Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-12-19

ST. Louis, Mo-, Nov. so, 1874.
TlcrfF Herslg =.

- N' ~ wv ~ = INV WY 1900
came to me yesterday, pleading most .
earnestly for work-something by /
which he could make even twenty |
cents to pay for his sleeping place for
the night. Homeless, save for the
boys lodging house, where he sleeps. |
His father twice a murderer, and the
last murder was the boys sister.
More than this Of his life l 30 not
know; but that 50 bright and quick II
boy must live in tile streets and either
soon die oflts exposure or grow up
just what the street surroundings
make him, is sad. Doubtless there
are thousands of such cases to-dry all
around me, and do you wonder that
seeing ard thinking of such, one
wishes for a country home and that
cities were few and far between. Not
boys only, but men, there arc about
us to-day that seek in vain for work
and fer when see little hope of any
thing better than starvation and
death. Some Of them have families
and others have not. Which are the
worse off l cannot tell, the latter
are less apt to be turned upon the
street homeless and refused all sym
pathy.
Perhaps in the want seen here may
be found one reason of the fierce
struggle for wealth in cities. 1t is
nothing but money that makes the
difference between the most fortunate
citizen and poorest-nothing but the
cash he can command, and that nelts
away OF arapid rate under the cost
Of living here. A man upon q side
hill who sees a hungry grizzly bear
coming after him will climb tremend-
ously to get away, and il perchance
he can get ahead and increase the dis
tance between him and his enemy lit
tie he don't thereupon turn about and
wait for him to come up. He is glad
to keep all he gets. Poverty is that
bear here, and as man can't live on
nothing he. is after all Of us.
The rich will live at rate that
keeps them digging, as we'll as the
poor, and being accustomed to luxury,
want would be harder to bear, even
economy as hard as poverty to others,
so every one is climbing, scratching
desperately, and often, | regret to
say, throwing back neighbor to feed
the enemy he wishes to escape.
Another class, and a large one, will
at times forget their wants till really
in need and then they work rs hard
a3 any. These, however, will spend
all they get SO as TO keep them at
work pretty constant, but it was the
more regular business man that | was
especially referring to last.
People are beginning to call it win
ter here. 1t is not, however, a sea
son Of ice and snow as in Vermont,
but ofrain and mud. We have had
one fall of snow, say three Or four
inches, and foT 4 few days it was cold
for this part Of the word then the
snow melted and walking has been an
exer Use requiring great care Or little
carelessness of personal appearance.
For pavements they feel the need Of
our hard durable granite or some
other good stone. The rock here is
soft limestone found by digging to {
very considerable depth, say 10 to &c
feet often. 1t is too soft and too soou
gone to pay for shaping in reguIa
blocks for paving like other cities, 81
the main streets, Il few very import
ant, are paved with wood, expensive
and soon worn out. Pine is chiefly
= used. and for others the limestone is
broken up about the size Of two hens
eggs or more and spread over tht
: street chen heavy steam road en-
CINE made for the purpose runs ovel
it back and fourth till it is beaten in.
to tolerably even solid mass. With
= this and the dirt that works ur
through it, the rain and snow make q
: mud that resembles in cold clay NOR.
tar, in consistency thin soap, and in
effect upon clothing chloride Of lime.
1t is often one or two. inches deep
and makes tile ladies WHO like to dc
SO, stay at home. ~. ,..,
Beyond the pavemcnts or new
streets or outside the thickly built ur
portion Of the city is yellow clay fol
roads, that vets up rs easily us meal,
is as solid as any clay, and sticky as
glue. This on the slightest provoca.
ton becomes patent mud, TO the depth