The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-07
TALE OF WICKEDNESS.
How Sharper Than a Serpent's
Tooth It Is
TO HAVE A THANKLESS CHILD.
Their Last Days in the Poor House
A story to Move a Heart Of stone.

DF. Z. Tx. AAc1nt1Ee79 Parents spending
Their Last Days in the Poor House
A story to Move a Heart Of stone.
In little room twelve feet square at
the county poor farm two old people are
sitting tonight The sightless eyes of the
man are turned toward his companion
and he is perhaps asking: HAS the sup
per bell rung YETI" for the old man does
not hear we'll He has a very high fore
head and his thin gray hair is brushed
carelessly back revealing all the hneness
of his features He is dressed plainly
like the other people who are supported
by the county but his face tells of intel
ligence above his companions and his
voice is refined and gentle. The man is
81 years old and he has been blind less
than a year.
Beside him sits his companion in life.
She also is dressed very plainly. She is
ten years older than her husband, but ap-
pears many years younger. Age has
also dimmed the luster of her eyes, but
it has not entirely Obliterated the last
trace of beauty from her face. She was
once beautiful, and did not dream that
she would ever become an inmate of q
"poor house." When the bell announ-
cling that supper is ready rings, the old
couple will leave their little room hand
in hand, and carefully will the woman
guide her blind husbands steps to the
dining room.
The old couple are father and mother
of-DT E. R. McIntire, who formerly
lived in Topeka, and who was concerned
in a malpractice case in Chicago year
ago. McIntire was we'll known here,
and had the reputation of being a sue
cessful physician. The fathers name is
Tnbr nd b1 r1nfh0r'a
81 am glad to see you: said Mrs. Nc
Iutire to JOURNAL reporter, as she
fsobiy grasped the hand of the visitor.
The reporter extended his hand to the
man and he put his hand out cropping
aimlessly until his wife took the old
mans hand and guided it into the out
stretched hand of the visitor.
81 am little deaf and a good deal
blind" said the man. 81 can see nothing,
whatever. My sight began to fail four
years ago and / have not been able to
blind only about five months. I did not
mind it so much as long as mother could
read to me, but now she can not read and
the time passes slowly
"When I try to read" said Mrs. McIn-
tire, 'a mist comes before my eyes. l
want to read so bad, too, for 1 have al
ways read a great deal. I suppose if
had glasses l could read now, but I sup
pose It would take strong ones and they
cost a great DEAL"
''Do you mind living heref"
mo, l cannot complain. We are
treated very we'll The people here are
! good to Us, and I would not care if il
were not for the name" and the eyes of
! the old woman turned to the floor
as she spoke. "We have this room to
ourselves. 1t is not large, but we can
not walk around much any more, so we
do not need much room"
Then the aged lady was silent. Mr..
AcIntire said: "We lived in Topeka
seven years. We lived on Quincy street
Tnea we went to Clay Center to stay with
a grand child, but she sent US back here
We have one son. He is a doctor and
lives in Chicago. and we do not hear
from him any more. l guess he don't
want to hear from u.s. and a sigh es-
capped the withered lips as he spoke o.
his son.
.'We had farm in jackson county,
continued the old man, "but we sold i
and l run through with the money"
snow, John you did not spend the
money" interposed the wife.
There was a mortgage on the farm,
continued the old gentleman without ap
pearing to notice the interruption, sane
! We 8Ob ? wv Out VI A~ OuA SOH tOoA INA
and kept it."
He got more than that" said Mrs
McIntire. He got s., 500 from US and VI
never got any of it back. If we onl.
had that money now, but he has no us
for US any more and we have to live OIL
{. charity" and her voice broke.
''We will stay here as long as we live
but if could only read it would not b
so hard"
The old couple were admitted to tn
poor farm April 9. They had been i
Clay county and the county commits
sioners received a letter from thei
grand daughter with whom they wer
staying saying that they bad to be take
away. The commissioners also had som
correspondence with the son, d.
McIntire, and he promised to pay tn
granddaughter at Clay Center, $40 pc
month for the care of the old couple, BIT
so far as they know it was never paiC
He was informed of their admission g
county charges but nothing was eve
done and they will probably spend thei
last days at the "poor house" and slee