The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-15
Tales of Suffering.
Tho follov;,o ara como of tbe

The following are some of the accounts
received in response to letters of inquiry
to responsible parties in Ireland for in
formation as 10 the extent and severity
of the distress in the several localities.
Sister S. NJ. Teresa, of the Convent Of
Our Lady of Mercy, Cappaquin, writes :
"Since the famine years there was not,
1 believe, such distress, because the far
mers and shopkeepers who were able to
help the poor people, either by giving
them work or aims, are now as badly of
as themselves. Many of the farmers
could not pay their rents and are sold
out. May our good God comfort them
and inspire those who have money to be
generous for at least few months, when
we are in hopes things will not look so
awfully hopeless as at present. When
Katy's e2 came we commenced the chill
dren's breakfast, which we have contin-
ued to keep on ever since; but last week,
when the numbers had increased to near
ly eighty, it was announced in school
that from Monday all whose fathers were
living should breakfast at home. AL
though the father may earn one shilling
or one shilling fourpence on fine days,
what is it but starvation when rent, fuel
and food are to be paid for? As to
clothes, they are out Of the question"
Sister NJ. /. Conception, Of st. Teresa's
Convent of Mercy, Cappaquin, Ireland,
writes:
Imagine some of the children living
on the breakfast we give them every
morning, and having nothing else till the
following morning. AS they say them
selves, 1--WE are starving unknown to the
world;" and indeed how they are able to
support life on the little they get I don't
know. Our fund for the breakfast has
fallen considerably, SO that we have been
obliged to reduce the number relieved to
oue-half. This is very sad, but We CAM
not help it. Of course when the chill
dren are suffering so much the parents
are suffering great deal MORE"
Mrs. Cullinane, of Bantry, writes:
II am sorry to say there is great dis:
tress here. But for the money supplied
by the friends in Dublin and what was
contributed by the shopkeepers, I don't
know what would have become of the
small farmers and laborers. Every mem.
Der of the relief committee has his time
fully engaged. You know the district
from Luave Bridge to GlengarifH, and
how wretched the inhabitants are all the
way. The poor creatures get no employ"
ment, their crops failed altogether, and
they have come down to Bantry to get O.
share of the relief, which, on account Of
being divided between so many, some"
times family is obliged to subsist for a
week on couple of shillings. Picture
to yourself perhaps eight or nine human
beings living on two shillings per week.
1t Just keeps them from dying of starya-
ton. I went into house to-day in
which there were three sick children
lying on what appeared to me to be old
meal bags, and the covering was not
much better. In the mothers arms was
q fourth child, who, I was told, was re-
covered from "the Sickness" but was not
able to walk from weakness. There were
other children, also, looking miserable.
The father was only able to get work for
IWO uiys ldst Heeh, duu the ih"0uo. He
sured me the only drink she was able to
give the sick children was water. l an
listening to similar stories of misery
every day. Crowds Of poor people come
about the house trying to get some of the
relief. Only two landlords contributed
to the fund-o gave s5 and the other
s3. don't know how any one can be
so heartless as 70 put forward a statement
to the effect that there is no distress.
Unfortunately there is, and, until crops
grow, it will continue. I hope the col
lections to relieve our poor people will be
kept up in America. If those cease, Ire
land will be in bad way. God bless the
good people who have given us their
money so generously, and trust that tie
who has His own wise ends in view will
grant plentiful harvest next year"