The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-02-28
A Sad Narrative.

| In the constant Wh1rl OF excite
ment and movement, it is we'll to
pause occasionally to consider the
ills of human life. Much of the suf-
fering and misery is unnoticed by
the gay and thoughtless. The fol-
lowing is taken from the Inter Ocean
of Chicago:
"a father lying dead in dreary,
small, 1ox12 room, without carpet or
furniture, a mother, pale and bag
gard, exerting her utmost strength to
sit upright, while she gave nourish
ment to her months old babe, and
five more young children huddled
about an old stove in which few
pieces Of coal were smoldering, was
the picture of misery witnessed by a
reporter last night at No 337 West
Kinzie street. There was no money
to bury the dead father, no food,
scant clothing, and only few hand
/ fuls of coal in the place Rarely is
a more pitiful case of restitution
found, even in large city like Chi
cago. The dead mans name was
Frank Petersine, and he was engaged
in soliciting advertisements for the
F1eie Pyesse. Last September Pc
tersine was taken sick, and since that
time has been unable to provide for
his family. He struggled manfully,
and on several occasions, when some
of his old strength seemed to return,
came down town and attempted to
perform his usual work In each in
stance, however, his malady was ag-
gravated and he was obliged to de-
sist Last Thursday was the last
time he made the attempt, bat his
strength was unequal to the task.
He went home and took to his bed
and last Tuesday died. The sole
support for this family of five grow
ing children and sick father and
mother was the daughter, Maggie, a
handsome, intelligent young girl of
IS years of age Maggie has strug-
gled bravely ever since last Septem-
Der to keep the wolf from the door.
She spoke no word Of complaint to
neighbors or friends, but gave every
penny of the small salary she earned
as a waitress in the Ravenswood
Dairy Restaurant, at No. 80 State
street. to pay the rent, buy food, and
provide clothing for her little BROTH
er and sister. But the death of the
father made necessary an outlay of
money which her slender purse could
not supply. The heart-broken girl
went to her work as usual yesterday
morning, but the thoughts of the
dead father, the cold and hungry
brothers and sisters, and the sick
mother could not be driven out of
her mind. She could not restrain
her feelings, and as she served the
guests more than one noticed tears
trickling down the young girls
cheeks, Officer Golden, of the Cen
trail Station, happened into the res
taurant, and, seeing Maggie's dis
tress, questioned her. She told him
the condition of the family, and the
kind hearted officer started off at
once to investigate the case. He
found the condition of the family
even worse than Maggie's story led
him to expect. When he reached
the house the mother sat moaning in
a chair, there was no coal, and the
children were crying with hunger.
Officer Golden gave sufficient mon
ey out of his own pocket to supply
the immediate necessities of the fam
lily, and some of Maggie's compan-
ions in the restaurant gave small
contributions, but as yet their needs
are almost wholly unsupplied. The
rent must be paid, coal and food
must be procured, clothing is need
ed, and the burial expenses of the
father must be paid. The county
agent was notified late yesterday,
but up to 8 o'clock last night no Wis
itor from that office had appeared.
The Petersine family is an inter-
esting one. The father was an in
telligent man, even above the aver
,re md hacidoc ,++orJ ;oo4 ~ L., H.