The New York herald., 1874-08-06
SORROWS OF THE POOR.

Corpse In . Tenement Waiting
Week for Burial-The Final Appeal to
st. Johns Guild-The Story OF an Eng
lfsh Woman.
The daily life of q volunteer visitor In the work
OF st. Johns Guild among the destitute sick Is
full OF heartrendlng episodes. Misfortune and
want become familiar attendants, who follow
everywhere, being no sooner shaken or In some
dark alleyway than they reappear around the cor
ncr. Ono encounters these pleading, sorrownl
faces everywhere by day and they gather around
one IN dreams at night. 1t is not singular then,
that these visitors tell stories OF heartache and
hOpelessness. Here Is one:-
gentleman, member OF the firm OF WILCOX h
Gibbs met lady volunteer visitor OF the Guild
and requested her to examine into the merits OF
case with which he had accidentally become &C
quainted. This lady called at the address given,
back room in the upper story Of rear house
in Sixth street. Here, in one Of the worst tene-
ments OF
wRErCHsD DISTRICT
she found starving widow. with two sick chit
dren. The room she describes as ian oasis OF
cleanliness In q desert OF nlth." The moor was
polished white, and the few articles OF ofurniturea
table. two chairs and cot bed-were scrupulOusly
neat. The only food In the house was dry crust
OF bread. which one OF the children was dividing
into three parts-one for hts little sister, one for
MS mOCner ana one Tor nlmeeu.
The poor woman told her simple story. Born
and married IN England, she had come to America
with her husband to seek their fortune. They had
not Jared well In the New World save that chill
dren were born to them to share their struggles
and partake OF their misfortunes A few months
ago the husband died Of smallpox. The widow
sold all her furniture, save the few articles alluded
to above, piece by piece, TO buy bread. When the
last salable article had gone and the last morsel
had been eaten sne found temporary work. She
was employed by the proprtetress OF furnishing
store to stitch buyt0nhoes In ladies' and gentle
mems garments. She ewed till she had earned
S. 10, when her employer sold out her busi-
ness and disappeared without paying
nra to T er sick cnarsn no one cam
tell. Her quiet herOism In the midst or desttu-
tion. sickness and sorrow WIN some time win ior
her a reward greater than that which attends the
successful seeker after lame or fortune. In at
least two hearts the mothers image will be
shrlned IN all the glory oil love and devotion.
A TENEMENT HORROR.
On Sunday, July 49, q poor colored woman,
child. Her husband had long been an Invalid, ana
she had tOiled hard and constantly to care for him
and provide him with medical attendance: Both
dance, and on Monday, the 9th, the mother died.
The sister OF the deceased had long been strug-
dren, and when this last misfortune fell upon her
she pawned everything oi value to help defray
the 1uQeTaI expenses OI the UcaU some eQu8tiy
humble though KIND souls In the building added
their mite, and the sum Of SIG was gotten TO-
getner: This was not enough, however, for even
delay: At this Juncture a well dressed muatto
called at the house. making inquiries and profess.
tives. He wore the uniform, cap and badge Of Q
porter on one OF the palace car lines, and stated
York and washington. 1t was a shame, he said,
that there should De any delay OF the SAD rites OF
n OpnQ TN apf
with one OF the neighbors to an undertakers ONCE
and ordered the necessary arrangements for .
$I6 before contributed. After that he was no
nom the % Board Of Health for the Surial' Rel and
waited for his money All last week the corpse Of
WV '~ WAITED IN THE TENEMENT HOUSE
lay there from Aonday TIL Saturday.
Late on Friday gentleman called at the head
quarters OF ST. Johns Guild, No. So Yarick street,
down and began to relate the circumstances briefly
o wss M
excited and excusing herself or the interruption,
with any probability OF success. have no time
to lose. dead woman has been lying unburied
and her living infant and n without proper care or
same story. Be'ore she had nnlshed her recital
two others had sought an interview with the
were all strangers to each other. and all came, as
last resort to the volunteer CHARITY that
NEVER CLOSES ITS DOORS
to the unfortunate and never asks question Of
creed or color.
The undertaken who had the permit refused to
bury the corpse without being paid in ADVANCE,
and when messenger from the Guild told him
that was impossible as his bill would have to be
audited by the eCommittee-requring delay of q
few days 0nly-he replied, ''them's my terms fve
the permit and ye can't bury the body till ye come
caused q return OF the permit, the regular under.
taker OF the Gui.d gave the body decent burial
The little group OF mourners rode to the cemetery
a IN tS 1aa fann nh
on earth. Taey returned to their work in life with
hearts made lighter in the midst OF their sorrow
by the thought that New York has great charity
that stretches It's hand forth to hold up the weak
est nursing and guard reverentiy and tenderIy