The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-01-02
A Picture of Poverty in New York City.
New York World.l


from Prince Tenement houses as far as you
could see. 'Does the Beldens live up here?"
asked the agent OF u crowd OF urcnlnS VINO
were sliding down hill OF frozen swirl.
They all looked suspicious. Some OF them
put their tongues IN their cheeks. They evil
IDENTIFY suspected SELL So the agent pushed
into the grimy hallway and up the dirty,
dark staircase, followed by the reporter.
The steps were wet with the slush that
many feet had carried up, and the
cinders that had been dropped there
crunched under the reporters boot. The
hand rail felt greasy. One, two, three,
four flights; each one darker than the other.
FinalIy-wlth pain in the kneeS-at the
top One minute under the dirty skyllght
to be sure that the name on the card isn't
Baldwin or anything but Belden, then
respectful rap in the gloom at the door, A
sound of shuffiing a short wait and the door
is slowly opened. and girl with shawl
about her looks up at the visitors wonder
1ngly. 1t is the regular patent tenement
den. Ten thousand OF them within Few
miles; narrow, carpetless room, with two
windows a water faucet and iron basin, two
broken chairs, and an old woman down on
her knees trying to kindle with her breath
the three or four pine sticks in the little
earthen furnace that is in the fire place.
Three people altogether. This old woman
and two children. One of the children is
boy, and stands on. chair at the window.
ing the flock of pigeons that wheel and fit
over the roofs. The girl pulls the shawl
about her in such way that the iDtruders
shall not see she is barefooted. She is IA at
least
There is a regular formula of questions.
Yes, she did apply to the charities on Third
avenue. 1t was tor coal.
She was not the mother. No, she is the
grandmother. The mother went away
went away" is vague at first. But the
agent is adroit and gentle, and presently the
old woman blurts il all out. Jenny went up
for thirty days. She was starved, ill-treated,
desperate. So the authorities said she was
disorderly. Then it turns out that when
Jenny was committed she thought OF the
two children in this den without morsel OF
food or a splinter OF fuel, and she fought the
policeman and bit at the keeper, and alto
gether must have been unreasonable.
That was three days ago. Yes, three days
ago. "Well, you see, shed always managed
to keep a crust among US, and when she was
taken l didn't know what to do (apologetic
ally, so / went to the charities. Law, sir, l
had no idea thered be such q crowd there"
Then the old woman stood up and smoothed
down her old gown, and pushed back her
white hair off her pinched, wan face, and
tried to say there are lots worse off than us,
sir" but some how it was failure. In her
heart she didn't believe that ANYBODY could
be worse off. Necessity is somehow allied TO
candor at bottom and want, even when pride
paralyzes its tongue, has most miraculous
organ. You see, John and me-John's the
lad at the winder-we was a sayin' only this
mornin that we ought to be thankful that
we had place to put our heads in this bad
weather. His father was took with the fever
last spring. It's been pretty rough for the
babies since. Did you come from the chart
ties?"
"How are you going to support your
selves? asked the blunt agent
There was look of supreme bewilderment
in the grandmother scountenance. She had
been all her life putting the best face on
matters. She couldn't quite get over it now
even in tbs extremity. She thought they
could keep along Tiff the coal came. Her
poor old blue hands betrayed how she had
suffered from the cold.
You could get along if you had coal?
Have you plenty to eat?'
The old woman strOked her dress. The
two children came and buttresSed her on
either side, as if their instinct made them
afraid of her weakness.
"Well, no. sir. AS for plenty, sir, it's a
long time since we've heard OF it" Then
she looked ap in dazed way and OF into
futurity as If the old wonder at the mystery
of her lot had come over her afresh.
The girl had no such wonder. All at once
she broke out:
"Shes not had a mouthful in two days,
sir. Upon my sacred honor. She's starving
now"
At that the three of them fell to crying,
and between the sobs and exclamations the
girl told her story. The last meal was pint
OF milk The old woman had pawned her
shoes for 10 cents, and came back in her
stocking feet. The girl had guessed it. She
pulled away the old gown as she told il.
You can see for yourself sir, she said, as
she pointed to the WOODEN stockings.
We drank it every drop before we knew
it."
'Its Gods truth, my dear" added the
grandmother.
THAT was day before yesterday" said the
agent, sensible that tnis was a genuine ease.
We'll, what did yog 90 yesterday
The girl went over u the iron water basin.
and lifted out pan init were halt dozen
crusts. Hard ADD dirty. ''She was goin' TO
soften 'em with water; but she couldn't get
the fire to burn
"No, should think not" remarked the
agent, leaning over and pulling out the fuel
that was slightly charred by piece of burnt
paper. There were two spliBters Of cigar
box and the ruDg OF chair. It was absurd.
And these" he went ON, shaking up the
crusts and lifting his nose and eyebrows.
'These came from"
-'She brought 'em in her pocket'
"A poor mans dog wouldn't eat them,7
said the reporter to himself.
Were all hungry" remarked the boy 81
can't 60 out because 1 amt got no coat"
That's fact; it's Gods truth" added
the grandmother with resignation. After
(which she sat down on the range and began
to draw her dress across her Erinkled face
with curious imbecility.
The reporter took good look at the chill |
dren. A pair of healthy, clean. intelligent
babies, that hadn't eaten anything for two
days. It was pretty bard 10 believe it; be- |
cause the reporter persisted, with the |
internal self conscious nonsense OF his tribe |
in fsncying that he was in New York city,