Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-01-28
q Distressing Picture.


last lived in two rooms with her TWO child
.eu-Joscph, a lad of fifteen years, and Fan
ME, habe of FIVE months--in Seventh
avenue, New York city. The house is
owned by Robert Kesser aud Mls. Baxter
paid 81 30 month for rent. The oman
paid her rent regularly until the wolf want
forced its way into her home. and then her
struggles became pitiful. She was two
weeks il arrears when her baby fell sick
This last etii 'ction was the saverest, and TO
procure medicine and pourishment for her
sick infdu she sold aud pawned everything
available in her miserable rooms. On last
Saturday night three chairs and mattress
constituted her entire furniture She found
il impossible 10 sell them, as they were be-
you'd further use. She had the comfort Of
knowing hat q roof sheltered her, but this
last c1Id consolation was taken from her
when as the shadows of night were begin
ming to gather, she found herself and child
ren thrust OUT upon the street, a calico
dress and :. straw hat constituting her
clothing, while q shawl ercrcled her sick
! babe The weather records of the
recent cold snap place Saturday light
as the coldest night SO far this
winter, and through the piercing wind
and over the slippery pevements the poor
mother and her two children wandered A
hallway was the resting place of the trio On
Saturday night, aud on Sunday they again
resumed their weary tramp. Through the
streets they wandered all dag, having suc-
ceeded in obtaining but one meal. At night
they slept in factcry where the warmth of
| the place gave them renewed yigor. Mon
day the unfortunates again took to the
l.t oh bnn nd al
they hudded together in hallway until
morning. Tuesday mother and children set
out again, ard their success was not much
better than the day before. Human endur-
ance has limit, and the poor wanderers
| mad reached theirs. Worn out by fatigue
and want of nourishment the exhausted
woman with her femished babe and half.
frozen boy sank helpless upon the curbstone
on Twenty fifth street and Seventh avenue.
In this position Joseph Johnson colored
man, found them az a late hour Tuesday
night, and with difficulty conveyed them to
the Thirtieth-strest station house. When
Johnson entered Sergeant Sheldon was in
charge of the desk. Els eye was quick to
discern that he bad no case Of drunkenness
and desttutiou, and as the woman tottered
! over TO the heater and held her child over
| the warmth her hands and limbs shook as
though she was stricken with The palsy.
"Mv good vgoman,n said the Sergeant,
what is your trouble?" Tears chol,ed the
woman = utterauces. and when she he'd cor
| ;rolled her emotion she said MY husband,
! Philip Baxter, was painter in this city,
nnl osi his position and was unable 10 se-
/ cure another. He became respondent and
| frequently threatened suicide. On Decem-
her 4, he left me in one of these fits Of des-
pcndeucy. and whether he ie alive or has
ilade away with himself | DO not know.
-Ny aoy here earned SO s week, but he, too.
lost his position, Gn6 then all hope left me.
Saturday ny landlord turned me out in the
street, eDG have roaned about ever since,
eeping in Railways and begging for
crust 20 eat.n ';Have you had anything to
eat 10 day?" asked the Sergeant. The tears
fell fast down the woman's cheeks, and she
could net snswer Mother had cup of
oea this u1orning," answered the boy" and
has piece of steak. That's all we had,
Sergeant" a warm, substantial meal was
forthwith procured by the Sergeant, and the
mother and her boy ate heartily. Alter
finishing the EucaI oil three were furnished
with warm bed Mrs. Baxter, ner babe
apG 0dy wero orought to Jefferson Market
Dourf. There she told her story again and
.ained more sympathizers. Mr.. Stocking,
ofthe Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
10 Children, Interested himself in the case.
The woman only asked that some kind per-
son would give her any kind of work where.
by she might support herself, her babe and
ber boy.