News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-09-04


stone family, the youngest members
which were committed TO the neole'
S0ciety's Home, IN order tnat the o'li
den Of caring for them might be lifted
iron, the shoulders of their sister, her
self a mere child. The family IS one Of
twenty iuhabiting a tenement house.
Above below, on the same floor, live
neople of the same social grade, OF the
same habits. ideas and aspirations. The
a5ioining houses, and houses for blocks
about. are tenanted by people of an ex-
actIy similar class. The FinkelstOne
familv's career Is distinguished from the
average commonplace life of the swarm
ing east side tenement district only by
superior misfortune. Here, rs in higher
walks. however, misfortune has served
to develop certain heroic elements OF
character which might else have lain
dormant
Jacob Finkelstone and his wife,
Annie, were born in Poland about forty
eight years ago. 1t is now quarter Of
q century since they came to New York
to improve their condition and settled
down in the neighbOrhoo1 of Baxter
street, he to push his trade as cutter
of mems clothes, she to care for the
large family that grew up about them.
Thirteen children altogether was the
fruit of the marriage, the youngest
being born three months after its father
had closed his eyes forever; seven of the
number are dead.
Finkelstone was a good workman, and
after time was able to earn $50 week
or more. His family was very comfort
ably situated. They had well furnished
rooms, good clothes and every requisite
of life. The elder children went to
school, and in due time the eldest son,
Joseph, now twenty-one years old, be-
came apprentice to his father, and
learned the trade of cutting.
But at last an evil day arrived. The
father and breadwinrer fell sick. He
fingered a year and then died. This was
in 1881. The family was not plunged
at once into want. There was some lit
tie savings left, although the year of
sickness had made terrible inroads into
the funds that the parents had laid away.
The prospect was, however, dismal, and
as she looked out into the future the
mothers heart seems to have sickened,
and her will to have failed. From the
period OF her husbands death she was
the slave CT grief.
Then the heroism of another member
of the family began to assert itself in a
modest way. The eldest daughter,
child of eleven, but a woman in sense
and devotion, became guide and man.
ager for her brothers and sisters and for
her stricken mother. She had been
taken from school year before to aid in
nursing her father. So bright was she
by nature that she was then only four
classes from the highest in the public
school which she attended. 1t is now
four years since she had the least in
struction, yet she can read and write
quite creditably.
Sarah FinkelstOne, a girl of thirteen,
is tall for her age. She was naturally of
strong build, but she is pale and thin
from premature care and work aud con-
finement TO hot, close tenement house
rooms. She has a remarkable pair of
clear brown eyes. When she spoke to
Justice Patterson the other day she
said eff you don't believe me, you may
ask any one in the house where we
live" Justice Patterson looked into her
eyes momentand said: II believe you,
my girl"
Matters went along from fair to mid
ding with the family for some time.
The eldest son contributed his earnings
to the support of all, and the wolf was
kept from the door by gradually parting
with such articles Of furniture as could
be dispensed with. But about last
Christmas new calamity befell the
children. Their mother, who before had
only been weak ard helpless, now be-
came violently insane. Once she
jumped from the second story window
OF No. IS Baxter street, where the fami-
ly then lived. She bruised her hip,
arm and head severely, but sustained 10
permanent injury. Another time sh-
did her best to jump from the fire es-
cape, but was hindered after a violent
struggle. One night she gathered all
her mourning clothes together, every
thing that remind d her of her bereave-
ment. She piled them in a closet.
poured kerosene upon them and set
them on fire. The house would have |
been burned but for another insane |
freak. The woman went into the hall |
and gave terrible shrek which awak- |
ened the whole house.
The violent changes of temper in the |
woman were a source of endless terror
to the children. Sometimes she beat
them terribly with the broom handle |
Sometimes she dashed the younger ones
against the wall. Once some neighbors
caught her swinging the infant of three
years by Its arms against the ban;sters.
20 that its little legs and feet were
bruised.
Alternating with those terrible moods
came fits of passionate affection. when
the mother would almost smother the
little ones with convulsive embraces
Again periods of excessive grief would
come. Whenever the children cried the
mother rather encouraged than tried to
check their tears
THAT Is all right, Jeanette" she
would say to the tiniest Of all-the little
girl who never saw her father-"that is
aII rlght; cry-cry for the hour Won
were born to see such trouble
Sometimes the strange fancy seized
her 10 extlngulsh the lamps at night aud
move about the room in a weird dance
muiterlng to herself, while the children
erouched IN corner almost afraid 10
breathe. ~
On May / the family moved into their
present tenement, and soon after tbo
mother, whom Sarah had watched do
and night and who had often to he re-
: strained by the peighbors' aid, was sent
TO Bellevue Hospital, and thence TO the
insane Asylum on Wards Island.
Money had become very scarce before
that time. The eldest brother got little
work and brought in little. The second
boy, Louis, lad OF fifteen. went ont
peddllng matches, but his daily gains
hardly averaged seventy cents, One
lay, that he made 81. 10, he was jubilaut
over the greatness of the sum The I
amlly had for some time received Is a
onth from Hebrew benevolent soci- ]
~ to aid in paying the rent. which was {
'l3 a month altogether. j
Things looked so bad this month tbot {
Joseph began to talk of breaking up tbe t
lousehold. Then a great fear fell nnon {
,arah as to what she and her two little 9
lsters-Julla, live years, and Jeanette i
hree years old-were to do. She spant {
ne week In great grief and doubt. bnt i
{ length made up her mind to consult
he manager of the society from which I
be So was received. t
The result of this application was the {
ommlttal Of the children. 81 can work I
or myself" said the brave little woman t
Vhen her two charges we're provided for. c
The girls life has been one of great f
There was always enough t
o eat. The boys earnings were suf4i
lent for that; but there was only the
larrowest margin for clothing and that
i! went to the children. The young oiri
eft herself almost in rags. The last Gar. I
nent she bought was jersey; she paid '
inety-seven cents for it. That was ten :
months ago. Her shoes and skirts and !