Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-27
SOUGHT POORHOuSE AS LAST RESORT.
Aged David Adams Loft Pcnpflcss by sio
ness and IiIsluck.

aged David Adams Loft PenpiIess by SICK
ness and IiI.luck.
Philadelphia Bulletin, Monday.
Threadbare and lettering, with his
white hair hanging over his bent
shoulders, he feebly found his way into
The Bulletin Office, looking for the last
earthly home that would shelter his
weary frame after nearly a century of
honest work, the fruit of which had
been wrested from him by intermitting
disease and bad luck. The home he
sought was the poorhouse.
He came from ST. Georges, little
town in the northern part of Delaware,
without telling his pastor, the Rev.
Mr.. Dawson, or any of the other MEM
bers Of the Presbyterian Church. to
which he belonged, of his intention.
No" he said, they cannot help me !;
they are kind people, but they are poor.
| was once we'll up In the world, and l
don't want to be burden on anyone
now"
His story was a most pitiful one. A
cobbler by trade, he had gone from
Philadelphia to st. Georges, his old
home, years ago, and opened little
shop, living alone, his own cook and
houselzeeper. He had lost his strength
and what, with intermittant attacks of
sickness and on impaired skill, he
found that he could no longer pay his
meagre expenses and reluctantly gave
up the struggle, content to submit to
the inevitable.
His looks proclaimed man who had
once been fairly prosperous. His black
frock coat was faded a shiny green,
but it was brushed and cleaned to tho
highest degree. In one hand he chung
tightly to an old cane, with a carved
ivory handle, such as was tho fashion
near a half century ago, and small
old leather handbag in the other added
to his air Of responsibility but the bag
contained at most o clean handkerchief
and collar.
Neatness was his distinguishing
characteristic, his worn black tie was
carefully set beneath an immaculate
collar, and his hair was smoothly
brushed back over the wrinkled fore
head.
The name he gave was David Adams,
born in Philadelphia nearly sc years
ago, since which time he has travelled
over most of the eastern part of the
United States The life of q cobbler
was too confined for his health, but
he stuck TO it with a childlike per-
severance with occasional lapses into
store-keepiug. His physician advised
him to take no medicine, and MS he is
q constant sufferer from dyspepsia he
sought relief in exercise, travelling from
one city to another, so that he can
remember Baltimore, Cincinnati and
Memphis as places where he followed
his trade. He married years ago, but
his wife died, and he has dim recol-
lection Of daughter who died so long
ago that her memory is but shadow.
Some 20 years ago he moved to St.
Georges, where he lived alone for five
years and married again. On tho sus.
Eicion that members of his family
wished to SEQ him out of the way, he
secretly sold his property and left for
Philadelphia without warning, staying
here until after his wife's death. When
he came away, he left her in possession
of his little grocery store and stock of
goods
He tried various means of making a
living, but was taken sick and thus
lost nearly all his money, going back
to st. Georges several years ago. Again
unsuccessful he at last decided that
since he could find no work for which
his strength was sufficient, he would
not run the risk of becoming a burden
on his neighbors. He came to the city
this morning and was directed to the
Bureau OF Charities and Correction,
where he was promised an order OF ad.
mission into the almhouse. Pleased
that his mission was successful he
promised to come back ON Wednesday
for his order, after getting his few
remaining goods from st. Georges, and
then started off to find out il one of
his few remaining friends still lived. an
old lady whose 99th birthdayswas due
last October.