The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-18
JOURNEY FOR love.

i .. /. D. . d..
II Is not necessary 20 Journey 10 tho
Latin quarter of Paris to Ind living
romance, stories OF untulnllcd ambi.
tons, empty cupboards. mt purSes ana
sometimes starvation itself, New York
clty,thnt Mecca for American genius,
Is filled to Overlooking with ambitious
men and women who flock there With
high hopes md beating hearts and who
once lost In the clty's struggling mass
OF humanity, drift lower and lower and
finally seek occupation In the most
humble and bitter. paths OF life. Such
creatures OF misfortune were tho ten
ants OF n small, sh0ky structure In
lower New York. building that Ind no
outSrown Its usefulness und decent ap-
pcarnhce that Il was known as "rhc
Ruins" which name was most slgnlll-
cant when ono considers the financial
condition Of the old houses occupants.
We lived In "rhG Ruins" Tom and !,
peEglnE away at our pictures md pray
Ing for that bllssful day when fame
and fortune would come, when we could
shake the dust OF "'rhc Ruins" from our
feet and journey away 10 some delight
ful spot beyond the reach ot blll-col-
lcctors hnd out OF tho nrosaic sound
Of vegetable carts and coal wagons 1t
was this thought OF coming wealth that
kept uS on our feet, that buoytd our
sinking spirits and made lis laugh when
our hearts were crushed under n load
OF sorrow. Were we unhappy? No, for
We had each other and the love OF man
and woman lisa healing bnlsnam IN times
Of nlIqflrfunn- 'rN hh GurA anc r. urI
to acc the other In want OF those little
luNurics which make lie worth the
living, but had we not each others In
spring words OF hope to cheer the why
and make the rough places less sharp
and painful? Had Tom been alone, had
been alone. the dreary forsnkenneS3
and the agony Of unceaslng dlsappoInt-
mcnt would have been beyond all hui
man endurance and-weli, who can tell
what fate would have been ours? II Is
n narrowing thought, and n foolish one.
but women are won't TO dwell on what
might have been" even II II makes them
miserable. 4.
Our neiEhbors, the other tenants OF
THE Ruins" were conditioned like
ourselves. Like us. toc.thcy wore shabby
clothes and turnover shoes and sup
Piled the wants OF the Inner man" BY
grocery and cooking them over the
blaze OF smoky CRATE fire or an NJ
smelling suffering oll-Stove. There
were six or seven OF them, our neigh
bors, and every week or two one would
disappear, no doubt to go Into cheaper
lodgings, while Il new face and an un-
familiar. but equally shabby figure,
would take his or her place. We saw
little OF the other tenants. meeting them
only In the dusty, bleak Railways or on
the creaklnS, unsteady stairs. Some
times they would .murmur Sood-mOrn-
Ing or we would exchange a Growl of
hatred for the landlord OF the rrumblIng
ruins" but more frequently We pass
ed In silence. Sinking hurriedly along
us II ashamed OF our parcels OF pro-
visions or our thrcC-senson garments.
This had been the condition OF our So
clnl affairs until one gloomy April day,
when there came a tImid knock on our
| door, which knockl answered with no
great feeling OF happiness, fearing m
unlocked for visit from the uncongcn!al
landlord
My apprehenssons were Eroundlcss It
was the little German governess who
lived. In cherries back room on the
floor above.
Il heard your husband go away and
so took the liberty OF coming to you."
she Stammered IN broken English. rs q
pretty blush OF embarrassment crim-'
| soncd her cheeks which were usually
| OF a cold and unhealthy whiteness
81 have wQited 70 come FOR such n
long, long time. Il Is very lonesome,
| this New York. Is II not? I think one
| could die and not be found for years,
! unless II was by the landlord when he
comes to collect. his fees each week
Skc landlord. on6iis only sure Of him:
his never fails; he never .f0rgetS: he
| comes each Wednesday, With hand held
out for the money and his wrinlIled old
| face Is all pinched and puckered with
avaricc. Ach, l hate him, the land
! lord" ny ss
She paused for breath. took Toms
palette. covered with pSint, from the
one comfortable chair In the room and
begged my visit0r,t0 be seated.
You and your husband ara both ar
t!stS?" she continued, talking fast and
never waiting forSreplIes to her ques-
tons. That Is !dc1l-to work toSeth-
| er-you must be happy. Yes. you are
| happy, for hear you singing some
times. and when see you and your
| husband on the street he Is always
holding your arm rs II you were piece
| OF rare porcelain. You are the only
person In this dreary place-thIs ruin.
] as they call it-who ever smiles. The
| reSt-nh! they 20 about like ghosts,
creeping UP and down, up and down,
the stairs ms II they'd die at SO much
as the sound OF their own footsteps.
Oh. this America, II Is awful-it Is ter
rible. l think sometimes shall die.
| think sometimes that I can live no
longer In this vault, where people are
neither dead nor alive. II only I had
more work. II only could earn more
money and get a little room somewhere
In the fresh mir and get where can see
trees and green things! And this noise
| this endless roar OF wagons and clang-
Ing OF street-car bells! All, fear am
| going mad-that my brain Is ILL"
1t was the same old story-lIttle or no
work. wretchedness Of heart and des-
perhte lack Of money. pItIed her and
felt that strong sympathy which only
one woman can have for another. How
much richer was !. thought, than this
| poor, frkndleSs woman alone In a for
eiSn country. How could complain af-
ter that?
She told me her history; her Grim
s0ned cheeks grew brighter as she con-
tlnued and her hands moved nervously
as II she were i'll.
Her mother. 1t seems, had been a
widow OF considerable wealth, and NOV
ed In the best society Of Berlin. When
| she. my visitor. was fifteen years old
her mother had married again. The
stepfathcr, having the usual old -coun-
try view OF woman's inequalities In
business affairs, promptly relieved ibis
| wife or the care OF her money and thefe-
after positively refused to even consult
| "a . tn 4