Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-06
.tItsleliausons.
A Girls Vain Search.
ROMANCE OF AN ALMsHoUsE WAIF WHO
WANTS TO FIND HER BROTHER.

There is some one of mine in the world
and | want to find him. am, oh so lone
lyt"
Clerk Isaac White, of the Court of Quar-
ter Sessions, lifted his eyes from his desk
in surprise, Saturday. Standing before
him was woman-quite young, tall pale.
refined looking. Her great blue ewes
were filled with an entreating light. Clerk
White arose, dropped his pen and politely
pushed forward chair for the woman.
"Be seated he said.
The woman sat down. She was nerv.
Gus apparently, from too much feeling.
She was very simply dressed but her
speech and manner showed her to have
been well educated and well trained AT
ter she had recovered her camness. she
said that her was Miriam De Silva and
that she was striving to find some trace of
her brother, her only living relative. as
she believed, in the wide world Her life
had been full OF viciSSltudes, and of the
beginning she felt almost ashamed; not
that she was any wise at fault tor it. but
because the world would look askance at
her rs one who >had been pauper. She
was an AlmshOuse child. Along in the
summer of 1860, as she had seen from
the records, her mother died at their home
at Eighth and Carpenter streets. Her
father had been a ne'er-do-well. He was
sick Just then, and the family was very
poor. Her mother was buried bv chart-
able neighbors. The child. 3 wears old :;
her brother, II or -, and her father, were
all removed to the Amshouse Her faith
er recovered, and the books at the Aims
house show that he was discharged.
He never looked after the children whom
he left behind him and nothing has been
heard of him since. The Girl was linden
ware county. The records show to
whom. She was very kindly treated
by them and was given an excellent
education. The house was in every re-
spect home to her. But her friends
died about year and half ago, the home
was broken up. and she was once again
thrown on the world. She came to Phila-
delphia and obtained a situation as house
keeper with very wealthy family, with
whom she is still living.
A GIRLS TOUCHING STORY.
You remember the night OF the dread
full fire at the AlmShouse. February of
last year?n she said to Mr.. White You
remember do you not2 | shall never for
get it.-never. 1t was very close to our
house; we live a very little bit away
from there. The blaze shone into nv
room and Weakened me- | thought our
own place was on fire arose. All the
family were no and very much afraid
The street was full of people, and when
we asked. they said it was the Almshouse
that was ahaze. The almshouse the
almshouse had thought of that place
so often in my life, even when a child
growing up on the farm in Delaware
county. All The other children seemed to
have friends and relatives but me. Once,
| remember it painfully WELL we little
children were gathered together talking
of many things. as children will Bve and
bve one of them turned to me and asked
Miriam, did you ever have mother?'
and SAID, i don't know; don't remem-
Der her at all Where was your home
before you came here p the child went on.
Before could answer, another little one
spoke up and said oh, | know NV
mamma saws Miriam came from place a
long way off. called the Almshouse. The
Almshouse was Miriam's home felt
my face burn. | knew what it all meant
but the word had no meaning to the other
children then, and was still one of them
though | had been pauper. But still.
from that day always thought more and
more of the almshouse. and some DAYS in
the summer | would sit under trees.
watching the clouds fly BY and wonder
what had become of those, nv own. who
were in the poorhouse with me. know
it was very foolish. but couldn't help it.
Sometimes l grew so lonely. and when