The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-06

IlliIte III L IAN. IueTe trey haQ worked
hard, like most foreigners Three
months ago they concluded to have
their old father and mother, who are
20 years and IS years of age respectively,
come over and live with them the rest
| of their da-rs
The old people were told that it
would not be necessary for them to do
any more work; that their sons We're
earning more money than they ever
made in Finland, and the aged couple
might live in peace the balance of their
lives.
Three months ago old Abe Louma and
his wife came. They are typical
couple Of Russian peasantry, short,
| thickset and sturdy. Since their re-
union with their family they have lived
in peace, but the accident in the Winter
Quarters mine Of May 1 resulted in the
death of nine out of these ten sons and
grandsons who had sent for their par
ents.
More Are Helpless.
But that is not all the pathos in this
case. Six Of these sons, i've Of whom
are dead, and .wO of the grandsons
were married. Their widows are Finnish
women, young and more intelligent
than most women of that country. -Four
of tfem have children and babies less
than a year Old. They are left prob
ably without more than the savings Of
a few weeks. They have no relatives
except the old man and one of his sons
this side Of Europe.
The support, Of not only the aged
couple. but of the six widows viii now
devolve upon MatahO LOuma. who him
self has a large family What viii Ill
timately become of them no one can
tell. for there has been such confusion
and turmoil at Sc6feId that nobody has
yet gone to them TO learn OF their re-
sources or relatives. They cannot speak
English, they do not understand the
customs of the country, and, like all
foreigners Of their race, they are in
tensely suspicious of strangers. They,
like other women in ScofeId, are so
gTief-stricken that they have neglected
their children. Nothing has been cook
ed in their houses since the morning Of
May /; nothing has been cleaned away.
Dirt has been permitted to accumulate
until their little children waEow about
in l.
The stories which Miss Sherwood and
Mrs White told today of their exDer-
fences in visiting the afflicted are prob
ably more pathetic than any fiction
written. They came down on Friday
morning and Immediately started out
to care for the women. They began
with the houses far up the canvon,
near the mouth of tunnel No. 1, and
worked their way as far down as SEQ
/ field, two and half miles. They went
to see Mrs. Kelley, the widow Of Tom
| Kelley, whose death has orphaned four
| children.
They found her sitting in a room Of
her little cottage rocking her babe in
arms while she moaned. Three older
children chung about her, almost too
aIng to understand the pail which
In been flung over their home. They
{ were crying for something to eat, but
! she paid no more attention 60 them
than if they were the dogs and cats Of
the household. The floor was Uttered
with dirt and refuse, the dishes lay on
the kitchen table unwashed, and no
| fire had been built in the stove for
three days There was nothing in the
house to eat, but the bread which had
been sent down out of The Herald re-
lief fund and a glass of jelly. The
I
helped themselves to this, smearng the
jelly all over the floor and bedclothes
and chairs. Mrs. Kelley paid no at
tention to them.
Cant we cook something for you?"
the ladies asked.
NO 1 am not hungry she replied
"Wen, can't we cook something for
the childreng"
mo, they are not hungry" said she.
And yet these three little ones had
not had a mouthful of warm food since
Tuesday morning. She sat there dazed,
/ refused to let the ladies sweep her
house. wash the dishes or get anything
for the children to eat. They thought
that if they told her they would go TO
supper aud return she would change
her mind when they got back. But
when they did return she was still sit
ting in the same chair, groaning and
hugging her baby. and probably re-
NAMED in that situation all night She
sullenly refused to permit them to aid
her in any way.
A Remarkable Case.
But one of the most remarkable
cases which they. encountered was that
of a widow ana seven children who,
with her husband, had come to Scofeld
a week ago. They are strangers In the
town they have no friends or relatives
The husband was among those who
were taken out bruised and burned lasC
Tuesday. She had nothing whatever to
eat in the house except crackers. bread
which came from The Herald fund and
other cold food When she was asked
if something warm could not be done
for her she bravely replied:
No, ] can get along, but there's q