The evening world., 1891-06-25
IN AN ABODE OF MISERY.
Nell Nelson Finds Three Children
Wross Lot L. Pitiful.


Here is an excuse II you must have one, for
an ar: u charity.
Here l. 4 chance 10 render needed aid TO a
Wretched wife, dying husband and three
helpless little children who are nOst awfully
G!iicted.
The house 1. In Twenty sixth street near
First avenue. but there Il no home. Three
dark. dirty little rooms up IL the IOfty tene-
ment, built Dy Gradghnd on the Gradgrind
plan Of architecture. shelters the family. The
lumber IN the squalid apartmeDt--you can't
call II furnitIrc-cOnsists ~ a dllapidsted
mattress. several gTimy pillows, ragged
pi-ccs u bed covering, few broken chairs, a
most unreliable pine table. cooking Stove
split with age and rust, from which the
covers and doors have been taken by the
junk dealer and a medley assortment Of tubs
kettles, pans and crocEery, In which remnants
Of sOapsuds and scraps Of fat are lodged, that
pOllute the atmosphere and breed disease.
one room II as dark as a dungeon and as fOul
smelling, in which worthless clothing, Odds
md ends Of carpet and OilclOth and rags
sadly in need Of disinfection are gathered.
There is the stamp VI neglect and the degrs-
datiDn that crushing want engenders every
Where-On the walls and the window sill,
among the dirty dishes On the moor and In the
faces u the poor, sweet little children who
crouch about the room, fearful Of the Intruder,
yet half eXpectant Of relief. Rosie Is eight
years u age and affiicted with some scrofu-
lous disease that threatens her sight.
She raises her head when addressed and
shades her eyes from the feeble light that the
one window admits and as she draws towards
her u tiny creature not four years Of age 10
quiet her, she tells briefly the story Of long
suffering and hardship.
On the comfOrtlcss, uDkempt bed, which
is more like the lair Of brute than human
beings couch, lies man, breathing heavily
IN restless sleep, his body describing the
curves that sunenngs take 10 ease the pain
That's my papa" Rosie says In a whisper
He's not drunk. He's asleep and hes sick.
He has pneumonia. That's the way he goes
all the time" the child says, referring TO the
agonizing groans that come from the figure
on the iiOOr.
"My mamrnaH
"she isn't home She's away. She had TO
work 50 hard all day, and when she stayed up
at night 10 give papa his drinks and medi-
cine, she got sick, and now sine don't work
nnd we don't have any fire 10 cook with or
any money or anything 10 eat
4" "Llbbie comes out from her hidlng-place
tempted by a silver dime. she II barely six
years old, and, like her sister, covered with
sores that are eating away her scalp and the
edges OF her eyelids. The child Is thin TO the
verge Of cancellation, and actually starving for
nOuTi5hment. Poor Baby Mamic's condition
Is little better. The scrOfula has lot yet
touched her delicate system, BUT her
| skin Is cOlOrless, her eyes are fCverishly
bright, dirt Is cakcd In her hair and there Is
nothing about her 10 show that she has been
washed or had a change OF clothing in ten
days. The awful thinness OF these three
little girls; the awful squalor and destitution
about them the pleading look In their hungry
| eyes that asked for bread and compassion as
no words could with equal force; the awful
helplessncss " the writhlng, twisting fglre
on the noor and the awful look OF hopeless
agony In the CHASTITY face were more than
human nature could bear.
Inquiry among the neighbors revealed the
fact that the husband was dying and the wife
| was drunk most Of the time.
"You viii most likely rnd her down In the
yard In drunken sleep II you want to see for
YOURSELF said haTd-hcarted, hard-handed
little woman at the washtub.
THAT'S the truth for YOU" added her
nelghbor, and then, with the spirit Of justice,
"but the saint she's named for couldn't do
any better IN her place. God knows what
Mrs. X. has suffered, how she has tried 10
keep straight ana now she has starved all
Winter and struggled all her married life
through It's easy enough for you temper
aHcc people and salvation people 70
preach against drinking, but whom the poor
suncr all they can and when they are too
weak to jump on the dock or take rat poison
they take 10 drink to end II all. That's what
Mary II. has done and that's what many
others have done and are doing all the time.
But leave my name out OF your paper, for
I'm nobody that any one wants to read
about"
There you have shadow from darkest New
YORK.
What arc you going 10 do about it,
II Is not a case for free ply slclan now. II
r. too fur gone. The city authorities win have
10 take action. They win have 70 provide
grave for the dying man, they will have U
|