The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-04-26

Herman, a citizen and thorough
familiar with all the streets, knew moth
ing of the narrow courtway We foun'
after an almost endless variety of tortu
GUS turns and twists.
"The house, when we reached itprove,
to be one of the abodes of poverty in ii
most naked hideousness.
"Swarms of dirty children focked il
the streets, and want and misery wer,
on every side.
"Our knock was unheeded, and afte
repeating it, Herman suggested tha
probably one entrance did duty for sew
eral rooms and floors occupied by differ
ent families, and pushed the door open
IA narrow entry led us to room a
the back, and again we knocked. Tn
door was opened by tidy woman, VIII
was cooking, and who, in answer to ou
inquiries for Karl Urban, told us, ALAS
you will find only his dead body
II looked again at the order. Th
signature was bold and clear.
"Karl Urban.
"tHis mother is in the room,' th
women told us. She will let no one re
main with her. der son took poison
| have seen him, but his mother drive
us all away.
"They were very poor?7 Herrmal
asked.
"'Starving! They were great peopl
once, but there was some loss. 1 do nc
know all. Fritz, the elder son, went t
| London; but there was a quarrel, an
the mother stayed with Karl. l hav
heard that Fritz ssid .hisz mother coul
not come to him except she came owe
Karl's dead body-but l do not know
1t may be it was all gossip. But tn
mother and Karl grew poorer and pool
er, and he could get no work to do, be
ing a gentleman, and not a workman
They sold all, little by little, jewel.
clothes, furniture. Yesterday Karl tol
his mother if she woald go to Londo
she would find home and wealth. Bu
last night he took poison. No one kne'
until we heard his mothers screams q
daybreak, and we went to her room
There was letter that he had taken tn
poison himself For myself, 1 can nc
read, but there were others there VIII
said the letter confessed that. Tn
mother tainted and lay unconscious fo
a long time; but when she knew hersel
again she drove us all away. There ar
many in the house who would be cla
to be kind to her, but she will no, spea
toany or let any one in"
Thanking the woman we mounte
the staircase to the room she indicated
At the threshold we passed.
"'You have the money! Herrma
said to me, in low tone
@'Yes but will you claim the corps
now?'
".Neverp was the quick reply. "A
such devotion! He should have told us
We will give him Christian burial, wi
we not p
ayes said our companion f.; and tt
mother shall go to Fritz in London
again and again we knocked, NEE
ing only profound silence in the chan
Der of death.
Finally, very slowly and reverentl
Herman opened the door.
ave lifted our caps, and followed hir
"Never had l seen such bare povert
as l saw represented in that room. Ever
article of furniture was gone, except
. wretched mattress in one corner, ovt
which was spread coarse white shee
Extended upon this, in the rigid slee
that knows no waking, was the man WI
had stood in our doorway but a fe
hours before.
aSave that his eyes were closed, he W,
/ scarcely more corpse-like in appearance
, in the actual clutch of death, than he ha
been when he made his despairing ba
gain with us. The same raggad carmen
still covered his limbs, and one waste
hand was cross ed over his breast.
"The room was dimly lighted, Il
shutters of the windows being close
drawn, but we could see an open dot
facing the one by which We had eltere
and beside chair there a woman wi
kneelng.
"Over her shoulder he gray hair fe
as if she had left it untouched after h'
nights repose. Her dress ofcoarse blu
j woolen, covered her feet as she knel
r and her face was hidden in the claspe
hands resting on the chair before her.
, Leaving my companions sull stan'
ing beside the suicide, entered Il
room to offer what poor fomfort was
my power. At least I could dissipa
some of the awful poverty, and send Il
!. sorrowlng mother to her surviving so
Il spoke to her gently twice. The
my heart filled with horror. lifted Il
$ gray head tenderly, reverendy. Upc
J, the staring blue eyes, the dropping ja'
: tie drawn features, the same seal VI
set as in the room beyond upon b
sons face. His last sacrifice, his act
!, devotion beyond the grave, both wel
in vain. The mothers heart was br
ken, and she followed in death the SC
to whom. through poverty and sufferin
she had clung in life.
ave gave them Christian burial, ar
: in the mothers coffin | put the farewe
letter of her son. 1t was as follows:
Il AZ cannot endure the sight OF yo'
Iav Evarv aypnt