The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-01-31


mattrass, before the fire, lay what seemed a
bundle Of rags, but which as we entered
began to assume life, and gave forth the
feeble cry of a child. Two children were
there, both girls, one three years old and the
other five, but emaciated and apparently starry
ing We soon had bright fire burning, and
the children at once fed, and placed in warmer
clothing. The poor mother had sunk down
on the mattrass, and seemed dead except for
an occasional sob.
Amy W.. was one of the playmates of my
youth, in an Eastern village. We were of the
same age but when she reached the position
ola young woman and entered into company,
was considered a mere boy, and thus gradu-
ally become separated from her. She was pretty
and amiable. Her parents though not rich,
were in comfortable circumstances j recol-
lect well on returning from school, and in
quring for Amy, my former near neighbor,
my mother told me not to mention her name
she bad gone off and was a bad woman. But
from my young friends afterwards heard the
story.
A mechanic from neighboring city had
paid her his addresses. He was young man
but already doing good business, and con-
sidered desirable match 1t was the old
tale He deceived and deserted her Her situa-
ton could no longer be concealed 1t was
discovered, and she fed from her home Her
parents shut their hearts and their ears against
her. She went to Philadelphia, and there
found her deceiver. He was struck with her
anguish, and perhaps felt he really did love
her. He married her, and they went to an
other city. But he was never fortunate, and at
last died miserable drunkard They had
four children. The oldest two died before
their father. For some time she supported her
self and remaining two children by the needle,
but at last was driven to the howell in which
we found her children. There from exposure
and insuffciency of food she gradually weak
ened, until her utmost exertions could not
actually procure the necessities demanded for
herself and children.
She had acquaintance in the city, formed
before her husbands last unfortunate days;
but she went not near them She knew we
were living in the city, and she knew the ex-
act house, but she had determined to starye
with her children, before appealing to friends
or parents. She had starved herself to feed
her children. Once or twice she had even
begged food of strange families. Her own
starvation, she could endure, but she could not
bear to see her children p;ning away before
the determination to call upon us. She started
with stout heart but it failed her when she
reached the house. The rest is known. 1t
is needless to say they were taken care Of
parents-the mother, has gone to that Father
who never spurTS His pleading children.
AS have said, there is lesson in this little
tale 1t is lesson founded upon pride asso,pc
suffering poor, admitting the truth Of all their
appeals. Even as the Spartan youth in silence
permitted the fox to gnaw out his vitals, so may
not a voice of complaint reach the ears of pity
yitals of proud poverty. Whenever / see
beggar, or an impoverished female, that lone,
horror-stricken, StarUed face, appears phantom
like before me, making its terrible appeal
Let that same skeleton face be as a phantom to
you when dist ess appeals, reckoning you to
gtue. even at the risk of being deceived. God
knows the memory of that wet, haggard, suffer
ing face, will as long as remain on earth be
christian appeal to ME for the poor, and for the
errings of humanity INCOG.