Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-02-10
From Dc n. York Tribane.l
M THE HRAIfV.Sr0NEoS OF A1xAIcA.


To those sitting around their owas warm
firesides. I'VE appeal; Ito the country - weN
a. the town.
made since the publication Of the existence
| 81 our Association one week ago Thcnwe
announced fact that astonished the City;
That we had on our books the names of ov-
or one hundred widows, nearly all with
| ANAL children, aud some Of them sadly N
want OF immediate help. Now we announce
that one single mesnber OF the ASSOCIATION
during one week investigated over hity
cases. many ef which, il the details were
given would harrow up the souls OF the most
callous.
We give the following az the facts Of
single case:
md reared amid the comforts VI life, in one
~ the best New England fanilcs-married
m \ man with a name that thrills through
every American hcart-who. i'll the prac-
tice OF his profession, gave his family all the
comforts and many the lnxu'ies OF ilfe, but
died early, leaving his wife and six children
unprovided for-the youngest, girl now z;
the next two, boys, 10 and IL; three girls,
"a. II and l9-who all lived well and dress
ed.well, and were in prosperous business,
until a few months ago, when the wholesale
EMPLOYER and furnlshcr suddenly broke up
and went off to California. leaving them with
great rent and nothing to do.
In vain they tried to get work, and, as
the necessity grew stronger, they were more
i'm Fortunate. and were answered NO AZ every
shop. and rudely repused by those w..o tend
rich mems doors, when they sought work ut
private houses. ~,
Despair now seized upon them. Their
money was all gone, and yet they must live
still hoping that their trouble would be
only for little time.
To that greatest of oil curses TO the poor
they went for relief-to the sign OF the three
golden balls.
First. they pawned the treasured gifts OF
rings and lewelry; then the silver spoons;
then, as the cold weather came on, the Gum
| mer dresses, shawls, capes, collars, bonnets,
and still memorable hunger and cold visited
their door. Then went winter dresses; sv-
erything fit for the street; every little artl-
Gle that could be spared. The landlord had
forced the mother to mortgage her furniture
for rent, and they had pawned out the knives
and forks, and plates, and cooking utensils
by stealth. Everything was now wreck
They could get only now and then loaf oil
bread, and tear it apart and divide 1t be-
tween them.
From the condition of well-dressed, hon.
est. Industrious American women eight
months ago they were reduced to condi-
ton that beggars description, yet they would
not beg. They were Americans. Hope
now had forsaken them, and for two days
they sat covering without a fire in cold
room, STARvINGn
Yes, Americans! it is true. On the 25th
day Of January, 1855, in the rich Eighth
Ward of the City Of New York, an Ameri-
can family, able and willing to work, were
starving-would have starved but for this
one ci,cumstance-they read our advertise
ment.
az law said the ady--she 10 lady--'on
Thursday night upon that poor old lounge,
for our beds and bedding have been long
gone--here in this cold room, without food
or fire. would have gone out and begged
for my children, but my daughter said, No,
we are tired of life, why seek to prolong
our misery-we can only live now as beg
gars-we had rather die And they all
huddled together in theil miserable nest to
keep each other arm. | could not sleep,
| could pray, and did most sincerely: 'Oh,
God, give us our daily bread; forsiveus five
have been led into the temptation of pre-
| ferring death to life; incline the heart OF
some Of the beney olent Of this city to learn
| and pity our restitution, or save my children
| from this sore famine then felt easy; /
almost felt sure my prayer was not unheard.
| In the NOR ming, as usual We borrowed pa
| per to look for advertisements for work.
| The first thing that met my eye was TN ad
vertisement headed American Widows Re-
lef Association; bat my heart almost sank
| back again to despair when saw thot one
hundred already preceded me. But had
hope, and fixed up this little girl as well as
| / could, and sent her trembling TO your
house tits the first time one OF my chill
| dren ever went out to beg"
"She was SO long away that had almost
lost hope again; but still trusted that my
prayer would be answered. Heaven knows
what it was"
"No mothers heart leaped with such Joy
as mine did when heard her foot upon the
stairs, and looked down and saw her bundle
saw her heavenly smile-heard her joy
GUS cry ofsOb, mother-oh, sister-oh BROTH
er-see here-see here They saw five
dollar gold coin. They laughed, they wept.
they danced, they were crazy, and must
say il, never shed such holy tears, or ut
tered such thanksgiving before.
"Oh, gentlemen, am thankful. How
| shall thank you enough! Who shall !
thank =
Thank Heaven -
IL have-I dol ever will was proud
u am humbled.''
It's impossible to depict the scene wit
messed by two Of the Association who went
to visit this family; the little girl had told