Barbour County index., 1882-05-04
The PAuPER,S SECRET.
The singular Pride of Man at the
Allegheny City Home.

Allegheny City Home.
Pittsburgh Post.
In the "short and simple annals Of
the poor" one often reads of persons
who, though reduced to the most
wietched poverty, are still as proud in
spirit as the haughtiest of autocrats,
could hardly be expected outside of the
higher and more refined walks of life.
Paupers they may be, but that pride
refuses to be crushed. Too sensitive
to admit that they are poor, they exert
all their powers to hide the fact from
the world. This phase of human na-
ture was never more stIikingly Illus
trated than in the life of an aged man,
who after a residence of three years in
the Allegheny City home left that in
stitution on Saturday forever.
His story is an interesting one.
Years ago Thomas Mulaney had hap
py home, and managed to support his
family in a comfortable way. Many
pictures in memory of the domestic
happiness of those days now cheer the
old man in his declining years. Death
finally broke up the family circle, tax
ing his wife first and all but two of his
children afterward. Then darker days
came upon him. Losing his corporeal
vigor, and the increasing infrmities of
old age settling down upon him, he
was no longer able to work. One
daughter and son had drifted away to
distant points, and he had no knowl-
edge of their whereabouts. At last,
when he was on the verge of starvation
he was taken charge of by the authori-
ties and sent to the Allegheny home.
This was three years since, and then
he was about 80 years of age. About
a year ago he learned in some manner
that his son was married and living at
Cambridge, Mass. He wrote him a let
ter, carefully concealing, however, his
real condition, and the fact that he was
in an almshouse. This correspond
ence has been kept up ever since, the
son supposing his father to be living
on a farm at Montrose, P.O. Too
proud to ask help, the old man never
requested his son to care for him, and
too sensitive to admit his poverty, he
was very guarded in writing his letters.
But the son judged from the letters
that he was lonely, and for the past
few months has sent urgent invitations
for him to remove to Cambridge. His
last letter concludes: 81 am sorry to
hear that you have not yet decided to
come to us. 1 fear you have some rea-
son which keeps you in Allegheny
county. 1 say now, as 1 always have,
my wife and I would be only too glad
to have you with us, and will care for
you well the balance of your life" The
son is in good circumstances, and had
he had the slightest intimation of his
fathers condition would have readily
sent money for him to make the journey
with.
One of the members of the Alleghe-
ny poor board interested himself in old
Tom, and proposed to the board to fur
nish him with railroad ticket to Bos-
ton. Some Of the members doubted
Toms representations, and asked him
for his sons address, so they could
write and see if all was right. He de-.
clared he would remain in the poor
house all his life rather than have his
son informed of his place of living, and
refused to give the address. The poor
directors resolved to keep his secret,
and last Friday night ordered Maj.
Hunker to procure for him transporta-
tion to Boston. When this was told
to Tom he was the happiest man in the
county. Tears of joy and gratitude
rolled down his cheeks, and by this
time he is with his son. The latter
need never know the old mans secret.