Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-06-07

| you might see why we couldn't save mon.
ey like neighbor Jones'. am sure / am
very careful in our expenses, and havn',
bought myself a new gown for long
time, although | am very bad off for clothes
The way in which Ralph replied to his
wife's suggestion of the cause of the evil
complained Of, determined her to say nc
more; and as he felt some convictions on
the subject, which he was not willing to
| admit, he was ever afterwards silent about
! the unaccountable way in which his money
| went.
In about the same ratio that the external
condition of Thomas Jones improved, did
that of Ralph Lyon grow worse and worse.
For not being able TO save anything, he
gradually began to fall in debt. When
quarter day came round, there were gen.
orally dollars wanting to mike up the rent;
and their landlord, with much grumbling
on his part, was compelled to wait for the
balance some two or three weeks beyond
the due day. At length The quarter day
found Ralph with nothing laid by for his
rent. Somehow or other he was not able
to earn as much from sickness, and days
lost from other causes; and what he did
earn appeared TO melt away like snow in
the sunshine.
Poor Mrs. Lyon felt miserable at the
aspect Of things; more especially, as in adj
di.ion to the money squandered at the ale
house BY her husband, he often came home
intoxicated. The grief to her was more
severe from the fact that she loved Ralph
tehderly, Notwithstanding his errors. When
he came home in liquor, she did not chide
him, nor did she say anything to him about
ii when he was sober: for then he appeared
so ashamed and put down that she could
not find it in her hcnst TO utter single
word.
One day she had been alarmed by q
message from Ralph that he had been ar
rested, while at work, for debt, by his land>
lord, who was going to throw him in Jail.
They now owed him over twenty dollars
The idea Of her husband being thrown into
Jail was terrible to poor Mrs. Lyons. She
asked kind neighbor TO take care Of her
children for her, and then putting on her
bonnet, she almost flew to the magistrates
Office. There was Ralph with an officer
by his side roady 10 remove him 10 prison.
You shan't take my husband TO JAIL
she said, wildly, when she saw the real as
pect Of things, clinging fast hold of Ralph.
Nobody shall take him to jail
Il am sorry, my good woman said the
e,o do SO, but it can't be helped,
the deb, must be paid, or your, husband
must 60 to Jail. lhave no discretion in
The matter. Can you find means to pay
The debt? II not, perhaps you had better
60 md see ) our landlord; you may prevail
Oh him to wait a little longer for his money
and not send your husband to Jail.
les, Sally, do go and see him. snid
Ralph; 4 am sure he will relent when he
sees you. fsss
Mrs. Lyon let go the arm of her hus.
band, and darting from the Office, rnn at
full speed tot The house of their landlord.
oh, sir!' she exclaimed, you cannot,
you will not send my husband to JAIL
I both can and will, was the gruf re,
ply. "a man who drinks up his earnings
is he does, and then when quarter day
comes, cam. pay his rent, deserves to go
10 JAIL zs@.=.s
But, sir, consider
Dom. talk to me woman! If you have
he money for the rent, | will take il, and
et your husband go free; il not, the quick.
er you leave hero the better
Ii was vain she saw to strive with the
hardhearted man whose face was like irsn |
leaving the house, she hastcned
back TO the Office, but her hush and was not
here. In her absence be had cen re,
moved to prison. When Mrs. Lyons fully
this, she made no remark, but
urned from the magistrate and walked
home with step. The weakness Of the
woman had been giving way to the quick>
sning energies of the wife, whose husband
was in prison, and could not be released
except by her effort. On entering her
louse she went to her drawers, and took
herefrom silk dress, but little worn;
nother's present when she wns married; a
shawl that she had bought from her own
earnings when happy maiden; few ar>
icles of jew elry, that had not been worn
or years, ,nost of them presents from Ralph |
before they had stood at the bridal altar,
Ind sundry other thing 8 that could be dis
,ensed with. These she took to pawn
brokers' and obtained an advance of fifteen
iollars. She had two dollars in the house
which made seventeen; the balance of the
required sum she borrowed from two or
hree of her .neighbors, and then hurried
IF to obtain her husbands release.
For time the rigid proceedings Of The
andlord proved q useful lesson TO Ralph |
Lyon. He worked more steadily, and was
-ather more careful of his earnings. But
his did no. last a great while. Appetite
ong INDUCED, was strong, and he soon re-
turned to hissold habits.
The shock the Imprisonment Of her hus-
band produced, awcke Mrs. Lyon TO the
necessity of doing something TO increase
heir income. All that he brought home
each week was scarcely sufficient TO buy
food and il was clear there would be moths
ing with which TO pay rent when The nex,
quarter day came round unless i. should
be the product of her own exerticns. Plain
sewing was obtained by Mrs. Lyon, and
additional labor Of three or four hours in
the twenty,four added TO her already over
tasked body. Instead of feeling rebuked