News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-02-04

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81 want you to see specimen of a
dark bedroom, Mr.. Marsh. You don't
need to visit more than one. But it is
worth knowing that there are hun
! dreds more like this one"
| Mr.. Marsh came across to Gordons
side
This is more terrible than l ever
| dreamed" he said in whisper
Nothing when you get used to it,
! sir. Let's step in. There isn't much to
sec"
They entered the room, which was
absolutely dark except for the light
that entered through the room they
had just left. Gordon felt his way I'M
til his hand touched something, and
then he sai9-sently:
Louie, how are you todayW
"NOt very well. That you, Mr.. Cor
DOM"
eyes. I've brought you something.
Here. Catch on, little man."
Its fine!" the thin eager voice ex-
claimed. Don't tell mother. She'll
take it away"
mo, no, Louie She won't. The doe
tor will let you have it," John Gordon
said reassurngly, and then he was 81
lent, Mr.. Marsh was close by. and
both men stood still a moment.
In the stiffness a distinct rustling
sound could be heard. 1t was like the
rustling of tissue paper or the scratch
ing of small mice.
whats thftY' Mr.. Marsh asked.
''Wait a minute; I'll show YOU" Cor
don answered quietly. Shut your
eyes Louis. Pm going to light
match"
He struck the match and held it up.
The pale light revealed in the few
seconds that the match burned bro
ken bedstead and ragged, filthy mat
tress on which lay a child about ten
years old. The walls of the room had
once been papered before the double
decker had been constructed so that
some of it had blocked up the win
dows that had once opened on the rear
lot. This paper now hung il festoons
and strings all over the ceiling, and
Mr.. Marsh, looking in horror at the
sight, in that brief moment, not too
brief to tell one whole story of the
tenement house hell, saw countless
swarms of bugs and vermin crawling
over the paper. 1t was that that had
made the noise.
The match tickered and went out.
There was a moment of silence, broken
by Gordon, who said cheerfully:
"All right, Louis! Keep up good
heart I'll try to get in and see you
tomorrow"
Thank you, Mr.. Gordon"
Mr. Marsh pulled at Gordon's arm.
For Gods sake, Gordon, let's get
out of here. I'm growing sick. shall
faint"
Come out into the fresh air" Cor
don said ironically.
They went out into the corridor, and
Mr.. Marsh in his eagerness to get out
of the building did not even stop to
reply to several of the women who had
learned from Mrs. Caylor that he
owned the double decker and crowded
up to complain about the garbage boxes
and the drainpipes. While Gordon
was talking with Mrs. Caylor about
Louis, Mr. Marsh went down, hurried
as fast as he dared through the lower
court. and when John Gordon came out
he found him seated on the outer steps,
deathly pale and actually sick.
Gordon grimly eyed him.
Its only 4 o'clock Wen have time
to do the other. There are some fea-
lures of No. 81 that are peculiar. |
would like to have you see them
81 cannot go, Gordon. It's out of the
question. am too ILL.,"
Lets go over to Hope House, then"
John Gordon said gravely
Mr. Marsh, with difficulty, walked
over to Hope House. On the way Cor,
don said
There is an ordinance which says
that there fhall he spaces between
front and rear tenementS. graduated
according to the height of the building.
If the tenement is one story high. there
must be ten feet between front and
rear: if two stories. fifteen feet: If
four stories. twenty-five feet. etc. Your
agent deliberately ignored this law
and built your double decker so as to
cover all the space In doing so lie
deliberately established Il condition
that permitted Of no light in dozen
bedrooms like the one we went into.
More than that, he created conditions
that breed anarchy. for if the rich and
cultured citizens Of this municipality
for their own gain selfshly t",mple on
the laws of the city what can they pX
pect from the poor and tn" desperate
and the ignorant but hatred Of all so
ciety?"
I'm too sick to discuss it," SIR
Marsh groaned Gordon = W That he
was actually SUFFERING severely and
when they entered EoNa IIoGsr he
gave him careful attention
1t was only a temporary !H@fS'oet
ton, however, and "f;w r""'.@" da
h0uT Ly Marsh recovered sufficiently |
&c 81 up and expressed some NORTH |
cation at the way he had behaved. |
But his manner was very grave and !
the experience of his visit to the build |
ing was evidently making a profound
impression on him.
To Gordon's disappointment, Miss An