Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1882 — RAW MEAL. [ARTICLE]

RAW MEAL.

An Illinois Man Stealing to Save Bis Family From Starvation. There are many cases of destitution in this city and vicinity, the result of the recent high waters, and the most harrowing tales of suffering come to our ears from every source. It seems that the most destruction was caused on the Illinois side of the Wabash River, above this city, about the line dividing Lawrence and Crawford Counties, in Illinois. One of the most wretched cases was detailed to the Enquirer correspondent by a person of undoubted veracity. A poor laborer, with a family of children who had not had food for two entire days, went to a mill in the neighborhood to ask credit for a twenty five pound sack of corn-meal For reasons the propriety of which is not necessary to discuss, the miller refused. The man, driven to desperation by the vision of his starving little ones which arose before his eyes, seized a sack of the coveted meal and hastened toward his heme as fast as his legs could carry him. The miller did not give chase, but went instead to a Constable and sent him to the house of the hungry thief to either bring the meal back or arrest the man. The Constable set out on his mission and arrived at the home of the starving family in time to witness a most extraordinary sight. Fearing pursuit, and impelled by hunger to “make hay while the sUn shone,” figuratively speaking, the man, woman, and children were mixing np the meal with cold water and eating it raw, fearing that delay necessary to its cooking would be disastrous. The Constable, disgusted with the motive of his visit, quietly stole away, leaving the poor people in the enjoyment of their meal, to tell the hard-hearted mill* r that another officer than he must be selected to make the desired arrest. —Irring 111. Argo.