The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-11-22


the wash tub for. the scantiest living.
j. Long before light she would rise every
morning and labor for the dear ones of
her lowly home, and then with many a
kiss upon the lips of her pale companion
and sleeping boy, start out through the
cold deep snow, and gropes her, way to
the too often smoky, gloomy kitchen, and
to toll there at rubbing, pounding, rims
ing, starching--not unfreauently wading
knee deep in the drifts, to hang out the
clothes that froze even ere she had fas
tened them on the line. And when
nigat. came, with her half dollar she
would again grope through the cold and
snow to her oft-times lightless and fire.
less home, for her husband was too sick
much of the time to tend even the fire or
strike light. And o, with what a
shivering heart she would draw near
them, fearing ever she would be too late.
It is fact that for six weeks at one
time, she never saw the face of her hus-
band or her Guild, save by lamplight, ex-
cept only on the Sabbath. How glad
she would have been to have .once in a
while had small wash gathered for her.
One dark winter morning, as she was
busy preparing the frugal breakfast and
getting everything ready ere she left,
her husband called her to the bedside.
Ada" said he, in almost whisper,
81 want you should try and get home
early to night-be home before sundown,
do. Ada"
"I'll try" answered she with choked
utterance.
1 >" Do try, Ada. I have strange de-
/ k1o 60 ~
day is Friday-I have not seen it since
Sunday must look upon it once
[ again"
.'Do you feel worse, Edward !" asked
she anxiously, feeling his pulse as she
spoke. -.
No, no, I think not but / do want
TO see your face once more by sunlight.
cannot wait till Sunday"
Gladly would she tarry by his bed
side till the sunlight should have stolen
through their little window-but it
might not be. She was penniless, and in
the dusk of the morning must go forth
to labor. She left him, sweet kisses
given and taken, and sweet words whis-
pered in the sweetest love tones. She
reached the kitchen of her employer, aud
with a troubled face waited for the
basket to be brought. A beautiful smile
played over her wan face as she assort-
ed its contents. She could get through
easily by two o'clock, yes and if she hur-
ried, perhaps by one. Love and anxiety
lent new strength to ber. weary arms !;
and In FIVE minutes after the clock struck
one, she hangs the last garment on the
line, and was just about emptying her
| he ho-, th
couple of bed quilts, and saying, "as you
hadea small wash, to-day, Adaline, l
think you may do these yet,' left the
room again. A wall of agony, wrung
from the deepest fountain of her heart,
gushed to her lips. Smothering it as
best she could, she again took up the
board, and rubbed, rinsed and hung
out. It was haif past three when again
she started for home-an hour too late !
And the aged narrator sobbed. =.
g An hour too late" continued she
after long pause. "Her husband wcs
dying-yes, almost gone. He had
strength given him to whisper few
words to the half frantic Tife-to tell
her how, he longed to.look upon her face,
and how till the clock struck two
he could see, but.after that, though he
strained every nerve, he layin the sha-
dow of death. One hour be pillowed his
head upon her suffering heart, and then
j lie, lcas at rest.
q But for the thoughtless or grudging
exaction of her mistress, she had once
more seen the love-light fash in her
husbands eyes, and he have looked upon
one who was so dear.
Mary, Mary, DEAR" and there was
a soul-touching emphasis in the aged
woman's words, be kind to your wash
erwomau instead of striving to make
her days work as long as may be, shor-
ten it, Tighten it."
" Few women will go out to daily
! washing. unless their needs are terrible
No woman on her bridal day expects to
labor. in that way, and be sure m 5, niece,
if constrained to do so it is the last re-
sort. That poor woman laboring now
SO hard for you has not always been a
washerwoman. She has seen bright
| gladstone hours. She has seen awful
trials, too. | can read her story in her
pale; sad face. Be kind to her, pay her
all she asks, and let her go home as
early as she can."
"You have flushed in good season to-
day, Susan" said Mrs. Merton, as the
washerwoman, with her old cloak and
hood on, entered the pleasant chamber
to ask her pay.
Yes, ma'am, that I have, and my
heart, ma'am, is relieved of heavy
lead, too. L was so afraid 1 should be
kept till night, and l am needed SO at
home"
"Is there sickness there ?" asked aunt
Hannah kindly.
Tears gushed to the woman's eyes as
she answered, "Yes, ma am, 1 left my lit
tie baby most dead this morning he
will be quite so tomorrow 1 know it, I
have seen it too many times, and none
but child of nine years to attend it.
o, must go and quickly" And grasp
ing the money, the hard earned money
that she had toiled for while her baby
was dying. that when dead it. might
have descent shroud, she hurried to
her dreary home.
They followed her, the young wife who
had never known sorrow, and the aged
matron whose hair was white with trou-
ble-followed her to her-the home Of
the drunkard's wife, the drunkard's
babes. She was not too late. The qcee
dying boy yet knew its mother, yet
craved a draught from her loving breast.
Until midnight she pillowed him there,
and then kind hands took from her the