The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-21
MISCELLAN EO US.
THE P,oR WAsHERWOMAN.
by MRS. CAROLINE A. soULE.

bed Quilt Into the wash to-day lit don'l
really need TO 90 either, bu, believe I'll
send il down."
"Why will you put it in, Mary, ifit does
not need TO go!' asked her good old aunt
Hannah, in her quiet bu, expressive way.
"Why you see, aunt, we have but small
wash TODAY; so small that Susan will gel
through by one o'clock al The latest, and ]
shall have 10 pay her jus, the same as though
she worked till night, St."
"Stopa momen, aud ihink. Suppose
YOU were in The situation lha, poor Susan is,
obliged, you tell me, TO toll over The wash
tub six DAYS out o. the seven for the bare
necessaries of life, would not you be glad
once in a while 10 gel through before nj! hi,
TO have a few hours OF daylight 10 labor Tor
yourself and family, OF better still few
hours 10 resi-! Mary dear, il is hard, hard
way Tor woman 10 earn her living BE-
grn,l.e not the poor creature her halt dollar.
This is the fourth day in succession she has
risen by candle-ight aud plodded through
the cold here aud ihele TO her customers
houses and ,oiled away existence. Let her
90 n, noon il she gets through; who knows
but she may have come from the sick couch
OF some loved one, aud that she counts The
hours, yes, the minutes, till she can relu'n,
lea,ing ever she may come one too lale.-
Put i, back on the he I. aud sil down here
while tell you wha, one poor washer
woman endured because her employer did
as YOU would 10 make out the wash" A.;i
the old lady took off her glasses aud wiped
away the tear drops hat IRON some cause
had gathered in her aged eyes, and then
with iremulous voice related The promised
story.
"There was never n more blihesome bri
dial than iha, of Adaline Raleigh's. There
was never a maiden who went 10 The Mar.
rage altar with higher hopes, more bliss.
ful aniicipaiions. Welding the man OF her
choice, he whose love.tones had ever Thrill
led her heart like music gush from The
land Of light, he who was dearcr 10 her
far than her own existence, young,
talented, noble fellow; one OF whom
amy woman might be proud, il was no Won
der that morn seemed a golden wall from
| Ellen. Few indeed have q SUMNER life in
prospec, than had she. Aud for ten years
there fell no shadow on her path. Her
home was one al beauty aud rare luxury
her husband the same kind, loving man as
in the days OF courlship, winning laurelS IN
his profession, adding new comforts TO his
hcme. and new joys TO his fireside-and be-
sides these blessings. God had given anoth-
er "A ilile crib stood by her bedside, lis
tenant golden haired baby boy, the i'm
aye of lis nober father, and dearer TO those
welded lovers than aughi else earth could
offer.
"But | must not dwell on those happy
DAYS; my story has 10 do with other ones
II was with them as of il is with others |;
JUS, when the cup is sweetest, /, is dashed
away: Jus, when The beam is brightest, The
clouds gather. A series of mi,ior,unes aud
reyerses occurred with startling rapldiiy,
and swep, from them everything but love
and their baby boy. Spared TO one another
and 10 that, they bore brave heart, and in
distant city began anew their fortune
Well and strongly Gid they Struggle, and al
length began once more 10 see The sunll9h'
of prosperity shine upon their home. But
lille while il stayed, and then The shad-
ows tell. The husband sickened and lay
for many month upon weary concii,
Iangui.hing 10, only with mental and bod.
| ily main, bu, olieniimes for TODD and med.
icine. All ,ha, she could do, the wife per-
formed with a faithful hand. She went
from one thing TO another, I'll! al length she
who had worn a satin garg and pearls upon
her bridal day, toiled a, the wash tub ior
the scan,iesi living. Long before light she
would rise every morning, and labor Tor The
dear ones OF her lowly home. aud then with
many kiss upon the lips of her pale com
pauion aud sleeping boy, start through the
cold deep snow, and grope her way to The
loo often smoky, gloomy kitchen, and toll
there a, rubbing, pounding, rnsine, starch
ing - no, unfreQuen,ly wading knce-deer
i'm The drihs TO hang out The clothes ina
froze even ere she had fastened inem oil The
line. Aud when night came, with he'
half dollar she would again grope through
The cold and snow 10 her o(-iimes lighiles'
and fireless home, for her husband was Toe
sick much Of the time To tend even the hrt
or strike n linhl. And Oh, with wha, shiv
ering hear, she would draw near them, fear
ins ever she would be loo late. j, is a fact
tha, for six weeks a, one time, she neve
saw the face Of her husband or her child
save by lamp light, except only OH lh'
Sabbath. How glad she would have beer
! TO have once in while had small vast
gathered for her!
{" One dark winter morning, as sho wa
busy preparing tho frugal breakfast and get
, ling everything ready ere she leii, her hus
band called her 10 The bedside.
"Ada,n said he in almos, Whisper y
wan, YOU should Try and &c, home early
lo.nigh, - DO home before shutdown, do
Ada.n -.
, "pll iry,n answered she with choake'
, ,uiterance. r .... ..r...4rs tL l.r
> "Do try, Ada. have a strange desir'
. 10 see your face by sunlish, to-day is Fri
, day Il have not seen j, since Sunday :.
' must look upon i,once again" y.
I "Do you feel worse, Edward!p asked she
e anSrusly feeling his pulse as she spoke.rr
!. I" No, no, think not but ! do wan, I
'f see your face once more BY sunlight. can
}. no, wai, till Sunday" " ~
$ Gladly would she iarry by his bcdsid,
!. till the sunligh, should have stolen ,hrougl
their lille window-but j, might not be-
She was peuniless, aud in The duck olmoru
ing must 90 forth 10 labor. She len him
Q sweet kisses gwen and taken, and swee
Q words whispered in the sweetest lovesiones
Il She reached The kitchen Of her employer
IS and with a troubled face waited for the bas
n ke, TO be brought. A beautiful smile passe
u over her wan face as she assorted is cot