The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-25
SOUGHT The ].
ALMSHOUSE.
David Adams Tells a StAry
of Sickness and
iii Luck

The Philadelphia Bulletin last night
said; Threadbare and tottering with his
snow white hair hanging over his should-
era he feebly found his way into the
Bulletin Office, looking for the last earthly
home that would shelter his weary frame
after nearly q century Of honest work,
the fruit Of which had been wrested from
him In intermitting disease and bad luck.
The home he sought was the poor house.
His story was q most pitiful enc. A
cobbler by trade. he had Como from Phila.
delphia to st. Georges. his old home. years
ago, and opened little shop. living alons
his own cook and housekeepsr Hs had
lost his strength and what, with intermit-
tent attacks Of sickness aud an 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 cont was faded shiny green, but
1t was brushed and cleaned to the highest
degree. In one hand he chung tightly to
an old cane, with carved ivory han die,
such as was the fashion nearly half GEN.
tury ago. and small old leather hand
bag in the other added to his air of respect
ability; hut the bag contained at most
clean handkerchief aud collar.
Neatness was bis dis ingulshing charac-
teristic his worn black tie was carefully
set beneath an immaculate collar and his
hair was smoothly brushed back over tho
wrinkled forehead.
The name he gave was David Adams,
born in Philadelphia nearly eighty-six
years ago, since which time he had travel
ed over most Of tho eastern part of the
United States. The life OF a cobbler was
too confined for his health, but he stuck
to 1t with q childitke perseverance with
occasional lapses into housekeeping. His
physician advised him to take no medicine
and as he is constant sufferer from dys-
pepsia he sought relief in exercise travel
ing from ono 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 no has dim recollection of q
daughter who died 80 long ago that her
memory Is but shadow
Some twenty years ago he moved to st,
Georges where he lived alone for five
years and married again. On the suspic-
Ion that mombors of his family wished to
see him out of.the way, he sscretly sold
bis property and left for Philadelphia
without warning, staying hsre until after
his wlre's death. When hs came away he
left her in possession of his li,tlo grocery
store and stock of goods 49,. 49,
He triod various means OF making llv-
, ing. but was taken sick and hus lost near
| ly ali his money going back 10 St. Georges.
Again unsuccessful he at las, decided
that since he could find no work for which
his strength was saffiocnt, he would not
run the risk of becoming burden on his
nsighhors, lie came to tho city this morn
Ing and was directed t, tho Bureau of
Charities and Correction, where he was
promised an order Of admission into the
almshoIss. Pleased that his mission was
euccess!u, he'promised to come back on
Wld iesday for his order, after getting his
70 Y remaining goods from 81 Georges and
then .nrtod off to find out If ono of his
few remaining frcn Is still lived, an oil
lady whose Goth birthday was due last
October