The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-04-11
In straightened circumstances.

=, John Throckmorton, ST., Overseer of
the Poor, of Mount Holly, when spoken to
on the subject, said he knew nothing Of
the person referred to in the following
story, which appeared in Philadelphia
evening paper on Friday:
Mary Lukens, aged % years, widow,
and her fifteen months old baby, John, are
being cared for at the Park and Lehigh
avenue Police Station to-day. The wo-
man fell unconscious on the steps of the
station house at 2 o'clock Friday morning,
from hunger and exhaustion. Turnkey
Smith discovered the pair, his attention
having been attracted by the cries of the
child, and he carried them inside and
placed them in charge of the matron.
Friday morning they were awakened to
receive some good, hot food which Lieu
tenant Roney had sent for, and the poor
mother ate ravenously. Though only a
girl her face is worn with lines of care
and her hands are calloused with the hard
work which she has done. She evidently
was plump, well-formed woman at one
time, but her figure has wasted and her
youth itself has fed.
The baby is sickly infant, which cries
plaintively much of the time and is suf-
fering from lack of nourishment.
After she had had something to eat Mrs.
Lukens tried to tell Lieutenant Rooney
about herself, but she was still so weak
that her memory frequently failed her and
she could only give rambling account.
She and the child were put to bed again
by the matron and the lieutenant has COM
municated with the Mount Holly authori-
ties to see what he can learn about the I'M
fortunate little family.
The woman's husband died year ago
leaving her without the means of support
and with an infant to rear. The young
widow secured employment on neighbor-
her and she was unable to give her baby
the proper attention.
During the Winter months, when the
farmers had small need of assistance, Mrs.
Lukens struggled through a precarious
existence which she felt could not last
much longer Finally she determined to
come to Philadelphia and secure some
employment, and Tuesday morning she
set out, carrying baby John in her arms,
for she had nothing else to burden her.
For little way the young mother and
her child were given Gift in wagons of
farmers whom she knew, but after they
had gone several miles from Mount Holly
there were no more freerides, and shoulder
ing the baby Mrs. Lukens trudged logged
ly city ward.
For many miles she trudged, stopping
at farm houses to beg for bite to eat
for herself and her child, and sleeping in
barns and outhouses.
Thursday morning, foot sore aud racked
with the pains which her exposure had
brought on, Mrs. Lukens reached this
city. All day she wandered aimlessly
around, not knowing where to apply for
work nor where to go for lodging.
Food she begged, but both she and her
badly were in need of something more
than the cold crusts which are given out
at back doors. The mother was so weak
from her long tramp that she could hardly
stand, and little John was peevish and
kept up pitiful moan that wore terribly
on his mothers nerves.
Late Thursday night she asked a man
on the street for a few pennies and he
told her she had better go to the near
est police station, directing her how to
get to Park and Lehigh avenues. Scarcely
able then to draw one foot after another
Mrs. Lukens followed the directions given
her and went to the station house.