The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-08-27
80 49, 80 YTrruus


err man and w0msn a. al interested
Il Tie aelfafc II ileir fel3ow-men, II
go ihe cfioris making ~ tie trienss
"a Humanity 10 reform tl4e ignorant
and icous portion Il the commnni-
Is who oaunos govern themselves
The masses need % he taught self-
goternnent. sid - the appetite j.
TIE great door b. which ! lost II
esiis cnier continually, not pnfil they
have par ileir hcel on this serpent
SID learned 10 lse temperate. can aBy
permanent good h accomplished Ia
any direction whatsoever.
Ms experience Is delegate from
society 10 book into iile condition u
families and gather children into sun
day-ech0ols, gave me some idea 81
bow many q the poor lived, and fix
Cd the fanclcs q vivid Imagination
into ncver-io-be-forgoiieu reality.
Truly. my eyes we're opened.
With Bible. tracts. aud picture pa
pers could make no permanent i'm
preston whore the gospel u clcanli-
ncgs needed 10 be- preached, and the
breath II the destroyer had polluted
the whole atmosphere and blunted
the moral perceptions.
| was even struck dumb hy the
sissls ipt.llp4.e.sa = ss.iaesy that l
supposed must exist III q great and
crowded ciiy, though | never expected
TO bo brough, into immediate contact
with il.
The worst house in my district
hardly safe, il was said, for any de-
cent woman to enter--was IN Wee
hawken street, q short block between
West Tenth and Christopher, rum
ming parallel with Washington street.
II was q low double house and con-
tanned nine famiIies--sixteen adults
aud A. many children-al given over
70 neglect and unqualified wretched-
mess. The room at the foot Of the
stairs, ~ you entered was occupied
by man and his wife and three
children. The wife was a good look
ing American woman, with face so
white as to attract attention by reas-
on Of contrast with the surroundings /;
but il was a hard, cold wliteness, the
marble record that told Of death and
roitennoss within.
Two Bibles. mnte accusers, Law on
the bureau, the only decent article Of
furniture in the room; while the bed
stead there WIS but one was strewn
with an indiseriminate mass of dry
goods, That might have been iished up
from some wretchcd mud-puddle. !
Involuntary glanced toward the bed,
Us entered, to see if | could distin-
guish among the collection anything
that bore the least resemblance to
what are technically denominated
bed-clothes; but II was impossible
without soap and water revelation.
! had frequent talks with Mrs. b
and succeeded in getting her eldest
child into the mission-school. The
husband | seldom saw.
The cry u ''nothing 10 wear" had
10 be met and comhated; for IL would
nave been giving aid TO the enemy"
TO have provided clothing for these
truly destitute ones, whose parents
were too familiar with the way to the
pawn-ehop and the hquor-store.
But johnny didn't mind his rags,
and seemed to enjoy being IN the
Sunday-school, where he went regu-
larry after the first morning until the
smallpox came into the house, SO ripe
for contagion, and among the first and
worst cases was this little boy.
| well remember one msrning /
called upon this family. The hus-
band and one child sat at the table
taking their dinner Of bread and POI
tatoes. Mrs. B. came forward with
a babe in her arms but a few days
old, wrapped in an old thin shawl,
and not an article OF clothing besides
The room was 50 filed with smoke
from the stove that refused to draw,
that my eyes were blinded, and fit
Of coughing obliged me to leave the
room TO get my breath.
How good. how sweet the fresh air
was
Gods air, 50 polluted, was unfit for
a Christian 10 breathe.
When the poor have fresh air,
then tie Gospel may thrive.
That innocent little baby was on
my hear, continually; and although
] could easily predict the fate Of my
charity, my conscience would not be
gain-said; but kind Providence pre-
vented the charity BY removing the
object, and before my next visit,
which was within d few days, the lit
tie one who bad excited my sympa-
thy was mcrciiully taken away from
the evil 10 come. Th woman her.
SEX had the reputation Of beiug a
iirst-raie lanndfess. hu, preferred liz
inc nj this wretehed. comforilcss. sin
ful way-a hardened, shameless in
s.s..s...s.... - -