The evening world., 1891-07-16
HEIRS TO MISFORTUNE.
Nell Nelson's Touching Description
of Tour Among the Poor.

of a Tour Among the Poor.
Extracts from the last report OF THE WEN
ING wouIp Corps OF Free dhysiclans have a
melancholy interest, showing a9 they do The
variety of forms assumed by misfortune in
the tragedies Of LIE.
Tho cases reviewed are so deplOrably sad
that even though gruesOme invitation were
extended to select the one most worthy Of
immediate help the reader would md choice
a task, and yet 1t is to secure his interest and
move his heart TO sympathy that the sketches
are reproduced.
Perhaps the most touching spectacle OF all
was found In the extreme end OF West
Twenty-sixth street, In the rear OF No. 52l,
dismal tenement, teeming with human lie
in various stages OF misery. Twin babies
had been born to a Scotch couple, who are
so poor that all they claim TO own Is their
own soul.
The husband at the time was away hunting
for work, there was no fuel in the house, no
food OF any kind In the closet, not penny IN
the greasy leather purse and not one article
OF furniture that would realize q dollar in the
most active market.
A few hours OF earthly residence satisfied
one OF tho newcomers that there was 10 room
for him In the crowded garret, and with n
weary little cry OF disgust he closed his eyes
and slid down the plank that leads to the
shores OF eternity.
Some kind-hcarted women in the lower
mats scrubbed the pine table very white, laid
the tiny form on 1t, using Us winding sheet
hand-towel borrowed for the occasion. All
day long and tho hot night through the wee
marDlc-likc Image lay IN the kitchen, waiting
for the undertaken To CCme for II.
Sad aCCd men and women came to look al
II, to speak tender words of sympathy TO the
husband and to nOurlsh the sick woman lying
In the adjoining closet with such morsels a.
they could spare from their own limited fare.
They brought pennies and niCklcs and dimes
and left them near the fringed edge OF the
pail, but the accumulation, which was SO
large IN bulk, was too small an lnduCement
for the undertaken.
News OF the pitlful struggles IN the Scotch
mans home spread, and little newsboys, cash
girls, lame curbstone pcddlers and poor
Washerwomen iu the nelghborhood came and
went away, leaving the pile OF copper on
deaths altar larger than before.
| one visitor was 4 blind man, who sits on Il
camp stool In the broillng suns and bitter
his way up the rickety stairs, and placed
across the little mound OF pennies three one
dollar bills-saved to pay his rent. The sac
rihce was larger one than he could anord,
and must have been credited to his account
by "the recording angel"
No words can describe the feelings OF the
poor mother For two days she had lain IN
the dark bedroom, one child crying for iood
the other under the towel Oh the kitchen
table awaiting decent burial; the only visitor
her distracted husband and her only nourish-
ment cold water.
Since then she has been fed and comforted
and the dead twin taken away, but the
chances the survivor has OF living are poor
indeed.
Any clothing, furniture, bedding or food
supplies Will be gratefully accepted, and 4
sent to 80 West Thirty-huh street, Mrs
Roberts will see that they reach the family
The last charity, however, would be EN-
pluymont The mans native pride makes
him rcccn from accepting aims. lie is will
Ing and able 70 work, but lacks the priyllcg,
to DO 50.
Second In the scale OF misfortune is a poo
widow who lives In the rear OF 20 Molro,
street.
The eldest, not quite four years OF age, ha
been sick for about six weeks with spinal dis
ease. Her suffering has been intense, and tn
poor mother Is nearly used up rrom caring 70
her and from loss OF sleep.
When FIRST seen by a WORLD doctor tn
little patient was sitting In q chair in tn
damp, fOul.smelling yard. Examination
showed that she was almost helpless, he
legs being pGraly2od and much emaclated
Examination ot the spine and, In fact, au
movement caused most intense suffering an
had to be discontinued.
A one OF the nClghDOrs consented to carry IN
child 10 the hospital, where IT. could be care
for and It's suffering at least relieved. Tn
mother was promised that n the child coul
not be kept at the hospital THE WoRL
would try and send her 10 some seaside nun
i sery. In any event, the child needs clothin
d and food, ana any discarded books or toy
a would nre her heart With the names OF happ
Is ness.
n In sheriff street there may be thousands
sick children, but TWO have been singled ou
for special consideration. These poor tots az
I. suffering from terrible Assesses, due I
measles and the IN effects Of bad nutrition
one at 30. z, with an s0scsss OI the baei