The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-21

IN her weary arms; and five minutes after
The clock struck one, she hangs the last
garment, OIL the line, and was just about
emp,yiny her tubs, when 'he.mlsl,ess came
in with a couple Of bed quilts, and saying,
:sas YOU have SO small wash 10 day, Ade.
line I mink you MAJ do these yet" left
,he room ayain. A wall Of agony wrung
rom The de.pes, fountain OF her heart,
ousbed TO her lips. Smotrering il as best
She could. she again took mp The board and
rubbed. rinsed, and hung out. II was half
mas, three when again she started for home
Lan hour TOO laie.n Aud the aged nara.
Tor sobbed.
&C. An hour loo laie," continued she, after
n long rause. Her husband was dying
yes, almos, gone. He had strength given
him 10 whisper few words 10 The hall fran
tic wiie-,o tell her how he had longed to
look upon her face, aud how that Till the
clock struck two he could see, but ailer
that, though he strained every nerve; he
Law in the shadow Of death, one hour she
plIowed his head upon her suffering heart,
aud ihen-he ras at rest.
"Bu, for the ,noughlless or grud2lnS ex
action of her mistress, she had once more
seen the love.ligh, fash in her husband S
eyes, aud he have looked upon her who was
so dear.
"Mary, Mary DEAR" ant there was a
soul.louching emphasis in the aged woman's
words; abe kind TO your washerwoma'i !;
instead of slrivin: 10 make Ter days woIk
as 10 ,g as it may be, shorten 1t, lish'en
il.
Few women will 90 out 10 daily wash
ing unless their needs are terrible. No wo-
man on her bridal day expects to labor IN
iha, way; and be sure, my niece, II con-
strained 10 do so, it is the last resort. That
poor woman laboring so hard for you has
not always been washerwoman. She has
seen bright, gladstone h'urs. She has
seen awful ,rials, TOO. can read her story
in her pale, sad lace. Be Kind 10 her, pay
her all she asks, and lie, her 60 home III
early as she can.
n
"You have finished in good season TO-
day, Susan,n said Mrs. Morton, as the
washerwoman, with hel old cloak and hood
on, entered The pleasant chamber 10 ask hel
pay.
Yes, ma'a that have, and my heat
is relieved Of heavy load, loo. was SO
afraid should be KEEP, till night, aud l am
needed SO al home.'
,Have you sickness ,herel" said Aunt
Hannah, kindly.
Tears gushed INTO the wom,n's eyes as
she answered, "Ah, ma'am, ! eft my baby
mos, dead this morning; he will I've quite
so Tomorrow; know il, have seen il loo
many times and 10 but child of nine
wears TO attend il. O, must go, aud quick.
" :" and grasping the money, the hard
earned money that she had loile' for while
her baby was dying, that when dead II
mi.hl have decent shroud, she hurried TO
her dreary home.
They followed her, the yonng wife who
had never known sorrow, and the aged
ma,ron whose hair was white with trouble
followed her to her bome-lhe home OF
the drunkatd's wife, the dTunkard's babes.
She was not too late. The tres dying boy
ye, knew its mother, yei craved a draughl
rom her loving breast. Until midnight
she pillowed him there, and then kind hands
took rom her The brea,hless form closed
the bright eyes, s'raighlened the tiny limbs,
balhed the cold clay, and folded about ii
the pure white shroud - yes, and more
They gave what the poor so seldom have:
time TO ueep.
go, auii,,n said Mrs. Morton, with tears
in her eyes al having seen the little cotfn-
ed baby borne 10 its last home. they re-
turned TO their own happy one "ii my heart
blesses you, low much more mus, poor
Susan's. Had i, moi been for you, she
would have been TOO la,e-lhe laby would
not have known lis mother. II has been a
sad yet holy lesson-I shall always now be
kind 10 the poor washerwoman. But, aunt,
was the story you told me true one - all
true, mean"
The reality Of that story whi,ened this
head when il had seen but thirty summers,
and the memory of il has been one OF my
keenest sorrOws. |, is not strange That l
should pity The poor washerwom an - AIDE
line and Aunt Hannah are one and The
same!"