Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-07-11
A STORY OF NEW YORK.
SATURDAY NIGHT IN HESTER STREET.

they fell asleep while sitting on the steps,
the men as they smoked and rested, the
women as they dragged themselves wear
lily along and purchased bit here and a
bit there to stock the family cupboard for
Sunday. On Canal-on Grand, along the
Bowery-in Chatham Square, men and
women are laughing in good nature as
they elbow each other and throng the
stores to purchase ornaments and luxu-
ries. Here men and women are sullen
and silent, many of them wondering
where the barest necessities are to como
from.
If you won't help me we shall have to
go hungry tomorrow"
1t was little old woman who had ap-
preached so softly that did not hear her
Ia little old woman with hair almost
white, with face wrinkled and pinched.
with such an anxious look on her coun-
tenance as one might wear in asking a
judge to spare the life of her child. She
was bareheaded, her dress old and faded
and mended-one of the thousands OF
Gods worms who creep and crawl and
live and die and are forgotten in day in
great New York.
Where do you liver" / asked.
She pointed to four story tenement
almost opposite.
Top fioor?"
She nodded her head.
ANY family2"
"A sick husband and four children,
sire
"Very well; lead on and will follow. Z"
"You'l--you'l come up with mel" sho
queried, in surprise.
II wilI-lead on.
She kept looking back, and there was
puzzled expression on her face. In the
dark lower hall we stepped over two
sleeping men and child. At the head
of the stairs a man sat, brooding and
sulking, and grudgingly gave US room to
pass. There was dim light in the sec
ond hall, where half drunken woman
was seeking her room. The two above
were dark, and the little old woman went
ahead and kept saying:
@This way-that's a child-keep to
the rail-don't fear the dog-we're almost
up"
And as we reached the upper hall we
turned to the right, passed down blind
hall running the other way, and pres
entity she pushed open door and we en-
tered room lighted by smoking lamp.
John, children, it's a stranger come
to see us, said the woman as stood and
looked about.
Here were two small rooms, three
chairs, a cupboard, an old table, a
wretched bedstead, and more wretched
bedding, on which lay man. Across
the room was mattress on which the
children were lying az entered. In the
other room saw stove, washtub, and
bucket of coal.
sit down, sir, said the woman as she
placed chair.
The husband looked to be so years old.
lie had the bright eyes sand hollow cheeks
Of consumptive and his hands were
white and thin.
@Are you doctor?" he asked as I sat
down.
@No."
@The rent is overdue. but we haven't
even bread to eat, he said.
II am not your landlord nor his agent.
| simply came up to see you--to see If
you were sick--to see what you needed.
he looked at his wife in a wondering
way, and the four children drew softly
away into the other room as if fearful
that something was about to happen. The
wife eyed me in strange way, too, but
replied to him with:
John. you know how it is with us.
asked him on the street for money to buy
bread, and he's come up toto"
To see If you were really in need Of
help, said as she paused. Have any
Of you had support"
just crust for him, sir, but nothing
for the rest, and but for you the children
would be crying with hunger.
very well. III mind the house while
you 60 out. Get bread, butter, tea, milk,
sugar. potatoes, and meat.
~You-you don't mean i'll" she gasped.
The man In bed rose up on his elbow
10 get q better look at me, and / saw
something like alarm In his face. To
quiet him said:
the case is clear enough. You used
to get along all right. but sickness camo
--you could no longer work; you have
reached your Iastpenny. Why shouldn't
help you bitf"
-It's sadly enough we need it, God
knows, but-but-~
-But you can't make out why came
I'D here7H
NO, sir.
Well, don't worry about it. Queer
.hiDgs are always happening to all Of us.
How long have you beer III Z"
sOver . year, sir.
And how have you Hvedf"
BY using the few dollars had put
by and BY selling whatever we could
spare, until we are IS you zee NJ. !
once earned my g . day, sir, and no
poor mans family waa better cared Tor.