The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-25

would lose him forever and never be
able to remove his body to the old home
IN England should they achieve the for
tune they had come to America to seek.
| The driver explained to them that
complete record of the grave was kept.
and that at any time they could secure
| n permit to have the body exhumed.
! He then told them tnat they might be
present at the interment, and arranged
an hour for them to come TO the ceme-
terry.
Buried at Sunset.
The boy was laid to rest just at sun
set. and the father, with barred head,
stood at the foot or the grave, while
the afflicted mother. with an infant IN
her arms. wept at the head. For the
first time in years the convicts paused
when the coffin was lowered into the
grave. and removed their hats in re-
spectful silence while a few heartfelt
prayers were uttered over the dead The
dirt was flung upon the coffin without
coarse or brutal comment, and for once
the prisoners lost sight OF their relief
at the completion Of the task in a rough
sympa thy for the delicate woman who
flung herself upon the cold earth IN an
agony of grief.
Within the month. the second child. a
little four-year-old girl with blue ewes
and golden curls, was carried to a grave
next to her brother and again the
driver arranged for the distracted par
ents to be present at the burial Since
that time, the parents have not won
the wealth for which they crossed the
ocean. but each Sunday they walk the
long distance across the city 10 lay a
few wild flowers picked from the road
side upon the only graves In potters
field which have been visited the past
year
Such Incidents Rare.
Such an incident seems 10 be very rare.
AS a general rule the parents are too
much engrossed with their own mlser-
able necessities to spare grief for the
ones who have escaped.
Down in Union Court there were three
deaths last year IN one family. and all
Of them little children. When the dead
wagon called for the third body, that
Of a little boy, one Of the remaining
children commenced to weep bitterly It /
seems that this one. a girl Of about ten !
years Of age. had nursed the little fellow /
and had almost complete charge Of him !
while the mother was washing to sup
upon her with a bitter curse.
stop that bawilng." she commanded. |
Il only wish you were going along with |
him. have more to feed now than |
can get food for"
During cod weather and also in the /
hot months Of summer there are many |
deaths among the poor children. Es- /
pecially IN the crowded courts and alleys /
where the negroes live. 1t was esti- /
mated at the asylum that more than I.
80 per cent Of the burials are from the /
homes of negroes.
A Washington winter IS productive OF
a great deal Of pneumonia among the
little children. During one Of the cold .
spells there were fourteen burials on
one day and thirteen the next
Whole Family Dies.
There was another case in Union Court
that was most pathetic. a one-armed
Old colored man living in a miserable
shack without beds or stoves. The rooms
were heated by means OF wood fires built
in an old tin boiler. The wagon was
called in first 70 take away one Of the
children. The mother was dying on the
floor at the time. and within a week fol-
lowed the child to the grave. Within
bAIESt ears the tllAllt FANNY save only
the old man. were buried by the District.
There are many instances where the
dead have been rescued at the
last minute by relatives who arrived In
time TO save their loved ones from con
5ignment 10 the pauper burial grounds.
A man died in one OF the local hos
pitfalls some time since without telling
his name or giving any clue TO his iden-