Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-09

rot and see my children skeletons. Shame
on you who call yourself my husbands
friend, you who are honored and trusted by
your people, to try and take advantage OF
helpless. starving woman, and force her
into such damuable relations. My answer
is no A thousand times MOI
Then the villain turned coolly on his
heel. aud as he walked away muttered, All
right, madam, there are others as fair as
you who will be delighted TO accept the
position on the terms proposed to you.'
I fled from him, for the very spot was
contaminated by his presence. went back
to the hotel where 1 had left my little
children; I was almost crazed, wild with
despair. had only twenty dollars IN the
world / went and rented small room and
bought few pieces Of cheap furniture and
had my poor belongings brought up from
the depot. That 6rst night was the most
miserable I have ever spent. The next
morning l started out to get something to do
| sought work to obtain bread to keep my
children from starving All day l went
from place to place meeting with all kinds Of
excuses and often with cold looks and rough
rebuHs AT last near uightfan, found
place where I could get sewing to do, at
which could earn about one polar per day.
This at least wouldkeep the wolf away from
the door for a time The months passed
and was often out of work, sickness came
and no money to pay Doctors bills and buy
medicine, and | could not beg for well
knew that if l should do so l would be
scorned aud insulted- At last we moved
into a miserable attic room in a building in
one Of the poorest, lowest parts of the city.
Our furniture, what little we had was seized
for rent, and now, sir. my little girl is sick;
no. she is starving, and IL I can't get money
TO procure food for her ard coal to keep her
warm she will die, and my poor little boy
tries so hard to be brave, but he can't hold
out much longer, and then 1 will soon fol-
low them.
"'Oh, sir; it is not for myself that / care,
but for my children ! come 10 you. If it
were not for them / would have buried my.
self beneath the waters of the Potomac in
stead of coming to you tonight, but love
my children and would give up the last
drop Of my life's blood to save them, but
have no work For three days we have had
only one loaf Of bread o-aight we are
burning the last lump of coal and the last
candle in the house II has been a hard
struggle. sir, and I know you will be
shocked at what I am going TO say to you,
but let my starving children plead in my
defense You have known me since / was
a child. You know that my life has been
pure, aud come to you because of this,
because could not go to any one else who
knows that am a virtuous woman, Who
could aid me, and beg you, l pray you. l
implore you, as you hope for mercy in
Heaven, to help me get position where I
can earn a support aud let me have money
enough for my immediate necessities and l
will yield myself to you fully, unreservedly,
gladly. Yes I will be true to you as | have
been 20 the memory of my dead husband.
| will be your willing slave IL you will only
save my darling little ones violent fit
of weeping overcame her. She fell at my
feet and bathed my hands with her hot
scalding tears.
"'Oh, sir; come with me and I will show
you a sight which would melt your heart
though il were adamant Here in thesCapi-
tai City of our nation I will show you a
scene which beggars description. Come
come, in Gods name bid you come aud
will be your mistress. l will do your bid.
ding forever
In the foregoing xDEAL1zED case the Con-
gresham declines the mistress offer and
acts the part Of the good samaritan For.
tuuate, indeed; was it for the woman that
1t was not department official instead Of
to a Congressman she offered her person
for job to save her children from starving
The chances would be more than equal
that if she was young, plump and good
looking she would be the "ewe lamb" Of
some chief before the sun rose and 6nd
herself translated into a queen with a
sweeping trail to boss and look down upon
her hOmely and outclassed maiden fellow
clerks in some one Of the too numerous
divisions of the Agricultural or other de-
partment Of the Government