The sun., 1879-01-09
FIGHTING C0LDAND HUNGER
AN OLD SOLDIER'S FAMILY ON THE
TER0E or SIIRTITION


Prom the War 10 the Coal Mines. and Thence
to Muslin Tent Elizabeth Common
Charity Pound AFTER Despair Only wns Lett.
Under the two solitaryand almost branch
less elms on the bleak common near Quality
Hill. tho fashionable quarter Of Elizabeth. ~ j.,
a small. unbloachcd mpslin tent was pitched
early in juno last by tall black bearded. blue
eyed man. lie was squattcr" poor and un-
fortunate and his wife and three small chill
dron. the youngest nm ailing babo Of threo
months lived with him in tho little tent He
was too poor to buy table. chair. bed or bed
ding. and the family therefore slept on pile Of
branches and leaves. covered with n tattorcd old
blanket The wealthy residents gave little
heed TO their lowly neighbors, possibly not
moro than to wonder whc,hoy they were not
strollng eyrsics. Meanwhile the good-ooking
squatter sought in vain for steady employment,
and the few odd Jobs he did for the townspcoplo
served merely to keep his children from starry
ing. He would not beg. and he and his wife
were. therefore, often compelled to go supper
less in order that their childrcnshunger might
be appcasod To tho few 10 whom the squatter
spoke the man was known as Ambrose Stuart
Ninders. He said that poverty and illness had
driven him from the Pennsylvania coal mines.
Tho little tent was poor protection against tho
burning heat OF summer. When it stormcd
the wind blew nerccy through the tent. and the
water soaked through the thin muslin and made
it worry uncomfortable inside. Tho family did
not complain, however, during the summer
months. but after tho cold nights in November
canc their suii'rinEs were intense. Inc chill
dren were shocless and hatlcss. and their
clothing WIS thin and ragged. Day after day
Mtndcrs trudgcd through the stroots OF Eliza.
.Deth, seeking employment. that he might AFFORD
TO rent apartments OF some sort. His Efforts
Were unsuccessful and he began 10 despair.
Suddenly. a few weeks aeo the t'ut ana It's
strange occupants disappeared from the com
mon. Tut Ninders was yet seen daily search
ing in vain Tor employment.
On Friday last Gen J. Madison Drake dscov-
cred that the family had taken possession Of the
basement Kitchen OF un unorcupicd house in
.Grcr avenue, and that they Wore in destitute
condition. The house WIS out of repnir; there
were no tables. chairs. or bedding. and tho ium-
lily were found shiycrlng On the floor in front of
wood WIS burning. Not even n loaf Of bread
was in the room. GHn. Drake learned that the
man had been "A soldier. ana whcn he told this
90 his military company. tn" Veteran Iouavcs.
the boys made haste To assist the unfortunate.
They procured small stove. bedstend and
some bedding, and n quantity oi food and be.
fore evening fell the family had good meal
Zouavcs then reported the case to Mr.. T. J.
Ryan. the Ovorseer of the Poor, who sent the
chairs. con shoes, bread. and some clothing
for the children and thoir mother. The Over
seer also procured two blankets n comfortable
and some pillows from the almshouse. AMI de-
lv"red them to the family lat" ON Friday night.
ShorifT l,vder on hearing that the Mindrr- had
Saturday To purchase those articles Other
charitablc people sent the family food and
clothing.
A reporter for TIT SUN visited the inders
family the other day. The house in which
they live Is large enough to accommodnte
a dozen families. and it was formerly oc-
cupicd by q wealthy owner. Tho Mnlcrs live
IN the basement. and the rest of the rooms are
gent women. She hns large blue cyos. and her
thin face shows traces OF beauty. Her husband
is atall athletic man. He said that he served
through the war in the Fourth New Jersey Bat
terry. under Lieut. Norris.a Trenton printer.
who WIS. Killed before Petersburg. Va. After
the war Mr. Windcrs WORKED small farm in
Pennsyvania for several years but the hard
times came and he lost his property. He then
worked In coal mino in luzerne County. Pa.
for two ycars but he could not earn enough to
properly clothe and feed himself and family
He was paid. he says. in trade in the stores for
the work he did in the mines In June last Mr.
Winders having saved "A fcw dollars started
Tor Ehzaheth. He had about $50 when he ar
rived in Elizabeth. House rent WINS very high,
30 he bought some cheap muslin and made the
tent in which his family lived all summer
MANY rainy night when ne wind whistled
through tho tent said Mr. Wiuders. and tho
rain soaked through the muslin and drenched
us, have my wife AMI | lain awake aud won
dered whether there was any charity in the
world. Often. too, when We saw those elegant
residences lighted up, and saw richly-dresscd
ladies dancing IN the parior or dining. We won
dered whether they ever thought how hungry
we were. and how gladly our l!ttlo ones would
welcome the scraps they threw 30 their dogs.
You do not know and cannot imagine, sir. how
We suffered In that tent from the cold before we
quilted i. | did not have permisslo 10 como
70 this house, but could not let my children
treeze az vol HS starvc. Tho owner has now.
hear, sal that we may stay here Hs long as We
like. He is good. and So are the people since
they heard OF our condition. did not like To
living for my family. Ny wifc's health il al
ready hrok n down, aud fear she cannot stand
Whom the reporter quilted the basement two
little girls. wrapped warmly in furs. entered
with basket lllla,d with food Sent By mamma