Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-04-12
The POOR ALWAYS HERE.
AN AGED COUPLE, FoOr SORE AND
WEARY,

Wandering Away from the Poor House
They Arrive at LagOudn, but n Friendly
Hands Receive Them-They Seek Food
A Strange Story.
The readers OF 'Od Curiosity Shop" who
followed the old grandfather and Little Nell
in their bitter wsnderings, will be reminded
of its painful effects on the mind when they
read this story Of a poor old couple who
iually found friends and res, and help in this
city on Friday night and yesterday.
At atout 8 o'clock on Friday night An aged
couple, man and wife, were found wander
ing about the city in the neighborhood Of
Gilett avenue. They were inquirinR for the
residence of Thomas Wallace, a machininist,
who lives at No. LOG on that street. By some
means they had been misdirected. and did
not find the right place until late. When
they arrived at the house they were in a most
pitiable condition; foot-sore, weary and aged
they tottered into the house, where
they were received BY Mr.. and Mrs.
Wallace, who recognized the old people as
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Bussinger, their former
acquair ;ances, who they supposed were in the
poor house at Urbana. The family cosld no.
turn them away but kindly received them
into the house and gave them much needed
refreshnent, and otherwise provided for their
pressing needs. Their story is . strange and
Pittiful one. They sre aged respectively 80
and 72 years, and had been in the poor-house
at Crbsna for some time. Being members of
the United Brethren church and for q long
time deprived by poverty from attendance
upon the services of tho church to which they
were devstedly attached, they resolved once
more to attend church together as they had
in other and better days. On Friday morning
they packed all the extra clothing they had
into a paper -four sack and start
ed from the poor-house on their
long and wearisome journey for
Lagonda. On foot without money, and al
together friendless, with the one purpose
that of attending church once nore-they
trudged along the way. At times over the
toughest roads, and losing their way in the
woods; once the old man falling down. in
sheer exhaustion, was with the greatest diff
Guilty assisted to rise again by his aged wife,
they finally reached Lagonda, having walked
all the way from Urbana. Arriving
there worn and weary after such re-
markably long walk, they seemed - expect
that the brethren OF the church would take
them in and entertain them, thus afording
them the great privilege for which they had
Travelled 80 far and suffered 20 much, but no
one knew them in Lagolda, and NO friendly
hand was extended to the aged wayfarers. In
their great disappointment they wandered
simlessy about until SOMEBODY put them on
the street-car and sent them into the city,
where they finally found shelter, as above
stated.
1t was learned BY the reporter that
the old man was once an artist, and
had achieved some reputation in his
art, which kept him in easy circumstances,
and, as he states, he was once considered
wealthy. In his talk he remarked that the
artists of to-day wrre merely copyists, with
out genius, while the artists of his day were
the OILY real artists. he came from Swi,yer-
land, and lived for some time at or near
Bowlusville; after which he and his wife
went to Illinois, where they were so reduced
financially that they were taken to he poor
house; but for come reason they returned to
this county, and were plac d in the Urbana
poo,-nonse. He had naturally strong aver
sion to living in the poor-house; one reason
which he gave was that they compelled him
and his wife to live apart, which was a pecu-
liar hardship to them, as they seemed to be
very mu, devoted to each other, and needed
the cUmpanionship that had been unbroken
FOR so many long years. He also expressed q
fear, not altogether unwarranted, that should
he die in the poor house bis body would be
given to the medic,l college tor dissection,
and such probability seemed to fill him
with horror and dread. From this state
ment, 1t is eyilen that the poor
people of our in6rmares are fully
aware of the fact that the bodies are given
over to the medical saw bones as soon as life
is. out of the corpse. The reporter was in