Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-15

ell many sad stories in connection
with the work. Upon this phase of the
subject, however, they are slow to talk |
and do SO only to illustrate the neces- |
sity for greater efforts in this line of |
A girl. in a county in southern Iowa
was happily married to young man
of the community. They shortly re-
moved to a distant county, where
three children were born to them. The
young father was without means ex.
cept what could be earned by the la.
Dor of his hands, but he was indus
trious and the little home, altho a
rented one, was all sunshine and hap
piness. But disease laid hold of the
head of the family and protracted sick
ness soon ate up the little accumula-
ton of money, bringing the family to
want. Soon they became charge on
the county, and it was in the poor
house that the father looked into the
weeping faces of wife and children
and then closed his eyes forever.
When he had been placed in a plain
coffin, such as is provided by the coun-
ty and buried in that portion OF the
cemetery set aside for the county's
wards the mother found herself fac.
ing the most awful situation i'll her
life. She must either allow her chill
dren to remain in the poorhouse or
support them by her own efforts,
thing she was lily prepared to do. At
this point the county officials volun-
teered the information that the money
to pay the transportation OF herself
and little ones to their former home
would be forthcoming provided she
cared to return there. This she de-
cided to. do Arriving at the place of
her girlhood she caused it to be
known that she would do any kind of
honest labor in order to support her.
self and children. The people were
| sympathetic and some work came to
| her, but not enough to provide food
and clothing in sufficient quantities.
Finally public attention was called to
other things and the little woman who
| was making such brave struggle for
existence was forgotten. The situa-
ton grew from bad to worse until she
was compelled to seek the county Of
ficials for assistance. 1t was then
suggested by some one that the sup
port of the unfortunates properly
belonged to the county from whence
| they had come. and when an investiga
ton disclosed that they had been sent
away as paupers the mother was in
formed that she must prepare to re
turn. She pleaded with the authori
ties not to send her back where every
thing would be reminder of her dead
husband. declaring that it would drive
her crazy, but the law must be enforc
ed and preparations were made fol-
the journey. When the officer of thu
law was visiting the little hovel to as
sist the family to the train, he fount
the three frightened innocents cling
ing to the shirts of their mother
whose sad, upturned face was white
in death. She had taken poison. l
was then the officers Of the low;
Children's home We're notified of tn
case, and soon the proper surrende
papers were executed and the littl
ones brought to Des Moines. Al
three have been placed in good home
and are now on thegway to good cit
izenship. Us
In one Iowa city asfamily of desert
ed youngsters were found living unde
a sidewalk and the rats had actual
!, mutilated the eXtremities OF the young