Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-01-31
~ Was "a HunGered.-

1t was sleeting fast. Evening was
falling. The streets were almost de.
serted.
Suddenly voice at my elbow said 81
am not fit for work and have eaten moth
ing to-day
looked at the speaker He was an
able-bodied man, but had lost both arms
by amputation; he was evidently dis
charged soldier He was pale, too, as
if from recent Sickness OF from sCanty
food. lie had on an old thread bare
coat.
My Grst impulse was to give him
something. But my coat was buttoned
tight | could not easily unbuttOn 1t and
continue to hold my umbrella and book;
and to crown all, the street car for which
had been waiting, at that moment
came up.
Il haven't anything to-day" l said
turning from the man and beCkOuing TO
the driver.
heard q sigh, as | turned and was
on the point of recOnsidering my decls-
ion, but reflected that if | missed this
car, l should have to wait ten minutes
in the road. Besides" | said TO my
self, somebody else will be sure to give
him something"
But my heart smOte me, when, on
looking after the man, | saw him 60
/ sadly down the street with bent head.
/ Once I thought of stopping the car,
/ overtaking the man, and giving him half
! a dollar But while hesitated the car
passed the corner, and he was ont OF
sight. 1t was too late.
| did not eat any dinner that day, with
| the usual appetite. l could not get that
wan face out of my mind, At times the
| vcituals seemedlto choke me. What II he
really was starving and no one would
/ help him
All through the evening the mans
look haunted me. In vain my little
daughter, seeing me distracted, sang her
sweetest ballads. In vain my wife
sought to cheer me up, as she said. /
even dreamed of the man, If had
known where to find him, would have
gone the next day, to satisfy myself that
he had received assistance.
but the impression gradually wore of,
There is so much suffering now in great
cities that almost every one becomes
hardened to it. l persuaded myself
fnaly that the man had been helped by
others. There are so many societies to
aid soldiers" | said 1t was uncom!ort-
able to think otherwise.
One morning, ab0Ht four days after
the interview, my wife WIS reading the
paper, when she suddenly laid It down
and cried, Glow shocking"
do not know how it was, but felt
a sudden chill. | thought instantly o.
that mans wan face. But l said care
lessly, as l broke my egg,
what is it, my dear |"
"Oh such horrible story. A dis
charged soldier, his wife and two child
rem, dying Of starvation. At least the
wife is dead, and one OF the children not
expected to live. None have had any
thing to eat for four days. They were
found in an old clubhouse. The hus-
band is said to have lost both arms al
Gettysburg"
NV hand trembled so much that, long
before my wife flashed had been com
PEELED to lay my egg down, unopened.
Sc was looking at the paper and did not
see NE.
had no appetite after that. / rose
Immediately, and FASTENED down town,
! for ! was sure this was the man whose
petition had rejected
went straight to see him. had the
paper in my pocket, and it directed me
to the miserable clubhouse, where the
sufferers had been found.
Quite a crowd had been collected out
side. But policeman at the door per
mitted no one to go in. He knew me,
. however, and on my expressing my wish,
allowed me to enter.
A sheet, furnished by some poor neigh
Dor, was spread over still waxen face
in the coruer; little girl was sobbing
beside 1t; aud man bowed with grle'
sat 1T the foot. At the sound OF my foot
steps he looked up 1t was the same
wan face had repealed at the corner 0.
+ the street.
, Since that day have never turned
away from old or young who had asked
aims Better give to thousand VINO
are unworthy, than to refuse one who Is
: really in need.
u T. ysNT