Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1853-01-20
by Request.l
The F0OI'S Pence.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

Punch Bowl, sat It's mistress, the guadi-
| ly dressed Mrs. Crowder, conversing with
an obsequious neighbor.
why, Mrs. Crowder, l really must
say you have things in the first style =
What elegant paperingl what noble chairs!
what pair of fire screens all so bright
and fresh ! Then the elegant stone cop
ings to your windows, and these beauti-
full French window frames And you
have been sending your daughters to the
genteelest boarding school; your shop is
the best fitted in all this part of London.
Where can you find the needful for these
things? Dear Mrs, Crowder, how do you
manage 2"
Mrs. Crowder, simpered, and cast a
look of simple contempt through the half
open door, in the shop, filled with draugh-
ty customers. "The FOOLS pence--'tis the
FOOLS pence that does it for u.s." she said
and her voice rose more'shrill and lou
der than usual, with the triumph she felt.
Her words reached the ear of one Gus
toner, George Manly, the carpenter, who
stood near the counter. Turning his eyes
upon those around him, he saw pale, sunk
cheeks, infamed eyes, and ragged gar
ments. He then turned them upon the
stately apartment; he looked through the
door into the parlor, and saw looking
glasses and pictures, and gliding, and fine
furniture, and a rich carpet, and Miss
Lucy in silk gown at her piano; and he
thought to himself, how strange it isl
how curious it is that all this wretched-
ness on my left hand, should be made to
turn into all this rich fnery on my right
"Well, sir-and what's for you ?" said
shrill voice, which made the FOOLS pence
ring in his ears.
! "a glass of gin, ma'am, is what I am
waiting for; but l think I've paid the last
fools pence that l shall put down on this
counter for many long day"
Manley fastened home. His wife and
two little girls were seated at work. They
were thin and pale, and really in want of
food. The room looked very cherries !;
and their fire was so small as hardly to
be felt, yet the dullest observer would be
struck with the neatness that reigned.
1t was joyful surprise to them his re-
turning SO early that night, and return
ing sober in good humor.
q Your eyes are weak tonight wife" "
said George, " or else you have been cry
ing. I'm afrsid you work too much by
candle light"
His wife smiled, and said, Working
does not effect my eyes," and she beckon-
ed to her little boy, who was standing a
part in a corner-evidently as culprit.
why John, what's this [ see ?" said
his father. "Come and tell me what you
have been doing"
THE baker came for his money to-
night, and would not leave the loaves
without it; but though he was cross and
rough, he said mother was not to blame
and that he was sure you had been drink
ing away all the money; and when he was
gone, mother cried over her work, but
She did not say anything. I did not know
she was crying till | saw her tears drop
ping on her hand, and then | said bad
words, and mother put me in the corn
er."
! "Tell me what your bad words were,
john" said his father; "not swearing l
hope ~
"No," said John coloring; 81 said you
were bad mani said, bad father"
"And they were bad words, sure, " said
his mother, but you are forgiven, so
now bring me some coal from the box"
George looked at the face of his wife,
and as he met the tender gaze of her mild
blue eyes now turned to him, he felt the
tears rise to his own. He rose up, and
putting money into her hands, he said,
"There are my weeks wages. Come,
come, hold out both hands for you have
not got all yet. Lay it out for the best,
as you always do. l hope this will be
beginning of better doings on my part
and happier days on yours"
George told his wife, after the children
had gone to bed, that when he saw what
the pence of the poor could do towards
keeping up fine houses and dressing out
landlords wife and daughters, and when
he thought of his own hardworking and
uncomplaining Susan, and his children II
want, and almost in rags, while he was
sitting drinking night after night, destroy
ing his health and strength, he was SC
struck with sorrow and shame, that he
seemed to come to himself at last. He
determined from that hour never again tc
put the Intoxicating glass to his lips.
More than year afterwards, on Sun
day afternoon, as Mrs. Crowder of the
Punch Bowl was walking with her daugh
ters to the gardens, they were overta
ken by a violent shower of rain, and had
become at least half drenched, when they
entered a comfortable house, distinguish
ed by its comforts and tidings from al
the others near it. Its good natured mis-
tress and her two girls did all they coul(
to try and wipe away the rain drops ant
mud sulashes from the ladies' fine sill