New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-31
TO The HEARTH. STONES OF AMERICA

one week ago linen We anhounceo 'oes ]'o' "e''"
ibed the City: that We had upon our books the names
of over ore hundred widows, nearly all with small
children AID some OF them sally in want OF imme-
ds;e help. Now we announce shat one single MEN,
Der of he Association, during one week inves igaied
over fly csses, msny of which, if the details were
given would harrow up the souls Of the most caous
We give the following as the facts OF single case;
A family, composed of mother, born aud reared
amid all the comforts of lie, in one CT The best New
ENGLAND fami)ies-married 20 man With nsne that
thrills through every American heart-Eho, in the
practice of bis profession, gave his family all the
comforts and many of the Injuries OF life, but died
early, leaving | is wife and Elk children unprovded
for-tbe youngest, girl, now 7; the neIstFo, ooys
10 and IL; three girls II, II and l9-wno al n'ea
well, and dressed well, and were in rosperous bust
ness until few months sgo, when the "hoesNe en-
ployer and furnisher suddenly broke up anu "en' on
TO California, leaving them with great rent anu
nothing to do.
In vain they tried to get work. and as the necessity
grew stronger, they were, perhaps more mportunate,
and were anwered 40 at every hop, and rudely re-
nu,,ed by those who tend rich mems door when they
sought work at private houses.
Despair now seized upon them. Their money was
all gone. and yet, they must ive-stll hoping that
To that ereates; of all the poo: they went
for relieEto the sign of The three golden balls.
First they pavned the treasured gifts Of rings and
iewelry; then the silver spoons then, as the cold
w aiber came on the summer dresses shswls capes,
collars laces bonnets and still memorable hunger and
cold visited their door. Then went winter dresses;
everything fit for the street. every little article that
could be ,par ed. The landlord had forced the moth
80 20 r,or,,s,. her furnitnre for rent thew had
to carry out the knives and forks and plates and cook
ing utensils by stealth. Everything wreck.
They could &c, only new and then loaf Of bread,
and tear il apart aud divide it between them.
From the condition Of well-d,essed honest indus
tri us American women eight months ago, they were
reduced TO condition that beggars description, yet
they would not beg They were Americans. Hope
Low had forssken them, and for tSo days they sat
GOVERN without fire in a cold room, STARVING.
Y.s Americans il is true On the 25th day Of
January. 1855 in the rich Eighth Ward Of the City
of New-York an American family, able and willing
to work were siarving-would have starved but for
this one crcuu s;snee-they read our atvertisement
'Ilsy,' said the lady-,he is lady-'on rnur'-
day nigh upon that poor old lounge Tor our beds and
bedding have been long gonehere in this cold room,
without food or fire. | would have gone our and
begged for my cbiljreo, but my daughter said No,
we are tired Of ife why seek to prolong our misery
We can only live as begg srs-we had rather die
And tb,y all huddled together in their miserable nest
70 keep each other warm. i could net sleep. |
could pray, and id most sincerely: Oh, God,
give US our daily bread forgive US if We have been
led into the temptation OF preferrng deah 10 iie ln-
cline IT. heart Of some of the benevolent CT this City
10 learn ard pity dsstiiuon, save my children
from this sore famine | then felt essy aimos!
felt tina. ny prayer wis heard Ia the morning.
a. usual, borrowed paper - look for advertise
mems for work The 6nt thing that struck my eye
vas an advertisement headed American Widows
Relief Association but my heart almost sank back
again to despair abeo that one hundred already
preceded me. But bad hope, and fixed mp thus
little girl as we'll as could and sent her. trembling,
to your house 1t i, the fret time that one of my
CHILDREN ever went out to beg"
"She was so long away that I hal almost lost hope
again; yet It'll trusted that my prayer wolld be an
swered Heaven knows IL was.
ono mother heart l. sped with such JOY as miGe did
when / heard her foot upon the s,sirs, and looked
down and sac her bundle-ssg her heavenly smile
heard her oyous cry OF Oh, motber-oh, sister-oh,
brotber-see here--see here They saw five dol
lar gold coin They laughed-tbey wep.-they danced
they were crazy-snd must say H. | never shed
such holy tesrs or uttered such tn ,nksgivng before
"Oh, gentlemen, / am thankful. How shal /
tbsIk you enough Who shall thank -
"Thspk Heaven"
"Ihave-I dol ever will; was proud AN
BUNDLED"
1t lie impossible to depict the scene witnessed by
two Of the Association who went to visit this family
The little girl had told her ses, tale, but without
giving them any idea of the extent OF restitution.
The mother excused herself from rising before her
visitors-whst lady would not, if only wrapped in
ragged morning gown, and without shoes and stock
ipgs.
The Young lades, who had been admired in silks
and ces in the parlor, hid themselves and their
wretched apparel in a dark closet They could not
be seen until furnished with decent clothes by kind
lady.
The misery wtnessed-the livid lips and pale cheeks
of the .ufferers-he pitul tale Of the steathy sp-
proach of the wolf" to their door, until he gained
possession, ard could not be driven out-the unee-
niable record of hundred and thirty pawntcketsi
tome of the latest Of which marked the lat things
that m.ery parts with for football together too
much to bear. II melted the hearts Of strong men,
Injured to scenes of misery; but who never before
hal the parallel of this, though they had seen
some very sad scenes-alnost as bed-the same day.
Such misery must be relieved. To DO il we must
have money.
We have on our books / so names OF worthy Ameri-
can widows, with families Of children, who are in
wait Some of them, besides the above, are in
dreadful destituton.
They cry to us" For mercy's cake, do not LET US
perish and above all DO not let those who know us,
know our destitu'ion. We never asked for help be-
fre-woud lot nos if we had work-it is The name
of American Widows Relief Association, that has