The New York herald., 1877-01-07
PICTURES OF POVERTY.


TIE HUNGRY AND HoMELEss-No FOOD AND
NO. F1RE-soxE SAD PHASES OF CITY LIFE
Snow" said the good man. Al win tell you OF what
have seen In the last threc days:I have visited 163
families among the poor Of the Sixth ward alone OF
these seventyone had neither 1re nor food" He as-
tened button n his coat. though the recollection
OF the cold and gloom had recently left in some
mysterious way affected the temperature of the
and cheerful room in which we sat
.sYou SEQ am NO So OF the volunteer visitors
ofSt Johns Guild have the Sixth ward assigned to
mo as special field because have plenty Of leisure,
not nice about little matters, such as unsavory
smells or coarse conversations. and have gained
modicum OF worldly wisdom from thirty years
Of business life In this city Nevertheless, often
visit in the uptown districts, and often meet casea
where the merest humanity requires quito as much
delicacy and tact as humanity and shrewdness'
sohl yes you see instances Of poverty that
are truly serious, do your"
"wel my dear SIR, give you hundred
or more such cases. and happen to know thas
Mr. wiswall can give you additional thou
sand, or, yes, two three thousand Take.
for instance, this family Mrs. -, widow. She ro-
sides or rather exists at No II Psl Her hus-
band died recently, and few days ago she con-
fined of a pcsthumous child. Now the only furniture
in one chair. 10 add to tho difficulties
OF her condition ono OF her three little ones girl OF
five years. fell down stars and whic other little girls
were nursing their dolls on New Years Day she
cupcd time in rocking her hungry little body
backward and forward on the floor and nursing her
broken arm AT No l43 Pearl street found mother
with five children and work; husband SICK and ia
the Charity Hospital, having nparatively good
time. The oldest daughter girl OF sixteen, was IN
bed when called, and the mother, who was Just COM
ing in opened the door for me. She had been OUT
pawning the daughters Shoes She showed me the
They brought fifteen ccnts asked the mother II tho
eldest daughter had tried to get work Irear
said the poor creature tears springing to her
eyes; yes, sir; have tried and met with but two
they said ave are full and shall have TO discharge
hands, that the holiday rush is over' The other
offices, where was asked to return when tho
sorted. Yes, yes said the mother, Il used to
take pride myself because my daughter was hand
now; it may be TO punish me; for where work is be
had they don't for good looks aud she only meets
wn pass an The
whom she asks for an opportunity to labor provide
bread for her mother aud her little sisters they tell
her, 'You are too pretty to work. oh curse the
unfeelng, unmany brutes F."
Yes, that's wia. she SAID" mus:erod y No. pE 81
street found woman eignty-six years old. she
liv attic room, alone She was IN bed. had no
nre and had means TO procure ono and had not
eaten in thirty six hours Al No Mulberry street
there is another old woman, widow OF sixty-ive.
She is helpless one O, her legs being broken, the
fracture never united so she cannot use the limb.
Two grandchildren keep house with her. one girl or
nino years and the other boy OF twelve The ooy
had work. earning 81 so week, until u month ago.
when he lost employment For four weeks the three
have subssted somehow without even this slender
pittance Tney burn cinders TO keep warm ana eas
the refuse Of the garbage barrels Al NO $50 Mulberry
street lives woman with children. On Friday
evening she confined For forty eight hours pre-
vious to confinement neither she nor any member
OF her tumi!y had eaten morsel Of TODD Thcy had
clothes from his back, and could no longer
enter the street, for mere dccency's sake. AZ
No. l4o Mulberry street widow sunerins
children gathered 10 her upon bare noor and withous
covering. Here IS complete invoice OF tie furniturs
there which remains 10 be sold:-Two chairs; one
rusty cracked stove All else had been sold 10 buy
food. Al No. Worth street there Is an old woman
who is also sick with rheumatism Her daughter
went to California as servant wealthy family. She
room tor All Luck, the Celestial. and, out
OF work. is poor, strange but hospitable country
The old mother is without food or IRE They speak
oddly sometimes At No l20 Centre street there Is
twelve They looked doubtingy at me when spoke
of having Hre built anu when told them we woul&>
start line Of credit at the corner grocery, depoi
from No S2' you know, TO while away the time W %
the (iud basxe, OF provisions round Of ~
iittest came up me and SAID, Did you know my pa
".Den YOU is not rchs sister musn't tell
"srell what little oneY
"sO,' said the mother, that we are starving. We
were living own house few years ago, aud tho
children have prat,led TO her OF past pleasures Poor
thing, she never knew a better lot But havo
always them to keep our poverty from those
about US, many or whom are generous TO fault but
God knows, have little enough OF their own and know
not how long they may have anything
''How long since you have eaten anythingr
asked OF the little one
.she thrust her hand in her mouth and looked at
with great staring eyes. turned to another oder and
repeated the question. She answered.
1.-The morning oil tho day before yesterday.
s'Whats the troubleY Something IN your eye. By
George, Pm sneezing. There must be q draught OF
something mere
AT the charitable Institutions yesterday the usual
number OF applicants for help presented themselves
The Department Of Charities and Correction the As
nj hal ntn3o
Guild the st. Vincent dc Paus Society and other
private charities the givers OF relief 10 largo
number OF poor families who destitute. Next
week the coal will be distributed by the Department Of
Charities and Correction There about 500 appli.
do,iv far m