Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-07-27
Starvation in England,

The London Daily Telegraph of June
29th says Like a guant and ghastly shad-
ow from another world startling bridal
feast by Its unannounced intrusion-like the
terrible writing on the wall-every now and
then the report of coroner inquest drives
the blood back to the heart, and turns laugh
ter into Sighs. The morning paper, open
ed In the pleasant breakfast parlor, reports
the great doings of England, of Its mighty
commerce, of its ceaseless enterprise, of the
thousand evidences of its almost unimagi-
nable wealth, of its splendor and its power
but we turn to another page, and side by
side with the records OF pomp and state the
eye Is arrested by the heading of some such
paragraph as death from starvation "
Now, it is an aged woman friendless and a
lone, now strong man PROSTATE by sick
ness and stricken in his prime, anon the pa
rent Of a group of helpless children who are
flung on the tender mercies of the world !;
for hunger knows neither age nor sex, feed
ing alike on ALL The latest case before us
illustrates the condition of a numerous
class:
"A poor woman named Ellen Smiles, aged
ffty-seven, lived with her three children in
Osborn street, Whitechapel her husband
died some weeks ago, and she and her fam
lily occupied one miserable apartment, des-
utute of furniture, unless that name can be
given to bed on the floor. The family
consisted of two girls, eighteen and nine
years, and a boy of fourteen !; but the whole
means of support for the four persons was
derived from the labor Of the eldest daugh
ter. She was maker of match boxes, and
early and late the poor girl tOiled with ach-
ing and weary fingers TO win mouthful OF
bread for those around her. The pay-if
that word may be used-was two pence
MOI nry--t HnZar hovps and lids
out of which the paste used in the work
had to be found, and string provided for
binding the bundles as they were finished.
All her endeavors brought but five shillings
a week, two shillings and sixpence of which
went for rent, and on the balance four per-
sons had to live-to sustain vitality on sew
en- pence half penny each for seven days
The end is already known. The mother fell
i'll on Saturday and, by the advice of fell
low-lodger, the daughter went to the work
house for relief Then comes the old, old
story through ignorance she went to the
wrong place she applied to the relieving
officer for Spitafelds instead of the one for
Whitechapel parish, and she got nothing,
but was told to come again on Tuesday
morning. On Monday night the lodger
heard the girl walking all the dark hours in
the room where her only parent lay dying,
and where death and famine reigned su-
preme 4 doctor was sent for, and food
begged from the neighbors but the fight
was past, and ere the medical man arrived
the poor mothers troubles ON earth were
over. At the inquest on Friday, evidence
was given that the organs of the deceased
were healthy, but that the stomach and in
testines were perfectly empty facts prov
ing that she could not have taken any food
for quite length Of time previous to her
decease Many truly sad tales have been
told in our pages of death from priVatlOn
and want, but none has exceeded this in It's
intense agony and tragical accessories. Moth
ing that has ever been written or painted of
human woe surpasses the night scene In this
Whitechaple lodging house. The imagi-
nation of Shakespeare himself has conceived
no picture more awful and heart-rending
than that of the poor daughter-yeta a girl in
years without food, without friends, with
out stool to sit on to rest her tottering
limb, alone with a dying mother and starry
ing brother and sister, walking around the
straw pallot in hopeless despair, with none
but the Allseeing Eye to look down and
pity her. Ellen Smiles will soon be forgot
ten, those who are bone of her bone and
flesh of her flesh will kneel at her lowly
grave, shed bitter tears and turn away for
ever but the main features of this human
tragedy are daily played and are too COM
mon to be kept constantly in mind by the
busy public.