Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-01-28
LOCAL NE w s.


Ind heard what was going on there at that
time. they must have had their ideas regard
ing esthetics considerably changed, that is It
they had such things as hearts within their
breasts, and have gone away with vastly dit
fcrent opinion of the 'feathery fakes from
that they had previously entertained. The
benches which line the walls Of the room were
filed with women Of all ages and colors, and
dressed in every style of poverty, from that
which marks continued struggle to MAINTAIN
an air OF responsibility, to that which shows
that all such struggles, if ever made, had been
abandoned long ago, and that the victim had
accommodated herself to circumstances, and,
without shame, had accepted the garb OF the
lowest stage Of civilized life to which it had
pleased God to call heroTo the eternal honor
of the sex not one of the whole room full had
been brought there, though there was probably
Tot one who would not have preferred staying,
away, and who would not have stayed away II
il had not been for the beautiful snow Lest
the readers of the Gazette may thiuk this too
broad an assertion let them listen to the eleglcs
rccitcd by these evidences of mans inhumanlty
to woman, as they advanced to the Mayor, one
by one, and humbly asked for load of wood
'Please sir, said young woman about
twenty years old, with a soiled and we'll worn
shawl covering her head aud shoulders, and
the melted snow oozing through the holes IN
her shoes, 'please sir, l never came here be-
fore for wood, and would not have come now
but the SNOW and ice keep the gentleman for
whom I'm knitting fishing nets down the river,
and so [ can't get paid for my work. have
no husband now, and one Of my two little babies
has the measles, and though he iswarm enough
with the fever, the other one Is nearly frozen
with the cold, for I've no fire in the house.
Il came to see SIR" said a middle aged, sal
low, hollow breasted, reached back, and slckly
looking one, in ragged black calico dress
and wearing a quaker bonnet, the straw OF
which had been white long years, ago. III |
could get load Of wood My. husband has
been laid up with the rheumatism slDce last
fall and if the snow continues don't know
what we shall do, for the money we bad put
by is all gone now.
'Mr. Berkley," said an elderly one, dressed
neatly but 10 the cheapest materials, Il got
some wood before, and wouldn't. have come
AGAIN, but the snow has stopped my sons
work. and as he has seven children to take care
of, he can't spare me now any or the little
money he has saved. ,
\ Young. strong, and healthy lo.rklng one,
in greasy red calico dress and pare headed,
said "mv husband is in Harrisonburg and
won't be home till the end Of the week, but |
syould not have come here for wood fit hadn't
been for the SHOW, for could have gathered
chips enough to have lasted till that time, but
the snow has covered up every thing
Another young one, but consumprlvc look
ing, with prominent cheek bones and great big
bright eyes, in second mourning calico and
white straw fiat, said, my husband died two
years ago, but got along pretty we'll with my
three little children till the tall, when j.! was
taken sick and had to stop my sewing, and now
that the snow has come again I'm afraid we'll
freeze, for have not stick OF wood Lett, and
have no money to buy any,
But why 20 on with the mournful plants?
With all twas the same old story over again OF
want and privsion tortured into agony by the
''b,aulifu snow. 3"
But few of the applicants We're white, and
their appeals are those above quoted, but the
others were all like them, only modified by diff
ltrcnces in expression.
The iingiug Of the sleigh belsisa merry sound,
and the delicate snowflake pretty sight to those
OF the rich VINO care for themselves alone, and
to the thoughtlcss, but the ears of the poor
can't be startled with more terrible sound, nor
their eyes behold more horrible sight. Let
those who spend FIVE dollars an hour for sleigh
ride think of the suffering they mig BIT assuaee,
OF the happiness they might occasion, OF the
guilt they might prevent, and OF the gratitude
they would receive by the expenditure OF that
amount in fuel for the poor ii
A REAL KU-KLUx!- well informed people
in this section of country, and those too, whose
wrongs might possibly have Induced them to
sympathize with the Ku-Klux, have doubted
the existence OF any such organization, but
there need be no more doubling Thomascs for
real live member Of the Klan arrived In this
city last night, and has been seen 10 the flesh
by many witnesses, though how long the period
before he will be resolved into spiritual cssense
isnot known-hs probation cant be protract
cd however. His name is Joseph Simms.
H. was burn in Appomattox county, Virginia,
but lived in Greenville, South Carolina, and
during the war was member OF the 7th regl-
ment of South Carolina Infantry. He was not
unscathed by the war, but was riddled with
bullets, through the head, breast and arms,
aud finally blown up in the crater at Petersburg,
and made an invalid aud cripple for lite, for
since the involuntary JUMP he made at the
Cockadc city, he has been subject to frequent
and debihtatiug hemorrhages, aud has had
parayzel arm. As these physical conditions
eminently fitted him for leader of the death 8
head and cross bones crew, he was arrested and
sent by Judge Bond, of Plug Ugly notoricty, to
the Albany penitentiary. Close confinement
there having almost brought him to the point
of death, the mild aud genial weather OF last
week was selected as the proper time to turn
him out of that prison, aud start him home
VT, OFT a cent of money He walked and rode
as far as this city, arriving here as stated above;
last night, and continuing his weary. way had
proceeded as far as the western suburbs, when
he had violent hemorrhage and fell exhausted
III the snow. He was picked up by policeman
and taken to the station house, where he was
kindly cared forl and where he soon received
the proper medical attention, and though he
cant live much longer, his condition this
morning had improved considerably. The Odd
to-day and will have him provided for where be
now lies until he becomes strong enough to al
w ofhis removal to more comfortable quarters.
RIVER News The river continues full OF
floating ice but the foes are small aud afford