The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-09-15
From the ~ York Tribune, Aug. S.
"U0t Corn"

as we sat over the desk, this cry came up
in soft plaintiff voice under our window
which told us of one of the ways of the
poor to exc out means of substance in
this orer-b -burdened, ill-fed and worse
lodged home, of misery-of so manywith-
out means, who are constantly crowding
into the dirtiest purlieus of this notorious
ly dirty city, while they are exposed to
E the daily chance of death from some sud-
den outbreaking epidemic like that now
desolating the same kind of streets in
n. Orleans, and swallowing up its thouS-
ands of victims from the same class Of
poverty stricken, uncomfortabl y-provid-
ed-for human beings, who know not how,
or have not the power to fee to the healthy
hills and green fields of the country
Here they live-barely live-in holes al
most as hot as the hot corn, the cry OF
which rung in our ears from dark till
midnight.
"Hot Corn hot corn here's your nice
hot corn" rose up in faint, child-like
voice, which seemed to have been aroused
by the sound of our step as we were about
entering the Park, while the City Hall
clock told the hour when ghosts 60 forth
upon their midnight rambles. We started,
as though spirit had given US rap, for
the sound seemed to come out of one of
the iron posts which stand as sentinels o.
yer the main entrance, forbiding all ve-
hicles to enter, unless the driver takes the
trouble to pull up and tumble out of the
way one of the aforesaid posts, which is
not often done, because one of them often,
if not always, is out of its place, giving
free ingress to the courtyard, or livery
stable grounds of the City Hall, which in
consideration of the growth of few mis-
cradle dusty brown trees and doubtful
colored grass patches, We call "the Park. u
Looking over the post we discovered
the owner of the hot corn cry, in the per-
son of an emanciated little girl about
twelve years old, whose dirty frock was
nearly the color of the rusty iron, and
whose face, hands and feet, naturally
white and delicate, were grimmed with
dirt until nearly of the same color. There
were two white streaks running down from
the soft blue eyes, that told of the hot
scalding tears that were cursing their way
over that naturally beautiful face.
"Some corn, Sir" lisped the little suf.
ferer, as she saw we had stopped to look
at her, hardly daring to speak to one who
did not address her in rough tones ot
command, such as "give me some corn,
you little VOLTS whelp," or name still
more approbrious both to herself and
mother. Seeing we had no look of con.
tempt for her, she said piteously, "please
buy some corn, SIR"
"No, my dear, we don't wish any; it i:
not very healthy in such warm weather
as this, and especially so late at night"
"Oh, dear, then, what shall I do!"
"Why, 90 home. 1t is past midnight
and such little girls as you ought not tc
be in the streets of this bad City at thi'
time of night"
81 can't 90 homeland am so tired
and sleepy Oh dear"
Cannot 60 home. Why mott"
"Oh, sir, my mother will whip me i
I 90 home without selling all my corn
Oh, Sir, do buy one ear, and then l shal
have only two ears left, and l am sure
she might let Sis and me eat them, for
have not had anything to eat since NOR
ming, only one apple the man gavo me
and one part of one he threw away.
could have stole turnip at the grocery
5 when / went to get-to get something il
the pitcher for mother, but dare not
l did use to steal, but Mr.. Pease says
is naughty, indeed l don't; and [ dom
want to be bad girl, like Lizzy Smith
and she is only two years older than me
if she does dress fne; cause Mr.. Peas
r says she will be just like old drunkel
Kate, one of these days. Oh, dear, no,
s there goes man and l did not cry no
. corn, what shall I dol"
"Do! There, that is what you shal
y do," as we dashed the corn in the gutter
: go home; tell your mother you sol
it all, and here is the money"
!. "Won that be a lie, Sir! Mr.. Peas
says we must not tell lies"
> "No, my dear, that won't be lie, be
u cause l have bought it and thrown it a
! way, instead of eating it,"
"But, Sir, may I eat it then if 20
don't want 1T"
mo, it is not good for you; good brea
is better. and here is sixpence to buy
e loaf, and there is another to buy some mic
q cakes for you & Sis. Now that is your me
ey; don't give it to your mother, and don
stay out so late again. Go home Garlic
and tell your mother you cannot sell a
u your corn and you cannot keep awak'
and if she is good mother she won
r whip you"
"Oh, Sir, abe is good mother some
times. But am sure the grocery ma
/ ct the corner is not good man or /
?. would not sell my mother rum, when
1 kuows-for Mr.. Pease told him so-th
5. we poor children we're starving. Oh,
wish all the men were good like him, an
then my mother would not drink tn
,e nasty liquor and beat and starve
cause there would be nobody to sell h
. any. And then We would have plenty
eat"