Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-10

Grandmother's Forced Removal From
Hester Street to Hospital Ward--Her
Surroundings and Antecedents--The
Pauper Woman From the Same Village
Who Loved the Same Israel.
Special Correspondence Of Gazettoand journal
New York, Aug. 4.--She had lived
SO long that she never thought of death
Life had become habit to her. She had
outlived her children and her grand
children, and there she lay in a close,
dark room, stuffy and hot, tended by
the unwilling hands of her grcat-grand-
children, who only found the grand
mother great trouble, but who felt that
they must keep her because of the ties
Of blood that bound them. She grum-
bled about everything; she grumbled
when they waited on her and when they
neglected her; always in that queer mix
ture of German and Hebrew which in the
Jewish quarter is called "Yiddsh." She
had come to this country years ago, and
she had never learned to speak English.
Somebody told her of grandson who
had made fortune, who had married
out of his religion and who lived up
town. She gave sigh and moan and
prayed all day. Nothing pleased her
From hearing them, had picked up,
here and there, word or two of Yid-
dish, and, sometimes, when she would
let me, talked to her, or rather, she did
to me. had to think out what she said,
for she spoke so quickly. Her one great
horror and dread was the hospital. l
l said to her: at is cool, it is beautiful;
you will be well taken care of, and your
religion is observed there. You say
your grandchildren arc tired of you,
they neglect you, that you are burden
to them; why don't you go where you
can be comfortable be well cared for,
and be among people of your own race?"
Still she was stubborn. She chung to the
dirty room she had known for so many
years, to the poor food. and insisted she
was going to get we'll. And she was 90
years cid.
AN ANCIENT UGLY GRANDMOTHER.
One day little jew boy came up
after me in great haste, to tell me that
the bube grandmother wanted TO see
me. | went down to her very quickly;
they had deserted her. Her determine
ton to live was too strong for them, and
having made little money, the last of
her kindred had determined to move
away from Hester street; and, us she
would not go with them, there she was
alone. When she saw me, she began to
wall; and then she announced, take
me away, am ready to die; take mo to
the hospital; my own flesh and blood
have deserted me; the curse will be upon
them" tried to quiet her, and soon
got word up to the hospital, and they
came after her. Taking her downstairs
aroused all Hester street; her screams
and cries and curses upon those who
had wandered from her collecting a
crowd about us. The Friday marketing
stopped; they were all interested in see
ing her start, and one after another
promised to come up and visit her.
This visibly cheered her, but when
we got up there, her one moan
was for her old bed. The old bed being
dirty aud miserable and ragged, and the
new one being sweet and cool and clean.
But, after while, weakness got the
better of ill-temper, and she consented
to rest. had to leave her that day
promising to come and see her the next
and when | went, found, in appear.
ance, at least, changed woman. The
tender, kindly hands of the nurses had
taken off the awful wig that, following
the old orthodox ideas, she wore tC
cover her own hair, and the soft gray
hair was brushed back, making frame
for her stern features. The miserable
bed gown had been changed for white
slip, and the hands had been carefully
washed with soap that was "kosher,'
but at the same time cleansing.
NINETY-IEAR-oLD JEALOUSY.
She was not very agreeable that day
she rebelled little against the com
forts; physically she enjoyed them; blu
mentally she objected to them. He
greeting to me was not calculated to in
ducc further friendship, inasmuch az
she inquired what expected to ge
from her when she was dead. But thi
didn't trouble me, as any one who ha
been much on the other side soon dis
covers that, whether they have anythin.
or not, old people seemed possessed o
the idea that you are waiting for then
to die with great eagerness. Later OF
she grew more agreeable, and told M,
that the woman in the next bed to he
was from the same village in Poland
and that they had known each othe
when they were girls, but that she didn'
intend to speak TO her because she hat
tried to gether Israel away from her be
fore the betrothal. Ninety years old, AM
the jealousy Of girl of IL still In he
heart surely, woman is young all he
life, II she is as young as she feels.
! said to her; "Be noighborly; sh
didn't get Israel; you had his lovy
and, surely as you were the conqueroi
you can afford to forgive" There wa
a smile all over his face, and he
thoughts came out in words that were
eyes, | had his love, and such love
He loved me as his wife, and he love
me as the mother Of his children. an
we both loved our God, who is the grea
and only God; and now there are son
to say prayers for him; but who wi
there be to say prayer for me whe
my eyes are closed in death ?" The
she went off into a wild wall like ths
J of a lost soul, and l could not comfol
her, for, according to her belief, onl
the men of the family can say an
prayers for the dead (Raddish.)
THEY BOTH LOVED ONE poLANDER.
/ went over to the other old woman
| spoke to her as we'll as could; one {
: the nurses helping me, and asked hel
/ why don't you speak 30 your countrl
/ woman? The woman Of your own rae
and Of your own religion, who kne
: you when you were girl p And 81
answered "When she was young al
/ was young, her Israel loved me, BIZ
s his parents made him marry her becaui