New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-06-30

.sAh! row, but TN show You the
fastest rom on the flo0re9 whispered
old Maggie, as I stumbled down the
dark hall after her.
She opened the door of room 11x13.
1t contained two broken backed chairs,
. bed-lounge, . pine table, stove and
stand. On the floor were two old bits
Of cheap ingram carpet.
II have brought gintleman to see
the elegance Of your room,' said the
old woman to q pale-faced, cadaverous
female Of thirty, who sat sewing at one
Of the dark windows.
tits bad day, sir" observed the
woman as she rose up. If my room
pleased you shall be glad. can't af-
ford downstairs rent. but do believe
l have the oosiest, richest room in the
house,
.'Indade you have! That pine table
never cost less than fifty cents with
that new leg to it! It's none Of the
rest of 'em who can have rugs on their
foorsr'
"And I'm SO happy and 50 gratefulr'
continued the occupant; II have got
now all / ever wanted in q house, and
there's nothing more to look after. !
don't want to seem to put on airs, but
them as has the best things should put
on style. if anybody does"
All the furniture she had would not
have brought five dollars at any sort OF
sale, and bird could not have lived in
that foul-smelling room half q day.
"And now" said old Maggie, as We
gained the fourth floor, rye must not
expect to see any art or richness up
here. because these rooms are only
three or four dollars per month. and are
taken by poor people. :"
His daughter is q scrub-woman and
she supports hint" whispered the old
woman as she pushed open the door of
. dark back room.
For moment could make out moth
ing, owing to the gloom. The old
woman went in ahead, stumbled around,
and finally there was yell, scream
and q struggle.
''For Heavens sake! what's the mat.
terP'' called.
"Nothing," replied Maggie, after q
fierce tussle lasting half q minute.
There! ye slippery old devil, I've
taken the Concert out of ye for the third
time this week, and I guess you'll be-
gin to learn who is boss here"
Opening the door to its widest extent
l saw an old stove, two beds of straw
and rags, pine table and three or four
pieces Of crockery on q shelf.
:" It's the ould ape" explained the
woman, as bundle Of something rolled
over ON the floor. ..Here; let me bring
him out into the hail.
Was it an apep l Thought 50 for half
. minute. It was a little old man, 50
bent over that his back formed an arch.
His face was like dried beef in color, his
mouth shriveled up, his head bald and
his nose and chin were thin and sharp.
"He's human being!' explained the
old woman, as l looked down at him.
"How old is her"
"Nobody knows"
"What does he do?"
"He hasn't been out of that room In
five years-not once! He cackles and
chuckles and yells like lunatic, and
he's wicked as wolf. All! you Satan!
viii you bite me againP'
| She held up hand from, which blood
was dripping, and the ape gave cackle
of deli ht and leaped away and stood
with hands and feet ON the floor, like 9
wild beast, and uttered such q scream
of rage that jumped back.
"Ah! he dasn't hurt yep the woman
called out. "Thc way / subdues him il
to grab his throat and shut of hii
breath! How'd on bit till make him
| mad!'
She united her apron, waved it at him
and Kissed and spit. His eyes flashed
red and green, his claws raked the floor
and he spit like q cat and yelled like .
panther in his fury. He never once
stood on his feet, but dashed up an(
down the hall on all-fours like dog.
"How he d like to get hold of yees!
laughed the woman, as the ape fixed hi
horrible green eyes on my face ane
clutched the air with his long fingers.
I backed down past his door, tn
woman followed, and the beast sprans
in with yell and scream, and scat
tered straw all over the room in hi
great rage.
"And good luck to him. mutteret
the old woman as we went down tn
hall. If We have another apple roll i
into this room here, for it's little enough
these children get to eat"
| A family of nine packed into room
twelve feet square along with an oil
stove, q bench to serve as table
heaps of rags to lie on and two oil
chairs! Two of the children lying sic]
and grooming. two hiding under tn
bench, and the others on the roof in tn
rain to eat the apple! The garment
ON the whole of them would not weigl
five pounds. On a second heap Of rag
lies drunken husband-the form of
man, but the face and feelings of :
brute! Not q handful of fuel in tn
hOuse-not a mouthful of food on tn
shelf, and night drawing down with it
gloom and despair. If there was eve
woe and misery and wretchedness in
human face I saw it as that wife an
mother looked up. If there ever wa
abiect poverty and starvation worse il
one form than another it was there
The husband brute, the children vol
fish skeletons gone-food gone
hope gone--thc future darker than tn
winters night falling down upon tn
great city, why didn't the woman wal
to tha open window and fling hersel
down upon the flags and end all!
''Why don't you do it!' asked as
looked around the room again and 50,
more of its horrors, and after lon
time she answered:
Il .'There's the baby over there. an
he's only year Old!'
Down in heart scared and Scared
!. q heart which never has q bright hop
or q CLEAN of sunshine heart wearie
with poverty's battle, there was the loy
.. of mother That stood between he
and leap to the stones forty feet b.
low that love kept life IN her body.