Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-09-22
KNOWLEDGE NOT UNFRIENDLY TO LABOR AND
HAPPINESS,

KNOWLEDGE NOT UNFRIENDLY TO LABOR AND
HAPPINESS.
"How envy those ignorant Irish girls ~ said
Lucy Shannon to her father. 81 wish | was one
of them, and then would not be wretched.''
Lucy was the daughter of gentleman who
had lost his property through the msmanagement
of others in whom he had confded. In his pros
perty, he had afforded his daughters the best
means of obtaining useful education, and few
young ladies were accomplished and at the
same time capable.
When the blow first fell upon him. they braced
themselves to bear it, and not fully realizing the
depriyations to which they to be subjected,
they were resigned. and even cheerful. Mr..
Shannon, who had passed the meridian of life,
but who still retained good portion of activity,
did not despond, because he felt assured that, as
there had been no loss of integrity in the loss of
property, those who had been his companions in
| prosperity would be ready, and even anxions to
furnish him with the means of commencing busi-
ness again in safe and limited way, and in the
success of economy and unring industry, he had
! the fullest confidence.
! His expectations, however, were fallacious.-
One rich to whom be applied for a small
loan, refused because the bankrupt could give no
security but his character for probity nd general
! intelligence. A clergyman, who was immensely
rich, refused on the ground that he had placed all
! 10 whom however, he did not even refer the
applicant A third, who had been his physi.
clan. and who was very wealthy. regretted that he
! had just engaged in erecting block of buildings
and it required all he had and more too, and he
was himself obliged to borrow. The fourth that
| friends should never have any pocunary concerns
with each other, for it always DESTROYED friend.
! ship. Discouraged by these applications, Mr..
Shannon determined to starve rather than ask as
sistance. His daughters seeing his distress, and
/ knowing that the day of need could not be very
distant determined TO make ar effort to turn their
talents to advantage. The first attempt was &c
obtain something by writing for the maga zines
The eldest wrote tale for Sunday School estab.
! lshment, and left to be examined specimen OF
a series to follow. The second one wrote a poem
and presented it for publication to the editor of o
popular magazine. The third hired neat room
and proposed to teach small school. The fourth
| hoped to obtain employment in painting
maps or engravings and the fifth intended to ply
| her needle in company with her mother, who
though in feeble health, was determined not TO be
spectator only, of the industry around her.
For few days the hope of employment en-
couraged the family; but sadness over them
when they obliged to leave their comfortable
and spacious dwelling and retire TO SIN all dwell
| ing, in which they must be subjected to much in
/ convenience. Their furniture sold Mt auction
| bv the assignees, and The portion exempted by
| law from sale, not sufficient to furnish even
the tenement which they were obliged 10 occupy.
| In q few days the means of purchasing the
daily food for the family beginning TO fail, the
eldest daughter went to the agent of the Sunday
School association, and told that her story
was well written but not sufficiently doctrnal.-
She then carried it to weekly paper and after
waiting two months to have it read, she in.
formed tha; it was approved, but the proprietor had
concluded not to pay for any tales, because he
/ no w1ntpd 0f $50
not so well written, to DO sure, but good enough
for common readers.
| The second daughter, after delivering her poem
| a, the magazine Office. and waiting month or
more, was informed that it had been mslad and
probably lost. The teacher sat, day after day, in
her school-room, expecting applications, but al
though she had sold valuable gold ring to pay for
the printing and distribution of advertising
circular, no pupils applied. The weather, in the
mea ntme, became cold, and having means 10
purchase stove and fuel. she took severe cold,
and, being seriously sick, required all the care of
her mother, during the day, and of her sisters
by turn at night. No employment In painting
could be procured by tine fourth daughter for many
weeks; but at last considerable job, was engaged
a; very low price. AS the hope of the family
seemed TO rest upon the sisters all took hold, and
the work was done very promptly and very we'll.
The employer was well satisfied. but he did not
pay them, and because they called too soon, as he
thought, for payment, he conciadeu not 10 employ
such troublesome persons any more. Not finding
employ from others, the youngest parted with
some valuable books, at sacrifice, and purchased
some cloth, which she made up in the hopes OF
| finding purchaser for ready made articles; but
she was obliged sell the articles at less than the
cost of the materials, TO get medicine for
| her sick and suffering sister.
| Unable to get sna! loan from any of his for
mer friends, TO recommence business, Mr.. Shan
non endeavored to obtain employment as book.
keeper or clerk but his friends could not bear
to employ one who had perhaps employed them
in other times, and strangers preferred a younger
man. 1t was on his return home, after vain