Litchfield enquirer., 1858-03-04
The Lost Mother.
BY REV. L. NJ. PEASE,

Though we have often heard of mothers love, felt it's holy breathngs, and witnessed with what tenacity it clings to the object of It's regard, we have never known or read of (il- Ia! affection so strong, as that which came ur- der our observation few days since.
 good-looking, well-dresscd young man. ap- parenty about twenty-six years of age. called and wished few moments private interview with me- He said that he landed in this city eight years since, poor, and without friend or sihs'e acquaintance, and that, after spend- ing nearly two weeks in search of employment ne became satisfied that New York was not the place for him to gain all, honest livelihood He lett the city in disgust and made the best ot ms way to the State of Maine, where had since resided. His industry. economy and sc- briety had been crowned with the blessings of little home, an amiablef and confding wife. and two dear pledges of .lleir love.
 Yet with all his prosperity hc had never been comp pleteiy happy One thought had suf. heed to cloud his sunshine and embtter the cup Of his earthly enjoyment. It was that hs mother, reduced to the lowest state of poy. erty and degradation, was numbered among the drunken denizens of the Five Points He had frequently written to her. had sent money to take her away, but it availed nothing. She llad become the slave of terrible appetite from which she could not escape.
 Untll the present., he never had the means at ms command to come for her, and now that ne had come, and with much difficulty sue ceedcd in finding her, he could not persuade her to break away from her evil associates. and accompany him to his home. When he iu- formed hot ho w!tn curses, and pelted him with stones and With garbage from the gutter.
 DespaIrlng of ehccting any arrangement with her himself, he had that morning applied to police magistrate, by whom he had been directel here.
 It was a sad case, and one which deeply moved my sympathics. I started at once with hun m search of his lest mother. A filthy eel lar, not far distant, where the lowest and yil- est of women obtained lodgings on the dirty floor at six cents night, was the first place we visited. On inquiry, We found that she had speht the last night there, but had left some two hours before. A number of her old companions protracting their drunken sleep a nt''e longer than usual, were still lying on the boards. Two of these we sent in pursuit of tne object of our inquiry, promising to reward tnc successful one with a quarter of dollar on they started, one in the direction of Mul berry street, and the other towards Cow Bay
 lt hannts for characters like these. In about two hours one of them returned to claim tho promised reward, She had found the old wo man ln the vicinity of Washington Market where she had gone to gather from the gutter and docks the material for her morning meal She brought her to the steps of the Institu tlon, but could not induce her to come in. hastened out, soon found her negotiating fol the use of an old stove with the keeper of a dirty den not far distant.
 I had often seen the wreck of womanhood in its early morning, ere the eyes had been dim med or the locks whitencd by years, but never before had l witnessed so fearful wreck o .ee aged voyagcr just entering the dim shade oi mes evening. There she stood, the embod
 lment of all that is fearful and loathsome in wee he bioated face and hands and feet be g''mned with dirt. her gray locks matted or her brow. while the filthy folds of her tatteref dress danglcd about her From her arm wa, suspended an old basket stuffed with stale ca h bage1eaves, turnip-tops, and half-decayea no 11tatoes, with scraps of carrion meat. Mhile ! pipe, which looked as if it had been her com panioa for years, protruded from her mouth.
 She had not always been thus; once sh, had lived ina little straw-thatched cottage iwith her children about her. They wsre poor