The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1925-09-18

thousands for the entertain
ment of numerous visitors
many of whom are coming for
their first visit, there is case
of gaunt poverty in its very
midst that stands in need of
help. A Young wife, 70 wears
old, is fighting her wav 10 life
against typhoid in a little room
in the mill district, while her
husband is unable to furnish
the clothing she will need when
she RECEIVERS.
Living in q small room. near the
Elizabeth City Cotton Mills. Mrs.
Aldine Sample. the child wife OF
Marvin Sample Of this city. is in
circumstances about as destitute
as it is possible to he. The room In
which she has battled against ter
rible siege Of typhoid fever for six
weeks is barely large enough to hold
the sQualid bed she lies on. The
house is the six room mill workers
tenant home where Alfred Sawyer,
shot himself to death some weeks
ago, and the room in which Mrs.
Sample is ill, is the only room that
is not entirely devoid Of furniture
or furnishings.
There is no stove in the home, no
table, no couch, nor other comforts
of any kind. The little room con-
tains only an uncomfortable bed,
two rickety stool chairs, a cheap
dresser and two window shades that
have long outlived their usefulness.
The couple have been married
nearly a. year. They battled along
somehow. Part Of the time they liv-
ed with relatives Of Mrs. Sample.
Later they tried it on their own. A
short while ago they were unable
to keep up the payments on their
furniture and they had to let 1t 60.
Here Is a crying example for the
need of strieter marriage laws. A
couple too young, and utterly un-
fitted for the serious business OF
making a living in double harness,
got married. Mrs. Sample Is the
daughter Of a Mrs. Gibbs, a Hyde
County widow, about 3S years old,
who moved to this city: from Engle-
hard bringing Ner nine children
with her, in the ihopefGf making a
living for them in the local mills.
The oldest of her children was only
about II years Of age. The children
are frail and uneducated.
The oldest daughter Aldine,
found work in a hosiery mill. Short
ly afterward; young Sample became
acquainted with her and paid
ardent court. He was extremely
Jealous as q suitor, being only IL
wears of age, and has been an ultra
Jealous husband. They bargained
to get married.
About a year ago, the Sample boy
gave his betrothed nine dollars to
buy her trousseau. She found
dress that suited her at. a local
store, and wore it the afternoon she
bought it. It was nice to have a silk
dress to wear as much as one liked.
1T is bad luck to wear your wed.
ding dress before marriage her
mother told her, "and you will live
to see it worn out, before you are
married"
Sure enough the dress was worn
out before the wedding day. But
the couple finally agreed on the date
and were examined by local ply.
,ician. The mother was anxious
for the girl Of barely Is to get
married. But relatives Of the
Sample boy, opposed the marriage
md license was refused the couple
n Elizabeth City.
The couple got to South Mills,
we're re-examined by a doctor there
Ind found somebody at Shiloh in
Camden County, named Seymour,
Who married them, and they came
Jack to Elizabeth City to live.
Times Get Harder
Mrs. Gibbs, the girls mother soon
lfterward went to Durants Neck.
where she rented a small farm, and
undertook to raise a crop with the
lelp Of the seven children who stay.
ID with her. The responsibility OF
aising the crops has rested on the
houlders of two small boys aged
3 and Is years, but, all the small
,hildren have done their part.
The young Sample boy, making
'ut somehow at first, soon got I'm
nore destitute circumstances. After
while he was unable to board his
wife. Her clothes soon wore out,
nd she had no more. Relatives Of
he boy gave the couple a lift from
ime to time, since the girls illness,
he boy has been working with E. L.
highway contractor Of
his city.
Living alone In the one room OF
ne destitute mill home, where de-
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