals of from fifteen to thirty
minutes. Statistics show that San Jose, the first large city southwest
of San Francisco, fed, clothed, and sheltered, temporarily, some
permanently, in the neighborhood of thirty-seven thousand refugees.
Moreover, its probation committee of the juvenile court handled the
cases of over fifteen hundred destitute children. Busy times! I should
say so! Only the wonderful power of God sustained us, for it was
break-down work. At the close of the second day I was compelled to
rest. After a good night's sleep I procured a furlough of forty-eight
hours; for two more notes from San Francisco had reached me, and they
described the great suffering, especially because of long waiting
(sometimes all night) in the bread line.
San Jose generously supplied me with an immense telescope basket filled
to its utmost capacity with canned goods, cooked meats, etc., so that
it required the assistance of two to put it on the train, it was so
heavy. On reaching the outskirts of San Francisco, I was informed that
I could be taken no further than Twenty-fourth and Valencia Streets.
There people seized every available rig, even to garbage wagons, paying
exorbitant prices for conveyance to their points of destination. What
was I now going to do? The eight hundredth block on Haight Street
seemed miles away (I think it was about three and a half), and I had
nobody to help me. Everybody was strictly for self. Bless God! he had
not forsaken me, as I soon found out, when he gave me the strength to
shoulder that stupendous burden. Oh, bless God! Every few steps I
rested. I would rest and pray, go a little farther, and then rest and
pray again. I kept this up until completely exhausted; then I sat on a
broken-down step, minus the house, imploring the kind heavenly Father
to send me help. Did ever he fail his own in the hour of need? Never,
no never.
Coming over the hill several blocks distant, carefully guiding his
horse through the debris, was a man in a wagon or buggy. Like a
drowning person grasping at a straw, I frantically called and waved my
hands. It took me some time to attract attention, but finally he turned
in my direction. Hallelujah! As he neared me, I noticed the words,
"Spring Valley Water Works," on the sideboard of his wagon. "Madam, can
I assist you?" he inquired. Most certainly he could. And I humbly,
tearfully, and wearily described the situation. To lift that heavy
basket into the vehicle required our united effort. Never did I more
appreciate help. The sun was at its zenith when I started; it was now
setting. God bless that dear young man, whose name I have forgotten! I
hope that he is living and that this book may fall into his hands, so
that he may better than ever realize that our blessed Lord never
forsakes those who truly love and trust him.
Reader, I leave you to imagine the joyous reunion of mother and son.
Perfect peace and good will was then temporarily reigning in that
stricken city. Would to God it had continued! but alas! it was but for
a few days. Once more the adversary of the souls of men reigns in its
midst; the liquor devil reigns supreme; whilst the few faithful ones
are still daily crying to the throne of grace, "How long, O Lord, how
long?"
Before all this occurred and whilst I was in San Francisco one day
seeking aid for Beth-Adriel, I called at the house of a Christian
friend of mine. Presently, in the course of conversation, she informed
me that her niece, who was an employee in one of the large department
stores of San Francisco was at home sick with severe headache, and
asked if I would care to see her. I gladly acquiesced. Then my friend
took me into the next room, where lay the young lady with her head
swathed in a wet towel and evidently suffering keenly. I expressed
sympathy and at once offered to pray for her, to which she replied:
"I'll be so glad, though I fear I haven't much faith in its efficacy.
Yes, pray for me, for I must get down to the store to report for duty
at one o'clock. I _must_. Sick or not sick, I _must_."
After prayer I inquired, "Laura, dear, why must you be compelled to be
on duty? Under existing circumstances they will surely make every
allowance."
Instead of making immediate answer, she asked for her business dress
and presently drew from its pocket a latch-key.
"Do you see this?" she inquired.
"Yes," I replied.
"Yes, but you do not know what it means. Let me tell you. This key is
to be used to unlock the door of the down-town private apartments of
one of our floor-walkers. I've had my place only a few weeks. Auntie is
having a struggle to keep her lodging-house filled so as to meet her
payments on the furniture, rent, etc. I am only getting small wages,
not sufficient to support me, as yet; but if I can manage to qualify in
a large reputable store like --- ---, I shall have no trouble in
commanding a better salary before long--having become so well
acquainted with my position as to then be a necessity."
"But what has all that to do with your possession of this key?" I
interrogated.
"Wait, I am coming to that," she replied "About a week ago he (the
floor-walker) said, among other things: 'I observe that you are quite
ambitious. I intend, if you will allow me, to still further your
interests. In order that I may do this, I must have your promise to
respect the confidence I am about to repose in you.' Innocently I
promised. 'First of all,' he went on to say, 'you have doubtless heard
I am a married man and a father.' I had. He has a very delicate wife
and two dear little girls. He then produced the key, _stating why he
wanted my friendship_."
"Why did you not immediately expose him to the firm?" I indignantly
inquired.
"Mrs. Roberts," said Laura, "you don't know what you are talking about.
My word would not be taken against his. I do not yet know what door
this key unlocks. I am not to know until I consent to use it whenever
he may request a private interview. Every chance he gets, he wants to
know when I mean to yield. I am, for the sake of business experience,
resorting to all sorts of strategy; then, when I qualify, I can afford
to snap my fingers in the face of this profligate. _You've no idea how
much the honor of business young ladies is menaced, Mrs. Roberts. I'm
not by any means the only one. The trouble is, very few have the
backbone to resist these propositions, which invariably come in one
form or another to the working girls attractive of face or form, or of
both._ They are, with scarcely an exception, poor; from infancy they
have been well dressed, too well in fact; very few are qualified in
domestic art, and those who are would almost rather do anything than be
subjected to such humiliations as some people in social standing
inflict upon their maids--maids who ofttimes both by birth and breeding
are their equals if not superiors.
"I want to help Auntie. She is so good to me in giving me a home. If I
can only keep up, I shall soon be able to repay her."
"I'm glad to tell you my head is much better, so that I shall be able
to report for duty. I'll be all right so long as I trust in God and
have people like you and Auntie pray for me."
I wanted to report this case to the proprietors of that store; but
Laura was so distressed for fear of notoriety, ultimate results, also
the deprivation of a living for that libertine's delicate wife and
children, that I reluctantly desisted. This I know: In answer to many
prayers, both her friends' and her own, she won out; but she never gave
up that key, and to this day she does not know what door it unlocked or
whether some other poor, silly girl received and made use of its
duplicate.
In visiting among the outcasts, I have learned from the lips of many
that the primary cause of their downfall was the inadequacy of their
wages as saleswomen, stenographers, etc., for their direct necessities;
temptations became too great; the ultimate results were, alas!
inevitable.