Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1858-12-31
The blind woman.

| The blind woman.
The following incident we copy from tn,
book noticed in the TINES last week, enti
tied +" From Poor House to Pulpit" giving
the life of Rev. DIR. kitto. 1t is part o.
the first chapter ofthe book and the John .
who is mentioned is DIR. Kitto, the subject
OF the whole book.
The old town of Plymouth, England con.
tanned place, forty years ago, known by
the name of Sutton-Pool 1t was har-
Dor or basin, into which trading vessels dis.
charged their cargoes. AT low water, il
was converted into mass of fetid mire
rendered still more disagreeable by being
the receptacle of the town drainage. in
which poor boys and girls were wont to
wade, searching for bits of iron and rope,
and such other things as might be washed
or thrown therein. Notwithstanding the
bad odor and filth of the place, fifty chill
up to their knees in the mire, we'll satisfied
if they obtained penny's worth of old
iron in a day. Some Of the most dextrous
boys would make three-pence in day, but
only few of them were thus successful
Among the lads who waded in this Poo
was one whose name was John--a bright.
intelligent, active boy, some twelve or thir-
teen years of age. His home was like the
homes of many children in large towns and
cities--poor and comfortless. Perhaps the
reader has seen the little rag-pickers,', /,
" match-girls," and " street-sweepers," in a
popuhus city. In New York there are
thousands of this class, and other thousands
who gain a wretched subsistence by still
more menial ways. They are met in al
most every street, sh0eless, hatless. friend
ieA wanderers, attracting the notice of
attsheers by their miserable plight. There
IS many sad and touching tale that might
he lold of these penniless ones. The sad
dest and darkest portion of their lives were
never written. Enough is known Of them,
however, to move the most unfeeling heart.
The story of one of this class has been
told as follows -
She lived in rear building where full
daylight never shines--in a cellar room
where pure dry air is never breatled. A
quiet, gentle girl of twelve years, she
speaks to the visitor as he enters Moth
er does not see you, sir, because she's
blind The mother was an old woman
of sixty-fve or seventy years, with six or
seven others seated around But you
told me you and your mother and little sis.
ter hved by yourselves Yes, sir--here
it is; and at the end of the passage the
visitor discovers narrow place, about five
feet by three. The bed was rolled up in
the corner, and nearly filled the room.
But where is your siove!' We have
nons The people in the next room are
very kind TO mother, and let her come in
there to warm-because, you know. / get
half the coal But where do you cook
your food ?" I'VE never cook any. sir; il
is already cooked. go early in the morn
ing 70 get coal and chips for the fire, and
must have two baskets of coal and wood to
kinde with by noon. That's mothers
half Then, when the people have eaten
dinner, ! 60 round to get the bits they leave.
can get two baskets of coal every day
now;ibut when it gets cold, and we must
hay o great deal, it is hard for me to find |
any--there's so many poor chaps to pick it.
Sometimes the ladies will speak cross to me,
andshut the door hard at me, and some- |
time the gentlemen slap me in the face, and |
kickmy basket, and then come home. and |
ms - says nut to cry, for may be will |
az dter tomorrow. Sometimes get my |
baslet almost full, and then put it by for
to-unrrow; and then, if next day we have
enogh, take this TO poor woman next
doc Sometimes j get only few bits in
my aket for all day, and may oe the next
day And then / fast, because, you know,
moher is weakly, and can't be able to fast
likeme.' ;"
The short and simple annals of the
poo furnish many sad tales like this.
Mo- are they confined to Cow Bay and The
Five Points of New York. They are found
in every large town and city.