Miss Spratt. [Now Mrs. Hurley.]
Good-by, dear mother.
M.
"'DEAR MISS SPRATT--As I was writing to my mother, I thought I would
like to write a few lines to you. Now that I am so far away, I feel a
grateful remembrance of your kindness, I am very sorry I did not have a
chance of going to see you before I left the city. Please tell Mr. Brace
I am much obliged to him for his kindness: tell him I got safe back to
Mr. M.'s, and have a very good home. Good-by, Miss Spratt'"
The East River Industrial School (at No. 206 East Fortieth Street)
still continues its humble but profound labors of love. Mrs. Hurley is
still there, the "Mend of the poor" for miles around, carrying sympathy,
advice, and assistance to thousands of unbefriended creatures, and
teaching faithfully all day in the School. Two gentlemen have especially
aided her in providing food and clothing for her little ones; and the
lady-volunteers still give liberally of their means and time. May the
School long shine as a light in one of the dark places of the city.
CHAPTER XV.
THE PROTESTANT POOR AND STREET-ROVERS.
It is not often that our efforts carry us among Protestant poor, but it
happens that on the west side of the city, near Tenth Avenue and
Twenty-seventh Street, is a considerable district of English and Scotch
laboring people, who are mainly Protestants.
A meeting of ladies was called in the western part of the city, in like
manner with the proceedings at the formation of the other Schools; and a
School was proposed. The wife of a prominent property-holder in the
neighborhood, a lady of great energy of character, Mrs. R. R., took a
leading part, and greatly aided the undertaking; other ladies joined,
and the result was the formation of the
HUDSON RIVER INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL,
the fourth of our Schools founded in 1854. With all these Schools, in
the beginning, the ladies themselves raised all the funds for their
support, and, as I have related, devoted an incredible amount of time to
aiding in them, there being usually, however, two salaried teachers.
The experience in the Edinburgh Ragged Schools, I was assured, when
there, was, that you cannot depend on volunteer help after the first
enthusiasm has passed by. This is not our experience.
As one set of "volun
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