The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-01
PICTURES OF POVERTY.

Po0r-Three Thousand Destitute Fami-
lies Supplied with Groceries mt Their
HOmes-A Dying Englishman Longing
for Homc-A Little HOusekeeper-Dying
in His Chair-A Dismal Prospect and a
More Dismal ReaIity-Subjects for
Womanly sympathy.
st. Johns chapel was all alive yesterday with
pretty happy faces and with old, careworn and
wrinkled ones. There was many poor soul there
who received for the first time kind and en-
couraging words from the lips Of the rich. There
was many richly dressed woman there who was
for the first time brought face to face with the ter
rible struggle for life which Is being waged day by
day by the miserable. 1t seemed as though all the
supper ten thousand" had suddenly joined in sing
Ing these lines
Let rs hfes pleasures and count its many tears
While we alrsup sorrow with the poor,
and that they had then stolen softly to the doors
of the Guild and, with all the angel in woman up
permost, were endeav0ring in silent and unob-
truslve way to play the part Of Sisters Of Mercy.
Many OF these ladies have been admired for their
beauty and their rich toilets in grand balls and
fetes in town and country; but they could never
have looked so enchantingy beautiful as when in
their simple dresses they came to mingle among
the unfortunate and furnish food. clothing and
money to those OF nearly every creed, race and
color among the poor.
Let those who cooy shrug their shoulders at
what they term the exaggerated accOunts' Uf
the restitution that now regns in the city read the
following reports of volunteer visitors. each one
chosen carelessly from scores, and then turn
lightly away from all this misery about US If they
can. And, first of all, let them pause to consider
the fact that kinder hearts have furnished to ST.
Johns Guild
-FOUR THOUSAND GARMENTS
within the past two weeks and that these have
clothed over |, 100 men, women and children who
else must have suffered terribly, notwithstanding
this prOvidentially mild winter Within these
same two weeks last past the volunteer visitors OF
the Guild have called upon and relieved at their
homes 5000 families. Countless vsitations have
been made, as we'll to localities where false ad-
dresses were given, some lady visitors reporting
as many as twenty such from their list
In a single day. And before we give
the experiences of these visitors it will be well to
mention a case of especial interest to Englishmen
who II they have hearts to feel for the misforunes
OF their countrymen, WILL before another steamer
sails, have generously aided
ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE,
Richard Steaks, dying OF consumption He was
formerly q shipchandler at Pool in Dorsetsbre.
and came to this country, where he had been lured
by the golden prospects held out to him
by those interested In Canadian immgra-
tion He found out his error too late,
and went from Quebec to Detroit, where
he had acquaintance. The rigors of the climate
brought on a "quick consumption" and when he
found himself declining rapidly there arose in his
breast longing to get home before he died. He
had left a wife and two children in his native
village, from whom ne has had no tidIngs for
weeks. He arrived in New York with SIS in cur
rency, and expected to get aid rom friends here
10 pay his passage home. The friends were
not to be ,ound and Ua, he went d,, to the
l., Nhnn ha pIrnnf ale
Society, which gave him fifty cents. While he
waited his SIS was swallowed by the expense Of
night poor, wornout feeble ''ruckle of bones"
with white, sunken cheeks and faded, longing
ne SAID 70 h gs into t aSn how S #
have wife and little children at home. It may be
foolish, but should ike to see them once more
glanced sadly enough at the writer, as he con-
tnued doubtluly-I suppose every one would
rather die at home than IN strange land and
He was given supply of food and promise
that English hearts were not callous to all feel
ing. he would sail by tuesdays steamer Tor
THE LITTLE HousEKEErER.
rMrs Albert Hendricks, OF No. 81 West
por,s s sass of desteaoa and anay
family named Grner living , At No. o,S ess
East Twelfth street, consists OF father, notner
and six children. The oldest child Is twelve ana
the youngest two years OF age The father, q
tailor, has been tor long time out OF work, and
the mother has been confned until quite recently
In the Lunatic Asylum on Blackwes
Island. She Is now idi0tic The Oldest child,
little girl, works out, receiving S. month"; the
second eldest takes care OF the house (which she
keeps very neat and clean and Of her little bro
theirs aud sisters and her poor idotic mother.
They were without food.
The same lady found at No. 1913 East Eleventh
street MRS. Main very destitute. There we're
three children, and they had neither food nor
clothing in the house.
FREsc0 PAINTER AND HIS LANDLORD.
Mrs. WOrstell reportsa visit to a family in West
Forty-second street. The husband lives with his
wife and two children in the base ment of brown
stone house, owned by his father-n.aw. The young
married twice, and short time since she died
leaving 200 TO the eldest OF her daughters chill
dren. wbs is four years old The step
1ather, VINO lives above stairs. reused as
administrator to pay the bequest to the
keep 1t Tor her for fourteen years. He duns the
daughter and son-fn-saw necessarily for rent how
ever The husband Is fresco painter, and has
nothing to do. lie subjects the 'front.' basement to
unotnar frooco ort,st ,or 81 80 n uaar IN ontos,