Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-07-19
THE TRIAL OF FAITH.
A sketch for the Times.
BY ALICE Il. NEAL.

Il am very sorry, Mrs. Bond-I would give you
work as soon or sooner than any of our hands, but
now that the press of the holiday business is owe,
really there is nothing doing
Thefashionable upholsterer might have told her
that with all her need he was scarcely less troub
led than herself He knew not how to meet his
daily engagements, their sales had been SO much
less than their importations had anticipated. On
the floor below them whole cases of costly broc-
AIDES and damasks were lying unpacked, and in
the salesroom, usually so thronged at this season
ofthe year. the richest fabrics were lying untouch
cd upon the shelves, and boxes of rare lace and
embroidery seldom saw tho sunlight they were
destined to temper. -..as-t s
The poor woman knew he spoke the truth, yet
she had chung so to this last hope of employment
If they who had known and trusted her SO long
could not furnish it, what hope was there of a
chance engagement, when thousands of her own
sex were unable to earn the bread they ate, and
strong, active men roamed the streets idly, while
their wives and children starved Mt homel
In all revcrscs and sorrows which Mary Bond
had met with before, she had been brave and even
thankful. She had been proud and happy moth.
er, the mistress of comfortable home. One by
one these blessings had been Withdrawn by the
hand that gave them, and she had not mourned
sinfully. Her husbands long illness and death,
laying her first born beside him in the same fatal
slumber, her noble boy so frank and loving, to
whom she had come to look for love and sympa-
thy in his fathers stead-those were enough to
shake the strongest faith yet she had 'glorifed
God in the fires
Such blows made it easier for her to give up her
comfortable home, and accept her lot henceforth
with those whose daily labor supplied her daily
needs. She had grown almost cheerful again, in
this busy lie and sang at her needle to quiet the
little one who lay on the floor at her feet, whose
pretty supplications had been at first SO hard to
Al
among whom she was thrown, and cheered them
with sympathy and hopeful words. But want
actual want of food and fire in this bitter weather,
stood before her now and temptations to doubt
the goodness and wisdom of Providence grew
stronger and stronger. She could bear the cold
and hunger herself, she had done so many night
already, wrapping her shawl more closely around
her benumbcd fingers, and trying TO forget that
she was supperless, as she watched her children
in their deep and hcathful sleep. She had even
been thankful for the necessity to employ every
moment, lest i'll ease and plenty she should have
found time for mIrmuring. This wretched idle
ness, then, to which she must look forward, was
doubly hard i'll the prospect of suffering thro' the
need of her children, and the temptation that
would come with it to their lonely room.
Il would work at half price, Mr. Mercer, will
hngly, she said, lingering on the staircase, with
her heart choking full at the mornings disap-
pointments. She knew, when she offered to do so,
that she had been scarcely able to live thus far,
even with the little hoard saved from the sale other
furniture to draw upon. That was all gone now
her last coin was slipped in her well worn, well
mendcd cotton glove, to purchase loaf on her
way home.
Il am sorry Mr. Mercer said again kindly, con-
sidering the hourly applications that made to
him, and his own mental disquict; but every one
is willing to do the same. We really have no
work to give at any price
In spite of her strong resolutions. the tears
ly blinded Mrs. Bond, as she CROPPED down the
long and dark winding staircase to the salcsroom
below. The clerks still retained for appearance
sake, walked idly backward and forward, watch
ing the weather thro' the plate-gl doors and
windows measuring their strides down the room
by the mcdallions on the velvet carpet. She hur-
ried past them into the street below. The snow
was falling, not thick and fast with promise of
sleigh bells, and gay parties but floating drcarily
down, as if 10th to stain its purity by melting III
to the mire below. The store windows made a
jest ofbeing gay with the display ofholiday wares,
and the carriages of those considered wealthy,
splashcd the pasSers by. Mrs. Bond paused before
Il low shop, where she had sought occasional en-
before her more profitable engagement
with Mr. Mercer.
Il will try once more she said to herself, rs
she waited for a gay carriage party to cross the
pavement. 1t was apparently mother and daugh-
II,
tation and delight, heightened by every charm of
dress. There was no suggestion of hard times
tho the prophetic cry, now realized, was almost
every lip, i'll the perfect toilet of these elegant
women. The little feet exposed to the inclcmcncy
of the day, almost as much by their Partisan boots
as her own by her worn out shoes, hands gloved
so daintily hounces ruStling her own coarse clo-
thing as they swept past. Two younger children
with their nurses remained in the carriage The
seat just vacated had its litter of hafopcn parcels
toys IL cakes, and tempting confectionery, which
they appropriated without rebukc or scruple. A
feeling almost of hate ercpt mp into the poor wo-
mans heart as she contrasted with these gaily
dressed puppets, her own little ones locked up in
their ill-turnised room, without an attendant, and
waiting their long deferred meal of dry bread she
would bring.
There was half-sullen, haf-defant air about
her she followed the mother of these children,
which would have frightened herif she had known
it. for 1t embodied the war and rebellion OF her own
mind not only against these favorites of fortune,
but he who made them 10 differ.
There the same answer awaited hcr-there was
no work to be given ont, their own regular hands
were unemployed. 1t was the same cry every
where. Well, then! she must starve--or beg of
such pampered ,purse-proud tavorites as those she
had just encountered. But for her children she
would die first.
How long must this state of things continue ?
said one gentleman to another, as they waited on
the ladies' slow selection OF an embroidery dress
There will be a terrible distress among the poor
God alone knows-business must revive lit
tie in the spring. Ii We can get thro the stagna-
ton of February, X the early March ayments
Two months yet! tho't Mrs. Bond, as she caught
the words. Up TO that time, by the prepayment
demanded of poor dodgers like herself, she would
have a shelter but food and fire, where were they
to come FROM
But mamma, this is so much more elegant
urged the young girl, who was hesitating between
two tlounces of lace, destined to drape her first
real ball dress.
And the difference in cost, so trihing,' added
the ready shop woman. aT.s
The lady opened and shut her gold bordered
port m0RRaie mechanically.
Only ten dollars, MIA am! in the whole fiounce.
Only ten dollars-well that is but a trite conf
pared TO your being really suited, Augusta We
will take the Brussels-but don't let your father
know for mercy sake, how much the whole thing
comes to- He will be preaching hard times again
before you know it.
The girl, thus taught a lesson of duplicity and
by mother, responded by an expressive glance,
that said palmer than words, never fear,-trust
me for THAR and drew her dress out of contact
with the poor woman passing.
Some bcggar, said the polite shop woman,
looking after her; the store is crowded with them