The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-11-14

please, till he can see me.''
Mr.. Peasc Immediately came in, when
the old lady commenced her story.
% l came, sir" said she, " in behalf of
poor unfortunate woman and three
little children. SAe is living now y
and the tears dropped over her wrinkled
face in bad place in Willet street,
in basement There are rum-shops
all uround it, and many drunken people
about the neighborhood. She has made
out to pay the rent, but has no food for
the poor little children, who have sub
sisted on what they could manage to
beg in the daytime. The landlord
promised, when she hired the basement,
to put lock on the door, and make it
comfortable, SO that I" the Croton" need
not run in; but he got his rent and then
broke his promi &C, and they have not
seen him since-''
els the woman respectable ?" In
quired Mr.. Pease.
Yes-no-uot exactly" said the
poor old lady, violently agitated. " She
was well brought up. She has good
heart, sir, but bad head, and then
trouble has discouraged her. Poor Ma
ry-yes, sir it naust have been the trouble,
for know her heart is good, sir. r.
tears choked the old lady's utterancc.-
Recovering herself, she continued =
! l. L L.. i
was the father of her two little girls :;
six years ago he died, and-the poor
thing-oh! sir, you dou't know how
dear she is to me ?" and burying her
aged face in her hands, she sobbed aloud.
Mr. Pease's kind henrt interpreted
the old lndy's emotion, without the pain
OF an explanation. In the weapi wo-
man before him be saw the mother of the
cost e.
i Yes, she was Mary's" mother
Poverty could not chill her love; shame
and the worlds scGrn had only filled
her heart with God-like pity.
After brief pause she brushed away
1
+ Yes, sir, Mary was good child tome
oece; she rcspeet ted religion an / religious
people, and used TO love to go to church
but lately, sir, God knows, she has al
most broke my heart. Last spring l
took her home and the three dear child
rcn but she would not listen to me-
IL l,e. ,r;,hont talI;, a, mn ,vbaro el.
Was going. 1 heard that there was q
poor woman living in basement in Viii
let street, with three children, and my
heart told me that was my poor lost Ma
; ry, and there found her But oh, sir
oh, sir "--and she sobbed as if hel
heart were breaking" satch place !
GIy Mary, that [ used to cradle in these
, arms to sleep; that Iisped her little eve
!, ming prayer at nsy knee--nsy Mary
drunk in that terrible place !"
She was getting SO agitated that Mr.
Pease wishing to turn the current o
her thoughts, asked her if she hersel
: was member of any church. She sale
yes. of thc--street Baptist church
> She said she was a widow, and had one
child beside Mary-a son. Aud he
, fsce lighted up as she said
"Oh, sir, he was such fine lad. H.
. did all he could to make me happy
but he thought that if he went to Cali
), fornia he could make money, aud wheI
he left, he said " Cheer up, dear moth
!, er; I'll come back aud give my none.
all to yox, aud you shall never work an,
more"
II can see him now, sir, as he stoot
, :, thGre, with his eye kindling. Poor lad
poor lad ! He came back, but it wa
> only to die. His last words were
{ God will care for you, mother
- know it--when Im gone to .eaven. -
" Oh, if could have seen my poor cir
die as he did, before she became so bad
- Oh, sir, won't you take her here ? Won
you try to make her good can't yo
'N make her good, sir can't give Mar
up, Nobody cares for Mary now bu
u me. Won't you try, sir ?"
'r Mr.. Peasc promised that he would d
all he could, and sent person ont wit
'e the old lady to visit g Mary" aud ol
tain particulars he soon returned ali
T. corroborated all the old lady's state
'S ments. Mr. Pcase then took frien
&c and started to see what could be done.
nc In Willet street is rickety old WOO
CT en- building, filed to overaowing wit
= the very refuse of humanity. b
~ basement is lighted with two small wi
ic dows half under ground, aud in th
Us wretched hole lived Mary and her chi
H. dren AS Mr.. Pease descended Il
'oS cps into the room, he heard some OF
.'s say, " Here he comes, grand mother
ne he's cone--he's come 7,
ay The door was opened On pile
nc rags in the corner lay Mary. !" my NJ
IL, ry," as the old lady tearfully CALI
her.
IT. God OF mercy, what wreck of bea
D. tiful womanhood Her large blue ey
ne glared with maniac wildness, under t
influence of intoxication. Long way
Ct of auburn hair fell, iu tangled massc
on over form wasted, yet belutiful in
= graceful outlines.
nd Poor, lost Mary