The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-16
BTOadhTim'S New York Letter
Special to the CARBON ADVOCATE.

Special to the CARBoN ADVOCATE.
While the joybells were ringing, ush-
ering inthe New Year--while the shouts
of glad children were awakening every
household in the city, as they surveyed
the rich treasures that Santa Claus had
left them, poor woman in her garret,
in one of the poorest streets was slowly
dying of starvation. She lSnelt down
by her bedside on New Years Eve, so
goes the story, to say parting prayer
as tho old year went out, but the gray
light of the 1st of January, 1886, as it
broke through that attic, found her still
knceling there, but dead; no sign of
food or money, scant furniture, and
tattcred dress were all that remained of
her life story; yet she had been wife
and mother. Little ones had prattled
about her knees and nestled in her
breast, and she had fought the battle of
life as bravely as she could; but home,
husband, children and friends had drift
ell away from her, one by one, till at
last she found herself alone, and she too
passes into the great beyond. Did lie
who watcheth the sparrows fall hear
the last prayer that she uttered and in
mercy call her away? If so she had a
Happy New Year; happier far than the
millions she leaves behind her. And
now comes the question, is there actu-
ally any need of anybody suffering for
food in this great city? On Christmas
morning poor widow sat with her two
little ones unable to pay her rent, un
able to get any Christmas dinner. Santa
Claus had passed that poor chimney by
the night before: and no drums or trum
pets gladdened the eyes of widow Nor
ris's babies. The reporter of great
daily newspaper found them out and
told their humble story, and within
twelve hours that lone widow had her
cupboards full of all sorts of good things,
and respectable bank account beside.
Thousands if necessary would have been
ready to relieve her. But notwithstand-
ing our proverbial charity and the mag
niicent organizations of which this city
is full, the hard fact stares us in the
face that there is still untold suffering,
and the dreadful fact that twenty-one
bodies lie unclaimed in the morgue, tells
story of woe more eloquent and forci-
bic, than ever was uttered by human
tongue or written by mortal pen.
was strolling down Broadway the
other day and stopped in front of the
Hoffman House. This you will doubt
less remember is the hostelry kept by
Z. S. Stokes, who killed Jim Fisk. A
dapper young man stepped up to me and
placed in my hand a copy of The Bar.
stepped into the Hoffman and took a
look in the looking-glass to see if there
was any advertisement on the end of MY
nose that entitled me to such attention,
and | assure you on my honor there was
not; but looking over the paper find
it is devoted to the beer and whisky in
tcrest. Let us look this thing squarely
and honestly in the face. What are
temperance people doing? In New York
city there is at the present time not
single temperance meeting or single
temperance orator that commands pop
ular attention. A short time ago New
York had Mr.. Sawyer at the Cooper In
stitute where he conducted the Sabbath
meetings for years, but the devil tripped
up his heels and he fell, TO the great
grief of all who knew him. In Brook
lyn, Oliver Cotter, a reformed whisky
seller, became the terror of his former
associates, and many one he had fined
or sent to the penitentiary for violating
the excise laws, but the devil got after
Oliver COtter; he disguised himself in q
bottle of whisky, he got inside of Oliver
and one very dull morning he found
himself among the drunks in the police
court. This certainly was an exceed
ingly bad showing for prominent tenn
perance apostles. But while the pro-
hibition champions fall by the wayside
the whisky interest grows stronger and
more defiant every day, and why should
it not. 1t makes our Governor, our
Legislature, our Aldermen and Super
yisors-our Sheriffs, our constables and
police. The man who keeps the saloon
on the corner is more potent factor in
our local politics than the most eminent
Clergyman in the city. Two policemen
were tried last week, one for robbing
man and the other for assault with in
tent to kill, and the excuse of both was
that they were drunk. The policeman
Conroy now serving out life sentence
for clubbing an innocent prisoner to
death gave it as an excuse on his trial
that he was drunk. Prohibition will
not become an accomplished fact in
New York in the present generation.
and as long as the Prohibitionists run
separate candidates, just so long we
will have free rum, Sunday and holiday
in this city and State. The policeman
who feels his position in danger if he
complains of a violation of the excise
law, is going to keep his eyes and his
mouth shut, especially when he knows
that in addition to his other advantages
1t is to him free whisky and money in
his purse.
| dropped into the business mems
prayer meeting at the old John street
Methodist Church, on Tuesday last.
The services were conducted by Rev.
Mr. Pentecost a Baptist, at one time
supposed to be like Paul, the stralcht-