The state herald., 1899-06-02
IN DIREsT POVERTY.
A DAUGHTER OF THE OLD
KNIcKERBocKER FAMILY.
Loslng Fight with want-one by One
Her Things Have Besn Pawncd. Until
Her Wedding Ring Has Gone for
Food

In a bare rear tenement, so small
that Its three rooms scarcely make one
good-sized apartment, and so damp
that the mold has invaded every sta
tionary object. Ellen Stuyvesant
Granfield is facing abject want in New
York city. One by one the trinkets
endeared to her from childhood have
found their way to the pawnshop, till
the very wedding ring has been torn
from her finger to buy bread. In the
prime OF life, with a good husband and
good health to aid her, this descend
ant OF the brave old Knickerbocker
Peter Stuyvesant has been compelled
TO admit that she has fought her fight
with Fate-and lost. 1t is the old
story OF young couple strong In
nope, both able and eager to work to
lay up competency for the old age
which seemed so far off-an easy In
come for years, and then failure. The
pursuit of employment till the search
became a nightmare. the dwindling of
their savings till all was gone, and
now the prospects of eviction supply
the sequel. Ellen Stuyvesant Ohm
stead was the pet OF the household till
tne death OF their father threw the
three children on their own resources.
natural aptitude for the care of the
SICK led her to adopt nursing as her
calling. and 1t was in that capacity ut
me Old Chambers Street hospital that
she met her husband, Ernest Gran
neid. He, too. was nurse, and their
marriage only served to strength
en- their interest in their chosen work
But Ellen Granfield Is not considered
stuck up by her neighbors. Sne
answers their greetings with smile
and they regard her as good, decent
woman" They care nothing about her
blue blood. She does not bother them
with her ancestry. That ancestry Is
not troubling her either Just now. The
question. Where will 1t all end?" is
one she puts to herself hundred
times day as she counts over the lit
tie bundle OF pawn tickets that lie In
her bureau drawer. That is her
thought by day and her dream by
night. She sits and sews through the
long afternoon and greets her hus-
bands step when he returns at night
from his hopeless search for work and
kisses away the troubled frown that
clouds his forehead. They are kind to
each other In their poverty. Both are
patient. Ellen Granfeld is a pleasant
faced woman OF middle age. She has
true patrician face and kindness
beams from her eyes. and her smile Is
good to see. Mrs. Granfield is the
daughter OF Phoebe Ann Stuyvesant.
whose father was David Stuyvesant, a
big land owner. Phoebe Ann Stuyves-
ant married James Olmstead, n civil
engineer OF great energy. who laid out
many great public works in Connecti-
cut. There were three children-El-
len. n brother. who died quite young,
and one sister, now also deceased. Ell
len was carefully educated. but when
her father died their fortune dwindled,
and. left with the care of her mother,
she chose nursing rs u profession. She
and her husband took charge Of tho
Reception hospital. at the foot OF East
Sixteenth street. for several years.
Side by side they nursed and cared for
the suffering. A change In the ONCE OF
the commissioner Of charities came
and the Grnnfelds were relieved OF
their charge. Then came the change
In their fortunes. Since that day
when We were forced from the Recep-
ton hospital" said Mrs. Granneld to-
day. I'VE have not known real ease. II
has been one long struggle for exist
ence. have never attempted to
search for my relatives. Ny mother
Is still alive. She Is a woman OF 10,
and except for her might make some
attempt. but her pride is greater than
mine. The Stuyyesants. you know,
once owned big slice OF Manhattan
island. But what is all that to me
now? ] only want enough to keep Err
nest and myself from want. and that
We are both willing to work for. We
have pawned almost everything What
there Is left-the bed. the bureau, and
Ernest's old sea ches,-will not bring
enough TO keep us long. My clothes
are all gone. and but for the Kindness
OF the landlord we should have been
set on the street long since"
The Granheld home is the picture of
neatness-a marked contrast to the
wrctched surroundings On the bare
walls hang here and there a small
picture-tokens too dear to par, with.
Tho noors are uncovered and the win
dows vacant OF hangings.