The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-08-29
m Quad in Detroit Free Press.d

| tNA <ooO III DctIOSt IoO xI6SS&5
l stood leaning up against an avn
ing post in Hester street, watching the,
poverty Of a summers evening-the
poverty, despair and desperation Of
the east side as it surged back and
forth Of hundreds of men and women
when little hand softly stole into
mine, and l looked down to find a
girl of IL standing beside me. She
vas bare-headed, bare footed, ragged
and unkempt-a fair specimen OF
scores of children on the block. |
smoked my cigar long minute, and
looked down at her before she said:
"Come up and see him."
"Who1" l asked.
daddy"
"Where is he1"
"Fifth floor up-over there" point
ing to tenement across the street.
"Is he sickl"
"Awful bad"
She did not let 60 of my hand as
we crossed the street, nor yet as we
pushed our way through the chattering
men and women on the steps and
lodged the crying children sprawled
out in the hall. Up the steep flight Of
stairs We went, siele by side, neither Of
US saying a word until we reached the
fifth floor. had to stop there for
breath, and she clasped my hand more
tightly as she said:
"Can you tell when a mans going
to die?"
81 guess so.'
She opened the door to a single
room, in which was miserable old
stove, deal table, two chairs and a
wretched bed. 1t was lighted by the
cheapest of lamps, and blind man
could have told that the place was the
abode of poverty and despair. On the
bed lay man, whose ghostly face,
shining eyes and thin hands told the
nature of the disease at glance He
looked at me curiouslY as turned up
the fame of the lamp and sat down at
his bedside.
"He's come to see you, daddy"
said the little girl as she took one Of
his hands in both of hers.
"Doctor?" he queried.
"No."
"Charity?"
81 shall be glad to help you
"It's too late!" he whispered" I've
been ailing for months and months.
I've been lying right here for weeks
and weeks, hungering, starving and
suffering. The end has finally come
and you are too late!"
"Has no one given you aid?" l
asked.
"Pve had the crusts they throw to
dogs" he bitterly replied. "If they'd
given me work six months ago I'd
have been all right l ,ramped up
and down and across. in rain and
storm, but there was no work for me.
What's a man more or less in the
world9 Who in New York cares
whether a man is al or well?"
"I'n bring doctor and then see il
l can't get you into hospital"
"Its days too late!" he replied.
"We'd been all right, daddy, il
they'd given Us show, wouldn't we9''
said the girl as she gave him water in
broken ,eacup.
"Aye! Meg he replied in a
stronger voice. "All we wanted was
work-a show to earn our bread-a
chance to hive with others! But we
couldn't get it. We've been driven
from spot TO spot-evicted- threat
ened-gfouJ,d into the mud of the
streets. 1t was cold and storm and
starvation which brought this on me-
and the end will come in a day OF
two more.'
/ "And are you two all alone?"
asked"
girl:
"The rest are dead, and ! thanl
God for it," whispered the man. 81
wish Meg was going with me!''
/ "What will become of her?''
"Don't you know9" he fairly shouted
as he lifted himself to get better lool
at me. seShe'd be thrown out to wan
der the streets-to find friends among
the wicked and vicious. l could dix
in peace but for Meg-but fer thinking
what will become Of her,'
"Don't fret. daddy-don't fire.
about mel" whispered the child as sh'
patted his head. "Ill find a place tt
/, work. shan't turn out bad. In
goin' to grow up to be good woman
like mama was"
| l wanted to say encouraging word.
to her, but they would not come. O
what use to hold out hope to a man in
the. shadow OF death? In the five
years had knocked about the cas-
: side l had seen a hundred jus, sucf
cases of woe and wretchedness and de
spair- The girl went down to tht
street with me to bring back food
. She said never word to me as shs
+ took nay hand and we descended ths
stairs. When we were in the stree
. she asked:
, "Will daddy get over it?"
$ "No, dear, he may die any hovr.
: l hlleda basket with food at III.
grocer's and accompanied her bacl
to the door Of the tenement.
ats awful good OF you!" she said a
she received the basket.
M'm glad to help you, little one.
j only wish / could do more.
"Snall you come again1"
= "Yes, in a day or two"