New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-01
LITERALLY STARVING.

9oo above stu, it cannot be doubted that i
the generous public coai be satisfied that respectable
families Of American widows with helpless children
were at this moment literally starving, notwithstand-
ing il is contrary 10 all precedent 10 give charity IN
Summer, that many a heart and hand would be
opened for their salvation. Let me state fw facts.
Here is copy Of note that speaks for itself suppress
ing names:
"Wi Dir R. give Mrs @. beg ofmeal, anything may
bsve in The esi.ee line ioI he woman literally 'syns and
avery hard enc and feel good deal Of sympathy for ner
iours, truly, H. r. D."
This woman il honest, respectable, and whal SO in
dustious that she thankfully pied the situation
offered in the following note: " Wanted, woman or
"young man TO open and shut the lec'ure-room for
meetings on Sunday and "wednesday evenings, aud
io assist about two hours every Saturday in sweep
ing, De. There il occasionally an ext meeting,
"when attendance will be required. For this service
al g week will be paid. The duties might be at
tended to by any respectable widow, Yours, &C.
This duty the woman walked back and forth between
the church ard her house, more than mile, TO per-
form. II nearly all that she had to prevent her
from literally starving; and finally, when all her
needle-work failed and all this income of dollar
week was insufficient 10 pay the rent of the poor garnet
that sheltered herself and children her case grew go
desperate that The writer of the note could truly say;
"1he woman il literally starving.
This is 10 solitary case. On the same day woman
bonn in New jersey widow Of policeman, with three
children well recommended al industrious taloress,
of the yisiion OF the Association 10 ask Tor
loaf or only half loaf OF bread TO enable her to I'VE
over one more night III hopes that she might get WORK
the next day. She hac not had mouthful OF TODD IN
tie house since YESTERDAY.
A lady las Just left my Office who was born, and 80
was her hus band of good families dwell IN Con-
uecticut The husband was IN pubic office, aud
lived upon salary Just sufficient to give his family
well-fur1shed comfortable home, while his health
enabled him TO do his work. Long sickness and death
le the widow with two little children without means
10 suupoI themselves except by her needle. For two
wears She has strulN led hiding her wants from all
her former acquanlances-her near relatives are most
* dead-and living, still neat and free from the out
ward signs Of poverty by the little that she could do
when she could get anything to do, and by selling fur
niture iewery and superfuous clothes Last Winter
size lay through cold days IN bed to keep her children
warm This Spring she has lived, as God only knows
how the poor liye up TO last Saturday evening" when
every cent gone, and dollar, due and to be pad
before dark failed to come. She had no recourse left
She could not ask sxpenny loan OF one OF her neigh
los that lived with her III the great ant-heap where
human beings huddle together in New.i0rk tenant
houses for those neighbors only knew her as the
Gladly" because always dressed like one, and never
holding intercourse with those that were not entitled TO
that alpellatiOn. They had often wondered why she
lived thereto ask for the loan of enough 10 buy
loaf of bread would have told the story-woud have
told them she was poor.
She lived there at first because she could not pay
rent in better house. She lives there because
she owes ihree months rent that she cannot pay, aud
a" tie landlord is kind TO me-"
Now here was Saturday nght-Sa'urday night, July
o. A ID. 1859 in the City OF New York, respectable
Christian woman, alive of thai rich State of Con-
nectcut a resident of his rich City, with two smart,
neat pretty vel bred children, literally starving
Night came anu shut out hope, but did not bring
~ still trusted" said She I" in the Providence
that have always trusted, and in whose my dy
ing Christian hu band left me and his children; but
had never before been reduced to so great strait
sent little OIL 10 ask the baker for three
loaves of bread until Monday. What is your moth
'ers name Where do you lIvel' She gave the name
and number. Is your mother Ausencan, AS GU say
8 don't think any Americans live IN that house l
don't know her; can't send her the bread but II she
will come herself will see about it, | want to know
: whom trust.
went-what else could | do The baker readily gave
me the bread | then went TO the butcher and asked
him TO trust me for two pounds of corned beef then
got six cents from girl in the house, and with two
cents got some milk, with two cents some cabbage,
and with the other cents some charcoal TO boil the
beef aud cabbage and upon that lived yesterday
"What will you do when that is gone 7!
"Ob, don know. If il wasn't for my children /
might get a situation to keep house for some |
could do that | willing to do anything but
dudlery-that am not able to do would do any
labor thai could, that would not crush all my pride
of charo cter out of my heart But how | am TO live
unless can Get something TO DO, cannot tell. On,
must /. with my poor little children, staryeF
Starving L am starving Heavens what a cry
is this hear often-from such lips too those of
well-bred, proud spirited American women Certainly
such a family must not slaIve. No. and u keep the
wolf of little longer here goes more dollar, cast
upon the same waers where twenty were cast yeser-
day. IL Did not doat oDg-many days nor many min
utes had rot sped before it returned. The sounds of
the grateful widows thanks were still soothing the
ear when the dOor-bel rang again. - Two cents"
knew that before beard il. There is sound IN the
posfmnn's ring that distinguishes it from all Others
What far-off correspondent is tnis that writes from
Richmond, Maine 2" broke the seal and read IN a
wuman's hand perhaps some poor widows: " IN
"close one dollar for you 10 bestow on the neefy.
III =. hut fbara ia "a dpCi-a VOOl
dollar.
Another came She brought a note that said: " Mrs.
'W is a very worthy American widow born in Con-
"neccut has three children and is starving here but
thinks she could get along she could get up TO T.,
where she has friends She is smart and willing to
"work but can get nothing TO do. Can you help her"
All that could do to write note to the officers
of the Hudson River Railroad, who have ever been
free to prove the adage that Corporations have no
. souls'' does not prove they have no hearts.
Then | sat down 10 write and had got dozen lines
perhaps on paper when the hall bell rang again.
woman entered seedy in apparel, haggard and care
in looks but with eye that told she had been
all a womaD and a voice that told that this was her
own her native land. In her arms she clun. to babe
dying with bowel-compaint aud want of proper food
and care.
"Are you a widow"
No am worse off. have a husband-he is a
good mechanic and capable of earning good living
ana keeping good home for me and his children.
But-and she stopped to choke down the sobs and
wipe away the upon the faded frock of her sick
clhd, she could not afford TO keep handkerchief
but all my ihiucs-my beds, and chairs, and tables,
and cloth s-eyerything is laying on the ground in
EebieeDih-st., turned out this morning at clock,
BY landlords warrant, and me, with my poor child
voding blood, and wanting all my care, and not dol
lar to help myself. And in such eghborhood, too,
all foreigners, for who lived a. did once, 10 be
turned in the street among-Oh, dear What shall
| dol"
"Where is your husbandf'
Sure enough Where IL the Maine Law that was