The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-12-28

SSifOSs EAeEO bu0y nAos
A broken cast.iron stove lies in the
gutter in front Of the tenement house at
1872 East Thirty-sixth street. Around it
are piled the remnants OF a shattered
bedstead, two tubs, three chairs, roll Of
rag carpet, rusty tin wash-bOiler, an
old clock, q pine bench, big old-fash-
ioned bureau, and cat. An old woman
sat ON the top Of this pile Of rubbish
from o'clock last Friday night until 4
O'Clock ON Saturday evening. Then she
disappeared; but passers'by found her
on top Of the bureau early yesterday
morning. She stayed thore until IL
O'Clock, when one Of the tenants Of q
nearby house took her in. She is wee
mite Of woman, scarce four feet tall.
Her form ls bent, and her body is ehriv-
elled. Her quaint, wizened face is
wrinkled and worn. She sat all Satur-
day night on the roll Of carpet with her
head resting against the wash-boiler.
She wore faded, blue-check calico skirt
and gorgeous blue worsted jacket. AS
the cold wind from the river rushed up
the street, she huddled close to the wssh-
boiler and shivered Saturday morning
found her there cold and trembling. She
rocked to and fro mumbling TO herself,
The only food she had on Saturday was
a cup Of coffee sent out to her by Mrs.
Lyman, who lives in the tenement facing
the mass Of rubbish. She refused to
leave the pile of rubbish, saying it was
all she had, and would DO stolen, until
the chill on Saturday night left her too
weak to rosist. She was taken into Mrs,
Lynans rooms and placed on q mattress,
close to the stove. All night she tossed
restlessly about, and at dsybrsak che
went out again to the old bureau. At
noon yesterday Mrs. Crane got her shell
tor. The old woman is known as Annie
Goddy She is very old, and has lived in
the neighborhood Of First avenue and
Thirty sixth street for seventeen years.
On May | she moved into 1872 East
Thirty-six street, and took two rooms
on the first floor.
The old woman, however, was still Sit
ting there on Monday afternoOn--from 6
O'Clock on the Friday before. She shiv-
cred in company with q lean and hungry
black cat that nestled up to her; and in
the eyes OF the awe stricken small boys
and girls from the big, barracks looking
tenement houses that lowered all around
them, the pair OF outcasts had strange
resemblance to the creatures described
in the stories Of witchcraft by which the
children had often been terrified into
slumber. One afternoon paper, in tell
ing the story of unfortunate Mrs. Goddy,
concluded It's reference to her in these
words: "People thereabout think it
strange that some one does not look after
her." Not 30 strange, dear writer; not at
all surprising il you only remember the
fact that in the very district from which
Annie Goddy was thrown out upon the
cobblestones to die, over 1000 evictions
took place during the twelve months just
passed. OF course there were not many
cases attended with the same dlshesrt-
eping accomplishments as made Mrs.
Goddy's evictions such talked Of affairs
but there was enough Of human sorrow,
OF suffering, Of crushed hopes, and Of
despair, for a bright or hopeful outlet
into the future, to make the student Of
nature hesve a sigh, and to cause earnest
men engaged in the work of social and
economic reform to brace themselves up
to renewed energy to carry on the war.
In no city on earth is there such woe
full, more poverty.strioken or more cheer
less population than is gathered into the
two judicial districts of New York city
that are presided over by Civil Justices
Alfred Steckler and Henry M. Goldfogle.
In Justice Steckler's district the business