The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-12-27
s.The Peor we have always among


gestiens made for their aid. But unhappily,
suggestions unembodied in acts do not always
relieve distress. But, says one, our city 10
vet 90 circumscribed in its dimensions, that
intense suffering can not long remsin un-
known to those, who are both ready and will
ing to succour. This may be true, but be it
as it may, it is very certain, that there are
within our "cab'e tows" those who, once ac-
customed to better things, have now to face
gaunt starvation daily, and groan under the
dire oppression of poverty. Where the
prop of the family is gone, and the little SUBJ
stance he left, which, husbanded with the
most rigid economy, has lasted almost like
the widew's cruise of oil, is at length ex-
hausted, and now no cheerful fire blazes up
on the hearth stone for them, and the chill
night draws her sable curtain around no
downy couch Of theirs, and sleep visits their
eye lids only when forced by ezhaustion.-
The North wind is their familiar friend, and
they who once rested in comfort beneath
their own vine and 6g tree, are now tenants
by sufferance of some humane landlord, the
miserable occupants Of what could scarcely
be mistaken for a human habitation. You
ask for an instance. Listen then; our story
is short and true.
Passing through one of the suburbs of
Evansville, one day last week, when it was
cold-very cold-so closely muffled up that
we scarcely could see out from among our
developments. and thinking (perhaps) only
of our own comforts peculiar train of
thought. romantic perhaps. perhaps not
was awakened by the appearance of
a miserable, ricketty tenment which we
were approaching, guiltless OF doors. sash.
chimney and almost of roof Arriving OPP
posite we instinctively paused; it might be
that even that poor howell was tenanted;
though how could INC. tails exist there through
such Intensely cold weather! Idle curiosity.
probably, or some other motive, impelled US
and we entered, never once dreaming Of in
trusion. And sure what was there to pro.
hibit! No door obstructed egress; the win
dows were entirely open; no smoke indcat-
ed fire within; no sound save the rustic of
netherlands hanging loose to the wind.
emanated from its dila pidated precincts-si.
lence, the voice of solitude, reigncd there.
But even this miserable wreck was inhabt-
ed-rentless tenants, and less every thing
else save bare glimmering Of vitality. fast
sinking under the heavy cross of intense suf-
fering and neglect; for on the shrunken floor,
stretched upon a pallet of dirty straw, lay
the emaciated form of mother, whose
years evidently had not reached three score.
and by her side, the doctor-her child; pale,
wan. haggard, helpless and destitute crea
tures.
The whole furniture of the room consist
ed Of broken chair. a stove, and deal
table, on which were placed bowl, spoon.
a broken dish and tin coffee pot. ALI were
empty.
Not a coal glowed on the battered hearth,
the cold wind played briskly through every
Granny and crevice, and the trembling frailty
before me, crouched closer and closer to her
sick mother. rubbing her little bare frozen
limbs with her benumbed hands to create
warmth. As we approached, she ceased
rubbing.
"Child, you are cold" we observed.
She replied only by renewing her simple
philosophic manipulations.
"Have you no clothes!"
/ Still mute she pointed to the miserable
rags that covered her mother. And sure
enough, there they were. Filial affection
had triumphed over physical suffering, and
the little creature had barred her frail limbs
to the keen blast. that her ragged robes
might screen her weak and perhaps dying
parent. Had that child lived in the ages of
the Romaa and Greciun myths, her deifyed
statue would now occupy niche alongside
Of the devoted Eneas.
"Are you hungry. child~
For the first time since our entrance the
little creature spoke.
81 amt, sir. but expect mother Isl" still
rubbing her hands and occasionally breath
ing the warm breath on her boodess fingers,
!, to thaw them. All this time the invalid
spoke not or seemed scarcely conscious oil
our presence. In reply to the inquiries how
long since they had tasted food and how
they came to be so poor, the little creature
told her short narrative, which we give. as
near as we can recollect, in her own words.
81 neuer had any father. Mother used te
wash and work round for anybody thai
would hire her, and she always left me a,
hose, because she said | was too little &c
help her. And she always brought home