San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-26
ONE THANKSGIVING DINNER.
A Stale Crust OF Bread and Piece of
Meat Upon Which a Poor Blind
Woman Dined Yesterday

A Stale Crust Of Bread and Piece of
Meat Upon Which a Poor Blind
Woman Dined Yesterday.
Away back In dirty, ill-smelling al
ley, between Travis and Pecan streets,
and very near st. Mary's street, lives an
old woman who 10 blind, and who lives
in the utmost squalOr. A LIGHT report
er's attention was called to her case, and
he visited her. While others in San An
tonic were enjoying their beautiful,
bright Thanksgiving day, at home or at
hotels. with warm fires and boun-
tiful dinners, surrounded by their loved
ones or their friends, this poor won an
In the darkness of despair, aged and de-
cTepit, with her husband far away, she
not knowing where. and her two daugh-
ters, that should be the solace of her
declining years, in other houses In the
city and with none TO care for her, or
even lead her 10 the frugal repast. eX-
cept her little son not yet in bis teens,
who acts as nurse. hOuse-keeper and
cook, this old woman sat down to q din
ner of a mere crust of bread and a piece
of meat, the neighbors, many of them
poor themselves, had given her The
man Of the press found her in little
shanty, OF two rooms, In one OF which
was her bed, poor and ragged, on
rickety old bedstead, three old chairs. q
sewing machine, out OF use and covered
with a cloth with mOth-eaten holes and
tattered edges, that laughed a mockery
at those who saw Ii, and compared Ii
with the fine embroidered table scarfs
and rugs seen in richer homes, adorned
by the lily fingers Of the wealthy mis-
tresses who have absolutely nothing
to do.
In one corner stood an old worn-out
trunk, and what it contained heaven
only knows. In the other room was
small monkey" stove. with three ar
ticles for cooking, q deal table, and an
old knife, lying beside which was half
used loaf OF stale bread. No fire was In
the stove, although the day was not
tropical in its warmth, and it seemed as
il the poor old woman, TO keep warm In
the day time and at night, was coin
PEELED to occupy her bed nearly all the
time. She told the porter, in waver-
ing, paralytio sort of Il voice, with an
Irish accent, that her name was Mary
Ann POrtonovis. She had been here
several years, and when her husband
was with her and her children were at
home she was in different circum-
stances-that is, comfortable. She had
lost her sight some years ago, but did not
seem to mind that so much as the absence
of her husband and her two girls.
She stated that the Oldest, Mary, now
IL years old, was 8 Maynard girl vino
had worked for herself and earned her
own living, first as a seamstress, then as
help in a family now living near the SUM-
set depot. named Jones. She did not
come 10 see her, or send home any
money Of the wages. The other daugh-
ter, named Josephine, aged about IA,
was working for Mr.. Frank starr, and
she did not receive money or assistance
Of her. She stated that some lawyer had
applied for letters OF guardianship over
Josie and had then bound her out to
Mr.. Starr, and now when she needed
her she could not get her back. The
only help she did receive was from her
husband, now in Mexico somewhere,
who sent her occasional sums of money,
but never came home.
She said the neighbors were very kind
to her, and called sometimes to see her
and bring her food, and that the city
physician had called there, also Father
Maloney, of St. Mary's Catholic church,
who allowed her son to go to the church
school whenever she did not need him.
The ladies, of our Catholic congrega-
tions especially, and Others charitably
disposed should call on this woman and
Investigate the circumstances, we think,
and the LIGHT cheerfully publishes these
particulars in order that she may reach
just these kind OF people.