The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-11-27
True Story Of the Hard Times

is at all loveable, she is generally the
pet of the parish. Anna Irwin was
was pre-. emiuently so. Old and young
looked upon her with affection, as
Sunday after Sunday she glided, in
her timid, graceful beauty into the
rectory pew, and her father might be
pardoncd if, even from the chancel,
his eye sought her loved form, and
his ear the soft tones of her voice
For sixteen years she read ana stud-
led, sang and laughed, surrounded by
fond admiring hearts. But there
came a change, a day when DR.. Irwin
preached his last sermon, and laid
his head down in the old church yard.
Anna went away TO New York. 1t
is needless to trace the progress of
changes, misfortunes, by which she
sank, in four or five years, from n
Imusic-te teacher to taking in sewing,
and then working at hat binding -
when the "hard times of this last
Fall fell upon the country, even this
humble resource failed her. She cod
could find nothing to do, and she had
no money. Ruin had overtallen her
few friends in the city. Weeks pass
ed. She sold and pawned most of
her clothing, and all other articles of
any value. She was obliged to leave
her small but respectable apartment,
and sleep on n rag mattress in fire
less bare garret. glad of the privilege.
One fearfully cold night last week she
crept to that comfortless pallet, foot
sore from whole days walking in
search of employment. For five days
she had not tasted food. She had on
~ q scant, worn rug for covering
For hours her teeth chattered, and
her limbs ached. She curled herself
into every inoginoble position IN tho
vain effort to obtain moments
warmth of any portion of her frame,
And then she thought Of her home,
where each night she had wrapped
herself in thick, soft blankets, and
lain in warm, dreamless rest, till morn
ing dawn. She thought of her faith
er's good. night kiss and blessing
She slept Mt last, for she was utterly
exhausted, waking to suffering every
five minutes, tortured by hidcous
Nightmares of food turning to stone,
ice in her grasp by grinning faccs;-
and never for one instant losing the
pam Of cold
In the morning she saw q girl, who
with her old mother, had slept, ifslcep
it could be called, in the same room,
preparing to go ont begging for cold
vicuIals. Two little girls who lived
id the opposide garret also issued
forth, and Anna, despalrngIY, ana
nearly wild with hunger and cold,
went out after them. She soon found
herself in street where every sur
rounding showed wealth and luxury.
She thought of the more respectable
mode of begging, to ring at the front
door, and asking for one of the iami-
IL, tell her story. But her pride
shrank from that even more than from
fitting down the back steps. And
this at length she did.
II haven't anything" said the ser
want, who answered her knock.
''Won't you let me warm myself by
the frc?' whispered Anna.
II guess not" said the girl. "Tho
Lady don't like such people about the
Kitchen and she shut the door in her
face.
She would have laid down and died
on the cold door stone-willingly.--
After two or three gasps, she Stumbled
up the steps, rolled her frost bitter
fingers in her thin De Bage cape, and
went on down through the broad Av,
enuc, bitter thoughts Of man and o.
God--may he forgive her!-shrickine
in her heart The long rows of cost
Ily houses were to her like fortiiica
tons reared by hard, triumphant sell
iishness, to keep her and such ms hcl
from sharing in common comforts
defended by cruel unerring weapons
0! what pitiless tyrants seemed hu
man law, human society! Her fee
were numb, but they carried her OF
over the ice cold pavements like ont
in dream sensible only to the biting
tooth of cold, and the raging of th'
hunger pangs. Down a broad stoop
n little below her, came young lady
mullled in turs to her rosy cheeks
She paused suddenly with look o
compassion
"You seem very poor, Can't I Dc
something for youY'
"Tm hungry. I'm cold,' said An
ma.
i Gold! l should think You woulC
be- said the young lady shudder
ing.
"For PHYS sake Harriet" strucl
in gentleman, who had opened til
/, door and came out Immediately afte
D her, don't stand to talk with that girl
You'll catch your death. Here II
give her these, and do you com
a along. You'll have to walk fast t
keep warm this bitter morning.
He held out two three cent pieces
They slipped from his thiclSly glove
fingers, and he left Anna to pick ther
up. Before she had succeeded in dc
/ ing so he was out of sight, with tn
lady pressed close to his side. Ar
ma ran to the nearest bakers's, an
Q bought loaf of bread. "You can
stay here to eat it, girl" said the bal
eress, and she reluctantly left til
n well warmed shop, turned the cornt
y in the Avenue, and sat down on