St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-10-23

A lecture by Oliver Dyer, delivered at
Cooper Institute, Sept. "a.


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN - MIR.
Packard remarked that it would proba-
bly, be impossible to cram within the lin
Its OF one lecture all that have to tell
you about New York. As to that,
haye only to say that it has taken me
fourteen years TO see the things which |
have seen about New York and I sup
pose it would take me three times four
teen years to tell of them. And, as pro-
longing the lecture to such an extent
might interfere with some of your en-
gagements, should not think of attempt
ing it.
The trouble is really to select what to
say. People are so incredulous about
these matters. | don't know as | have
ever made a statement ON the subject
that has not been disputed and do not
suppose | shall tell you an incident this
. evening which you will not have some
doubt about. You will, perhaps, think
it is impossible that such things can he :;
and shall not blame YOU il you do not
altogether credit what | may tell you.
Even my friend Mr.. Packard, who has
paid me for telling him some especial
things, has had doubts upon the subject
| wrote him sketch for the October
number of his Monthly, entitled Aunt
Rachel" sketching the condition of an
aged negress whom ol.ce found starving
and freezing to death in IL g;lrret, and
describing the locality where | found her.
| When Mr.. Packard read that sketch,
saw that he doubted the truthtulncss OF
.he whole thing-he doubted that there
was any such place in New York as
described. | could see that plainly, al
/ though he did not say it. But few
! days ago he came to me, not suppoalng |
would understand what he was after,
and wanted to know III it would be
convenient for me to take him down to
| that place which had de>cribed-hc
would like to see Fish Alley and the
surroundings" | said: "Certainlv let
u go down"
: w found Fish -l!!cy. 4 cavc-liic tun-
mel running from Oak street TO posterior
/ regions We found the row of tenement
/ houses ! had described ; and i'll the row
I the very house in which Aunt Rachel
was found. And then, happening 10
see something which knew from long
! experience would present a scene, tol!rd
Mr. Packard on. that / M ut I'VE ...ni
dose tat would last him a ii.n-t.ne.
/ Ne soon came upon Il woman sitting oui
ol doors, although 1t was u chilly, damp,
inclement day, bare headed, bare necked,
and bare footed, with one slirnsv dress OH
-nothing more-sewlng on blue smock
truck or over shirt. | knew why she
was sitting out there sewing and
knew Mr. Packard did not know and |
also saw that he looked very much sur
prised, as expected he would. | said ;
Let us step down into 10 cellar like
basement where that woman lives We
stepped down, and the woman step
ped down with US. On getting int
the basement, the first object that mel
our eyes was a babe lying in cradle.
asked the woman how old it was. Sh,
said eight months She said it had beer
sick several weeks. We could see tha
ut once 1t was reduced to Il skeleton
and its great cavernous eyes stared up al
us from out its pinchcd and wlthere'
face. 1t was attended by little broth
er, about five years old, who WAS rocSins
the cradle; and to divert its attention
the little fellow had strung two tin cup
On each OF It's arms, which, as he roche'
the cradle, would jingle and make a iltil'
t,,r l,a l,.il,
Standing close by was n sister, perhap
seven years old, rs tLinly clad as tn
mother.
That Mr.. Packard might be eniight
encd | said to the woman:
why don't you sit in here and sew
instead of sitting out there III the cold :
She replied:
Il can't see in here. sit out ther
so that | can see TO sew
And SO the poor woman sat sewIn
). away in the cold, raw, outside atmos
pEere, to earn medicine for that SIC
babe and bread for the others. Raihe
tough business that, even for this sea
son OF the wear but what will that wo
man do when the bitter days OF Nlnte
come
- Perhaps you would like to 60 dow
there, and see that scene for yourscive;
| will tell you where to 90. Strike fo
New Bowery, through Chambers street
or 90 down from Chatham Square; an
ask the first policeman you como upo
{, to show you Oak street, and to sho'
you Fish Alley. He can do it. 70
pass through that alley, and you com
to block of brick tenement houses; III
extreme house on the right is where tn
d woman lived. You 90 down into tha
+ basement, and there you will find her
unless through failing means she n;
been obliged to leave that wretched aboa
for one more wretchcd still.
| asked her how much she could carr
And she said. when she had good luc
and could Get work all the time, and III
babe did not require too much time an
attention, she could earn four dollars
week. She paid one dollar and twenty
i've cents week for her room leavln
two dollars and seventy-fve cents fo
food, and fuel, and lights, and clothe
and medicine, and doctors bills. III
food, and the fuel, and the lights, al
the medicine had 10 be first supplied
s. and there was nothing left for clothini
nd nd and that is why she and her childr,
were in such plight.
= You must excuse me, ladies and ge
tlemen, if run largely to children til
evening. When l come to talk on the
y subjects, SO many poor, little, sutferll
S faces of perishing children at once con
up before me that ! can seldom ia