The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-01-26
KINDNESS TO THE POOR.


page OF our generally unsullicd statute.
Owing TO description drawn BY some,
perhaps, overscrupulous poet, Of an OLD
man, who was incarcerated within
dungeons walls, whose clothes were
tsttered, and whose person was uuwasbed,
and his hair was uushorD aud uncombed,
the subject began to be agitated, lis it
right to imprison for debt"
Then amid those columns, messy and gray,
Dim with dull imprisoned ray,
sunbeam which had lost its way,
And through the crevice in the cleft
VI the thick wall, is fallen and left,
Creeping Ger the floor SO damp,
Like a marches meteor lamp"
There by the dim light Of single ray,
the poet said, he saw the prisoner in his
damp cell He was pale and haggaro
aud feeble and old. Gently he asked
him for what crime he was tbere2
II owed debt c uld not pny,
And | was ashamed to run away
Is poverty crime, exclaimed the poet,
with Indignation, that this poor man
should linger in leons cell ? How came
the old man poor? Perhaps he has q
family, whose cares were numerous, per-
haps sickness, possibly miscalculations.
and possibly the objectionable greed of
some sharper has left him d;shesrtcned
and driven him out without home or
shelter to this pittiless doom,
God made the old man poor. and II
worse criminal than he has thrust him
into felons cell.
Thus began the hew-snd.cry about the
barbarity of those laws which imprisoned
a man Tor that which was often his mis-.
fortune and not his fault, Very soon the
laws were so modified, that the poor were
released from "close jail'', upon their oath
Of poverty and allowed to seek their own
subsistence within mile from prison,
which was technically called being ION
the limits" There is a man now living
in this state who was imprisoned under
that modified law, who has for more than
fifty years been On the limits. But the
Legislature from time to time has extend
ed his limits. 80 that he is now confined
WI "iN'ih wv SNWpuSs vi tEt tlutt.
This is the last vcstige of that barharism
from our statutes. y would that vestige
we're Cancelled at once, Yet there are
some men who still regard poverty as a
crime. whatever its cause. A clergyman
who had just married rich wife, aston.
ishcd a Sabbath School in one Of the
rural districts, which he was addressing
by telling them IT,, poverty was crime,
since which time it has been the occasion
Of many funny jest at his expense. A
little girl, remembering that remark, ask
I'd her mother, Are We all going to
he'll p why do you ask that, my
dear ?" La answer, she repeated what
the minister said. and asked. has he
iu.t set out for glory? From present
appearances it is feared the Reverend
may die fvlon by bis own judgment,
and if the old law still prevailed, he
might possible die in felons dungeon.
The foregoing reflections have been re-
called by some late proceedings 10 an op.
positc direction. One extreme follows
another aud sometimes, so widely as to
provoke our mirtb. About year ago
in the town of Weybridge, Mr.. Sterl.
iDgworth and wife, very inoffcusive,
but not overwise couple, who had almost
ouilived their usefulness sat smoking to-
gethcr after breakfast one morning and
were deploring their sad lot as they had
been notified that they must shortly leave
their present domicil Not knowing
exactly where to find another, they we're
wondering if stern fate would compel
them, after they had worked so hard all
their lives, to ask for public charity.
While they sat condoiing their sad con
dition. Mr., Almonseur. from the town
Of their former residence, CHANGED to be
passing by, and called to see his old
neighbors. AS he entered the door, they
began ut once to rehearse to their visitor
their sad fortune and their fears for their
uupromi,iug future. Mr.. Almonsieur,
moved to pity by the story Of their woes,
entered with deep sympathy into their
plans-consoling them with hope-aud
desired them to return to their old resi-
dence. where, he said, they would be more
than glad to lend them the aid they might
need, if they were SO unfortunate as to
become public charge. | think" said
he, "your proper residence is in OF T town
Come back, 0 come back, and we will
aid you through declining years and pro.
vide for your helpless old age. Would
you not as soon return a. TO remain
here ?" Alas !" said the old man, 81
have been here SO many years, it seems
like going from home. My kindred and
my friends are here and il INT ther and
could hnd food and shelter here, we would
like to spend the remnant Of our day
here" Wei do as you like" said III,
visitor, "our town is large, our pockets
are deep, and our hearts are warm.
will give you twenty five dollars TO cheer
aud help you over Jour present sadness
aud when your reut falls due let me
know aud will be glad to pay it. Dr.
not let it trouble you. Good morning.
These dear old people were 50 chcered by
their good fortune, that day. that they
remained talking it over, and also th'
propriety Of pulling up st4kos aud return
ing to their old home in New Haven
After long parlcy they were more thar
hall persuaded to think it nigh be be-
10 60. Mr.. Almon-iour was so kind, anC
The former favors Of old neighbors wer'
recalled to mind, and at length they abou
concluded to 60.
After dinner the good old man walked
down the street and began to tell hi
neighbors Of the good fortune that hs'
befallen them and that they we're goinI
to return to New Haven from whenc
they came. So from day TO day the,
both continued to publish their plans ant
to make arrangements for their departure
The people Of Weybridge, hearing tn
news, began to fear the good old peopl
might be induced to move sway. began l.
demonstrate with them and tell they hov
much they were respected and they neve
need fear coming to want, that their lat
visitor was no more friendly to them tina
p thau uoro an6 - theu uanI1 "a. cro