Bisbee daily review., 1918-11-01
MISFORTUNE LAYS ITS
 HAND UPON OLD MAN
 CAUSES SUF FIRING
NDREDs OF AUTOMOBILES PASS HIS LoWLY TENT ON Lo- WELL-W A RREN ROAD BUT NONE GUESS SORROW WHICH BURDENED HIS SIMPLE SOUL


 Every day for the past few weeks hundreds of automobiles, driven by at least well-to-dO people, have passed swiftly by a little tent pitched by the side of the paved roadway as it [ passes over the hill just beyond Lowell and toward Warren. If any of the drivers or the passengers in these machines had looked toward the tent in the morning or evening hour of their passing they might have seen an old man, stocky of build, with gray whiskers and hair. bending over a little campfire before the tent. or standing erect, looking wistfully to- ward the far horizon, that curtain of blue and white and gray from whence all good dreams come and to which all fond hopes and applications are sent, often upon unspoken wings. but nevertheless expressed by the dumb and suffering spirit.
 How many people have stopped their cars on the hill and alighted to address a word of hope or en- couragement to that old man? How many have offered to help him in his misfortune?
 Surely no pilgrim in all this vale of tears has had more trouble, trial and tribulation than this old man and his family and his partner. all of whom call this tent home. It will be remembered that it was this family who were driving in the car that was -fr hr- hn ho1 . h, Corta crossing on the way to Osborne a few days ago. The little girl was killed and two other members of the family badly hurt and this old man stunned and shattered by the stroke from the train.
 But it is probably not known that misfortune had been travelling with them before they met that fateful train. This old man and his partner and their families were living in a pleasant valley near Fresno. Cal, a few months ago, where they made a living from their gardens and their fruit trees. There came a chance to trade their holdings there to a man for a ranch near Wilcox, Ariz. So they disposed of their gear and fur and drove eastward in their car to go on this ranch. But when they reached Wilcox they found that the ranch had already been sold. Pay ments for their household and farm gear failed to materialize. They could not sell their California land and so they drove on down here on the chance of getting work. Then came the tragedy of the railroad crossing. Then the waiting for word and help from friends and kin back on the coast. But instead of help came word of more misfortunes.
 The old man of the tent told it all to the newspaper man last evening. Told it in that monotone between hope not yet dead and despair not yet come. His sons wife had just died and another son was i'll. He him. self was penniless. A man had sent provisions to the tent that had lasted a week or more This seemed to be a rich community: he did not believe it would pass him entirely by. He would get on sOmshow. he thought. Soon he would be recovered from the accident and could do a little work. The folks at the hospital were a little better; just a little. One child had been sent back to the coast with the corpse of the little girl. Yes. kin back there had sent for them. His car was wrecked. But with a little help now he could get by. he thought. ! es, he had few beans for supper. For breakfast? He did not know. Maybe there would be a little some thing
 Now this newspaper man does not believe the people here know or about this case of this tent and this old man and his family and his misfOrtunes If it did. more cars would stop on the hM that throws its shadow over the little tent Just a little food for the hungry and a word of sympathy and kindness for the unfortunate: that is all If you want to help and have no car, leave a little food at The Review office and the newspaper man will add his mite and leave it there at the tent This old man is a simple. kindly. gentle old man: a type of many thousands of old men from back east or on the Pacific coast. whose sons have come and built up this part of the west. Mis- fortune has suddenly laid a heavy hand on him; that is all.