The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-19
Incidents about Home.
AMONG STRANGERS.

AMONG STRANGERS.
Reader, did you ever hear of Sebastopols
not the frowning fortress which defed for so
long time the combined it rces of the French
and English armies, but building in Port
land. situated between Middle, Hampshire,
and nameless street running diagonally from
Franklin to Fore Street. II is triangular in
shape, three stories high, with fiat roof sur
rounded by q strong railing. The first story
is used for s:ores--the second and third for
numerous tenements From its appearance
comes its imposing name.
Here dwell families enough to make not
very small village. The poor and unfortunate
are often found wlthinits dingy walls by the
messengers of charity as they go round on
their errands of mercy and love. You will go
with me, If you please, gentle reader, on one
of these visits to the poor. .e0ltE
We ascend one flight of stairs, and walk
through long passage way, turn to the left
;nto another quite as long and much darker,
then feel cautiously your way for the door
which leads to a tenement above. 1t opens
into total darkness. For few moments we
cannottell whether we are to step dowa or
up, but holding on to the door-frame as a pre-.
caution against falling, we are able soon to as
sure ourselves that we shall go up with safety'
and vending our way thither, we find the fam
lily Of which we are in search.
They live In tenement OF two rooms, one
of which is quite dark and smoky. Into both
rooms, the rain on stormy days, runs down
freely, wettipg the floor and bed, making the
place anything but comfortable. In this un.
welcome looking place live mother and two
young children. The father is away to the
war. More than a year ago he sent money to
bring them across the Atlantic to this country
The wife expected to see him, but did not, nor
has any money been received from him since.
There is scarcely any furniture to be seen, and
what scanty bedding they have is made up on
the floor at night, and put away in closet by
day. A little old stove not worth dollar, for
which country-woman of hers took for the
use of it a dollar for one WEEKS poorly fit-
ted up for warming and cooking. We are re-
minded by this extortion, that the tender mer-
cies of some people are cruel. A piece of
bread is on the cradle, and cup of tea is on
the floor. The mother and children are poor
ly-clad and nearly shoeiess. a..as.-..
Next morning after this visit, the back Of
the stove falls out, and comes near setting the
house on fire. The day is cold, and they must
bear it as best they can. At evening she comes
to the visitors house, and tells her troubles.
Thinly clad, with wet feet. having had neither
dinner nor supper, and with the full conscious
ness Of her situation, she was trulya picture Of
distress. Supper being offered. she drank lit
tie tea, but could eat nothing. On being
urged to eat she replied that she could not
there was load on her heart which took her
appetite away. Her face was yet full and rud.
| dy, but her frame was very poor and thin. As
she told her sad story, her aching heart found
vent in abundance of tears.
Being assured Of relief on the morrow, she
returned to her cherries home to nestle and
warm her children, If possible, in that bed up.
on the floor. - iAN 9f-tstp &gA4 ~ i4A-
How much of lifes experience is vrapt uI
in that young woman's heart! From the time
she left her home in Galway with her two
children to seek her husband here in land o.
strangers hopes disappointed for more
than a year the mental sufferings ola sensi
tive mind 10 pinching poverty, and. worse still
living in the agony of suspense, not seeing o.
hearing for a long time from her husband -all
all of these present materials full of interest
not for the fictitious, but for the truthful PEI
properly to describe. Trace accurately the in
ciden,s of the past eighteen months, with al
the circumstances of her present situation
and we have story rivalliDg in interest tn,
most touching of "Hot Corn Stories"
The reader will be pleased to learn that mex
day, by the efforts Of kind lady, stove ans
bedstead were procured. The Samaritan
gave shoes, the Provident Association supplied
provisions, and lady soon after gave shaw
and dress.
| Thus was this family relieved, by benevo
lent operations incur city. The heavy hear
was made light. Smiles took the place O
tears. and told how precious it is to fad sym
pathizing friends in the hour of great distress
particularly among strangers. geH4ra4e
i Lstit not be supposed that in this, or in sub
qnent articles which may be written, the char
'acter Of subjects are of the highest type, fol
it is not generally so. Some of them, however
possess qualities of the greatest excellence
which will be properly referred to. The OBJ
ject of the writer is to set before the public
interesting cases of suffering In our city, and
hat 10 nd ho 10
.f4a- ,s p ssn2 o. t.