The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-02
mrs. M'DovELL IN CAMP cHERRr.


caulker. died nfteen years ago. and from that
day to this she has had hard struggle. With
out relatives or even friends hers has been
hand-to-mouth existence. In which the hand
was often hard pushed to provide for the
mouth. About Ave months ago she moved to
this house In Cherry street where for So .
month she hired two oell-like rooms in the rear
OF the top floor. The Sun reporter saw these
rooms yesterday. The floor and the walls were
reeklnR with Nth. and the air was nigh intoi-
srable To reach the top floor two flights Of
stairs must be mounted. each step OF which
was slippery with garbage yesterday.
Mrs McDowelPs household goods consisted
OF bed. small stove. frying pan and few
other Kitchen utensils. . chair. a settee. and Q
pair Of slippers Beyond these and the ragged
clothes she wore there is nothing in all the
wide world that she can call her own. The
neiRhbors liked her. True. her garments were
not OF tho cleanest but In that neighborhood
cleanliness ranks low In the catalogue Of vir-
tues. They liked her for her Astounding good
nature, her ever-smiling countenance. her
willing to help them. even when they could
give her no moro than q crust of bread In re-
turn. and her bright. constant. unwavering
faith In the future.
Times are hard. know" she ofton said.
but" and then her face always lighted up. II
believe In God. and He's sure TO look out for
the old woman In the end"
Tho only Important item IN Mrs. McDowelrs
household expenses was the rent. Those SIS
each month were sometimes hard to gather
and when. after thirty days Of scrubbing and
washing aud running errands and countless
other tasks she had the money. every cent OF
II. safe In her hands. It was with sigh and
feeling akin to pain that she gave 1t to Mr..
Ray. And ret the neighbors and tho priests
these were all that came into the narrow circle
nf hor IA haa fror bar Iioa ain ~.
complaint or murmur OF dissatisfaction. In
fact whom that crucial week. In which the first
Of the month came. was past she seemed hap
pier. and no one. excepting one neighbor, who
her best, over suspected what q hard time
90 On Wa Msr SS 70! Mr.. Mcdowell according to
lord. should have paid rent for the m onth TO
Ssnsa That she pon nsh Gunias
the previous month she earnod only 30 cents
70 bafa n Ss
hops that By dsprisins herself OF warmth at
liz landlord When he 'sa@s. The 2Uth pt q
March came and with 1t Mr.. AaI. and Mrs. No
foot ef SerO 10 ssia The landlord. didn't you
Mr. h1, v Spt LINES are hard and
Ssa. TIA; ss r:P " .oSa e sss hustle
md Irs spo~e st Tfe had rG not 'T tho Sf nrs
neiehbor to another, asking In her cheerful
way whether they had s = x WORK for her .
variable answer, They were poor people the
selves. those nelehboEs and the hiring OF
though. they gave her only ten cents and Ida
sfuss Of bread; was no light matter 81 expense.
time. for the nelghbors were always willing to
share their last drop OF SOUP and their last
crust OF bread with her; but money there was
Mf, Ray grew tirOd Of waiting for his rent,
and haylng the Law on his side he appealed
dlspossess was promptly granted. and armed
Nth this nI mfT Th deputy and three as
snsh which one OF the neighbors had given
,.aoSS st's5PS M gentlemen =, :ss said
S 70 you out on q .S. nH Here's Ssn
RsT and r ssn E:.
ssm, which hung from Il; Then she helped
s s1a Sa SesP. sin u %au e:
d tS 10 ,FSIs Of shs hSSss The Children
ssatsd herself beside her things. shs. nodded
with grave faces They could not nndssstsnd
the thing; but ipstinctiyely they knew that
wOrkmen on their way home stopped Just
long enough to take an inventory Of the house
., the woman. passed on. In little x6iIs one
q me psighbors came out with bowl OF soup |
:, Here, Mrs. Mcdowell" she cried ehssrily. |
eai SsSi sl::: ger. Sfs KsliSI God ble.. you'll
NJ !eFSasnSSI the evening children PLAYED T.
oSua sSs Sss ana q
furniture. while. Mrs. Mcdowell. bnmful OF |
EOod nature. locked on and smiled. II grew |
ahIldFan AL m hal nd
Cherry street was AbAndonsd to the hoodlums, |
Sho shout and yell on the street corners until |
Tvs -his to yell and shout again. Not one !
OF them. however, offered to molsst the old /
ls6tiy around hsT shoulder sat on h her only
sss hsT let haPGH thS ittS Sssts gazing
lamp post across the street. |
II grew late. and thu hoodlums left the |
solitary policeman came along. The old Wo- |
nAa sat Ina movable beside her sesnty belong /
grew chilly but hss eyes ' never si es shs
e.. there thinking. thinking. thinking-.ho |
Hsos lie but dsrinS 1 that Ss sRiI shs Ssc6sSi5
Atsd It over again
n Morning came and the sun rose, and soon
Isassd her hsir"a habit lit That asit6sS age nor
sslsio3ane had oysreoms.-And waited for the |
sEa'o Of life In this store. one ofths nsie66ors
saS,s had also spent a slsePlsss night-the
Ss nst people In this world do not know or |
cup Of coffee
Al OF yesterday Mrs Mcdowell sat there |
sainng Tor she knew not what There Was no |
bS IN irving 70 md other paFtmentS. She |
tSu ne money and nobody wants z pennHess |
nAhL ~ meal times the nsiRhboTs brought |
ss son sthing to eat Children RAzsd at her, |
bsssts-oy piled her. beighboTs befriended l
a. SIss gave her monsy, which she prom |
kSJfee her solemn word 10 return. and sysTy- |
NJ sAs kind 10 heF-eVeEy body excepting |
L. usoIes hAy. who waited to know how |
fraSS,shs vas going to block the sidewalk In /
wbhe Iepotter saw Mr. Ray. and asked him |
st nSs hs thought OF the matter. The man |
@HfEv ted 10 the face and stammered out:
ioutIol-you ain't gOing TO put 4 little /
Us nknke thls 10 the payers. are Your
bProbAbls. he said:
wei. ths lave on ny side. Any HaI. That |