, 1888-01-19

a meeting somewhere up town-which
then, by the way, was any where
south of Union square-and was re
turning to the Office through one Of the mar
row streets that are common on the east side
of the city, when n childish figure emerged
from the shadow of a building, and u faint,
girlish voice said pitcously, PLEASE, sir,
please-only a pennyy'
The night was cold and tempestuous, tho.
wind driving a sleety rain, and it was some
thing unusual 10 find a bcggnr stirring in
such a storm. Besides, there was an in
describnble plaintiveneSs in the tone, and as
it arrested my attention, l saw before mt n
little child, apparently about Il years of age,
wrapped in an old tattered garment that
might once have been a cloak, but now a
mere cover of rags. Her look was one of
utter despair, and u glance ut the pinched
features showed that the little one had seen
better days.
"Why, my child, " 1 said TO her encourag-
ingly, what has brought you out ON such a
night as thisl Where do you liver
"Oh, sir, Pm not a boggar, she replied,
locking up into my face and bursting into
tears, "and / don't feel the cold, but brothers
sick and we've no wood to make n fire; none
OF us have had anything to eat since yesterday,
and what can we dor Fathers in jail-and-
nndn-she could go no further, and bursting
into tears, sobbed as if her young heart
would break.
Telling tho little girl to lead the way, l
went home with her TO see what could be
done If her story proved true. 1t was one of
the Oldest and poorest quarters in the city.
The houses around were rusty with age, and
on either side of the narrow street tho totter-
ing frames leaned against each other as il
for mutual support. Here and there n soli-
tary candle glimmered through n broken
blind, but 1t only served TO mako the dark
ness darker, and even the gas lights, few and
far between, hickered in the w~hirling gusts
of wind.
The child stopped in front of a small two
story house, and, bidding me follow, crept
up n rickety stairway and stole noiselessly
into n room. The apartment WINS low and
dingy, the floor bare, and n bed, chair and
broken table constituted the furniture. Heat
and light, such as they werc, came from a
few bits of wood smoldering in the CRATE. 1t
was the old, old story of hard, grinding pow
erty, in which the pawnbroker had played the
chief part and the sequel was starvation and
death.
That which first attracted my attention,
however, was the wasted form of a little boy,
some o or z years of age, whose CLASSY eyes
and hollow cheeks plainly told that he was in
the clutch of the fell destroyer and the end
was not far off. A woman clearly but scantily
clad, with n child in her arms, was sitting by
tho bedside and gazing wistfully into his
face, as only n mother can look who sees her
best beloved drifting hclpleSsly away on the
tide, but even amid this deep grief, it was
impossible not to observe that she was gentle
and refined, and once had been beautiful.
A moment sufIiccd to show the necessity
for instant relief, and with n word or two Of
consolation and encouragement, 1 took the
little girl to n neighboring grocery. Making
my errand known, and mentioning the name
of my paper, which, by the way, proved 10
be nm open sesame, the good nntured pro-
prietor at once filled "a basket with such
articles of food rs were Immediately useful,
including wood and coal, two or three extra
blankets were obtained, and n man sent to
render such assistance us might be necessary
to make the family temporarily comfortable.
On my return an hour later n cheerful fire
was blazing in the crate, the little patient
was enjoying the luxury of an orange, wine
and jellies were on the table by his side, and
the other member of the household had pnr-
taken of what to them was a rare, substantial
meal. "Oh, mother! il father were only
here" murmured the lad, 1--WE might be
almost as happy rs we used to he in our nice
house in the country
a question or two elected the story of the
family trouble. 1t was just such n tale Of
misfortune as bofalls thousands every year
in our large cities. The father was n well to
do architect in Albany, and had lived in case
and comfort. In an evil moment, however,
he was induced to invest his savings in o
speculative building enterprise, and an unex-
pected depreciation of property following,