The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-12-07

sine'e-handed and nobly undertaken; re
membering that men of wealth and inlu
ence Tin opposition to Mr.. Pease) to per
petrate this modern Sodom.
One should spend an hour in Mr.
Peae's house to see the constant drafts
upon his time and strength, in the s,,apc
OF calls and messages, and especially the
applications for relief that his slender
purse, alas, is often not able to answer
he should see his unwcaried patience and
activity, admire the kind sympathetic
heart--unatfcctcd by toll or the frowns Of
tenPorizing theorists--ever warm, ever
wtiInI, giving not only, the crun,Js from
lIs table" but often his own meals to the
hungry-his own wardrobe to the naked
he should see this and 60 away A.
'hamod TO have lived SO long, and done
SO little to help the manned, and sick, and
lame to Betlscda's Pool.
will relate an incident which occurred
some time since, at the House of Industry,
aud which serves rs fair sample ofdaiIy
occurrences there.
One morning an aged lady Of respecta-
bic appearance, called ut the Mission House
and enqnircd for Mr.. Peasc. She was
tol that he was engaged, and asked if
some one else would not do as well. She
SAIL respectfully, " No, my business is with
him; | will wait, if you please, ill he can
see me-"
Mr.. Pcasc Immediately came in, when
the old lady commenced her story:
| came, SIR" said she, "in behalf Of
poor unfortunate woman and three little
children. She is living now and the
tears dropped over her wrinkled facc-"in
W'Ilct street, in II bacemcmt. There are
rum shops all around it, and many drunk
en- people about the ncighborhoo,l. She
hns made ont to pay the rent, but has had
no food for the poor little children. who
have suGsisted on what they could man
age to beg in the day time. The land
lord promised, when she hired the base.
ment, TO put lock on the door, and
make it comfortable, so that the Cro,on ,
need not run in: bu; he got his run and
then broke his promise, and they have
not seen him since"
is the woman respectable I" cnqurcd
Mr.. Pcasc.
"lcs-no-not exactly" said the poor
old la'iy, violently agitatch. "She was
well brought up. She has good hear,
sir, but bud heal, and then trouble ha q,
discouraged her. Poor Mary-ycS, sir, it
must have been the trouLlc,--for | know
her heart is good, sir. r-tears choked
tic old lady's uttcrancc. Recovering her
self, she continued
"Shc had kind husband once. lie
was the father Of her two little girls: six
years ago, hc dird-and the poor thing
oh sir, you don't know how dear she is
to me" and burying her aged face in her
hands, she sobbed aloud.
Mr.. Pease's kind heart interpreted the
old lady's emotion, without the pain Of an
explanation. IT, the weeping woman be.
fore him he SAW the mother Of the lost
one. ..-... ...
Yes, she was Mav's mother. Power
ty could not chill her love; shame and
the worlds scorn had only filed her heart
with God-like pity.
After brief pause she brushed ava,
her tears and went on:
Mr.. Peasc promised that he would do
oil he could, and sent n person out with
the old lady, to visit "Mary," and obtain
particulars he soon returned and corrob-
GRATED all the Old lady's statements. Mr..
Peaso then took friend and started to
see what could be done.
In Willett street is riekety old wood.
en- building, filed to overAowing with the
very refuse Of humanity. The basement
is lighted with two small windows half
under ground and in this wrctcled hole
lived Mary and her children. As Mr.
Pease descended the steps into the room,
he heard some one say, "Here he comes,
grandmother he's come hes come ~
II
The door was opened. On a pile OF
rags in the corner lay Mary, "my Mary"
as the old lady tearfully called her.
God Of mercy! what wreck Of beauti-
ul womanhood Her large blue eyes
glared with maniac willness, under the
influence Of intoxication. Long waves ol
auburn hair fell, in tangled masses, Over
a form wasted, yet beautiful in its grace.
ful outlines
Poor, lost Mary
/ .,SrcA a place r. as her mother had
weePsae, said. Not table, or chair, o.