Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-10-20
LEYANDRVA GAZETTE
story of FiIin1 Ingratitudc.

nearly two columns to the relation OF the l;lcts
connected with the death Of Mr. Martin Baker,
aged ninety years. mentioned in yesterdays
Gazette,
How, sharper then serpc nt's tooth 1t Is,
To have 81 thankess chlld.''
The Intelligenccr relates the first chapter as
follows
Martin Baker was native of Louisa county,
in this State We learn that before the war
he was man of wealth, the owner OF over
hundred slaves, and large landed property
After the war, the old man, worn down with
the burden Of ninety years, found himself re-
duccd to tho most ahject poverty. In his dcs-
titution he naturally turned to his son, hir.
John r.. Baker, who was at that time keeping
the Monticello House. Some time last spring
he came to Charlottesville, and was provided
for 10y his son. The kitchen to the hotel stands
lust in the rear. There are two rooms on the
second floor in one Of these the old man, Mir.
Baker, was slowed away
The second is told at greater length, and
from these few extracts VIC leave our readers
to supply the rest
One of the girls. employed in the family te;
titled that Mrs. Baker had never, to her know
ledge, carried meals to the old man except on
the day Of his death. They, the servants had.
The amount Of food sent TO the kitchen tor
for any grown person. he was furnished two
meals day. One girl stated that when she
first went up to the room the old man begged
her to treat him well and he would consider
her good girl She had frequently taken
her own victrals to put on his plate. She
told Mrs. Baker that the old man did not have
enough to cat, and Mrs. Baker replied that
more might affect his bowels. She had never
known any one to wash his face since he had
been in the room didn't think that his face
had been washed in all that time. Drinking
water was carried to him in tin cup. MIR.
Baker had never been up to see his father.
The editor went with the jury to examine
the room where the neglected old father died.
He writes:
With this evidence the jury adjourned to
meet at clock. The report given by scv-
cral gentlemen Of tho jury of the filthy condi-
tion of the room induced us to visit it. We
entered the door with shuddcr, and stood
amazed in view Of the, but too plain, evidence
of the neglect and want which had killed the
old man of ninety years by inches. The room
was in the condition it had been during the
months of suffering he so patiently endured
We could not Danish the thought as We
stood over the corpse, that the old man, bear.
inc up nobly against the revcrScs oftortunc and
bodily ills, fell victim to that crime OF all
others the f0ulest-ingratitude. The verdict
Of a Jury of twelve intelligent men warrant this
belief
At dusk OH Thursday evening, persons
standing on main street saw one OF our ordlna-
ry baggage wagons coming from the direction
of the Monticello House. The wagon contain
ed n pine box, two negro men we're seated on 1t,
few persons walked by it. 1t was driven out
to the paupcr's burial gronnd: The box con-
tanned q plain pine coffin, and that held the re-
mains of Martin Baker. 1t was lowered to Its
last resting place, and the grave filled up as
tive ood by, not prayer was offered, but the
tragedy closed without even a christian bu-
rial.
CHICAGO C1NDERs. while the conhagration
was at it's height in Chicago on every yard ofthe
beach and water fell flaming taggots IN dead,
" shower In all directions hair was Slnged
and the upper clothing SIT on fire. The fugl-
tives backed into the water and faced the fire
at bay, and stood so near together that they
could extinguish each other. Put me out
Put me out" WAS heard on all sides, and
women who were unusually exposed, or whose
garments were exceptionally inAammablc, were
repeatedly dipped into the water by their
ncghbors Boys and girls burrowcd in the
sand up to their necks, close to the water, and
lavcd their heads and faces constantly Babes
were frequently dipped, to their utter wonder
and annoyance.
\ fellow standing on piano declared that
the fire was the friend Of the poor man. lie
wanted everybody to help himself to the best
liuuor he could get, and continued to yell from
the piano until some one as drunk rs himself
flung a bottle at him and knocked him off 1t.
I'm this chaos were hundreds of children waillng
and crying for their parents. One little, girl
in particular, whose golden hair was loose down
her back and caught fire, ran screaming and
somebody threw a glass OF liquor upon hcr,
Which tlarcd up aud covered her with blue
flame
correspondent says Il saw a man on
Monday night looking intenty and seriously at
his block Of fve-story stores on Water street,
then writhing and roaring In the flames. L
knew him and watched him. His gaze was
riyeted. pitied him heartily, for | Judged
he was on the verge of despair At last ven
turcd to approach and break his reycre;
"Well, Blake, what arc you thinking Of? sad
|. "Ah-h" said he, with smile, u was
thinking that the rats must be catching hi!
One of the saddcst scenes ut Chicago was
that of woman knccllng in the street with
crucfix held up before her and the skirt OF her
dress burning while she prayed. While IN TINS
attitude runaway truck dashed hcr 10 'he
ground and killed her
streets of Chicago and many ragamuttlns; were
to be seen wearing white kids and gold sleeve
buttons.
Ata service in Chicago on Sunday last MN N
listers of the Dutch Reformed, Methodist; Uni
vcrS,list and Episcopal! Churches led the
exercises. w.,
The Chicago calamity, says Rcv. Dr. Cha.
pin, teaches us better how to appreciate inc
value of our means Of communicating, anu re-
lict'-thc railroad and telegraph. Why these
hundreds of roads which checker our ofoau
,rndrils of love and sympathy, binding US closer
together in a common brotherhood. We SEQ
our wires flashing messages of relief and joy,
and railways fastening with the gifts of charity,
to the striken community. They are indeed
highways Of God.