The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-01-05
5 How much do you make towards supporting
your fap,ily2' aSked z-. s@s-,... as.as- =

your fanllys asked. seez sc -Ez
Nearly all they get to live on. and that inst
much she said bitterly. Ny husband some
times pays the rent, and sometimes doesn't even
do that / have made IS high four or FIVE
dollars in week-but oftener two or three is the
mos. get
How in the world you support yourself
and husband, and four children. on three dollars
week.
1 have to do it, was her simple answer
There are women who would be glad to get three
dollars week. They would think themselves
we'll off, s5 81
But how do you live on so small sum-
w have to deny ourselves almost every little
necessaries of life. After those who can afford
TO pay good prices for their marketing have been
supplied. we come IN for part Of what remains.
l often get meat enough for few cents to last me
several days. And the same way with vegeta-
bles. After The markets are over, the butchers
and country people, whom We know, let US have
lots of things for almost nothing. sooner than
take home. In this way make slender
means go a great deal farther than they would if
we had to pay the highest market price for every
thing. But, it too often happens, that what we
gain here is lost in the eagerness we feel TO sell
whatever we have. especially when. from having
walked an cried for long time. we become
much fatigued. AIN : every one complains
that we ask too mucn for our things, If we
happen to be one or two cents above what some
body has paid in market-where ,ae.e Al
most many different prices AS there are persons
who sell; and in CONSCIENCE, almost every one
tries TO beat US down.
1t often happens, that after have walked for
four hours, and sold but very little, have parted
with my whole stock at cost to some two or three
ladies who would not have bought from me at all.
if they had mt known that they were making good
bargains out of nle-and this, because could not
bear up any longer think it very hard, some
times. when ladies'. who have every thing in full
and plenty take off of me nearly all my profits,
after | have toiled through the hot sun for hours
or shivered in the cold of winter. 1T no doubt
right enough for every one TO be prudent, and
buy things low possible, but it has never
seemed to me quite Just for q rich lady to beat
down poor fish woman, or strawberry woman .
cent two on bunch or q basket, when that
very cent made, perhaps, one third or one half Of
: her profits.
1t was only yesterday that ! stopped. at
house to sell bunch of fish. The lady took
fancy TO a nice bunch of small rock, for which
asked her twenty cents. They had cost me Just
sixteen cents @ss.,sr~s8 "a A., .,ses..
Won t You take three fips?' she asked. ',s--
That leaves me too small profit, madam l
replied.
You want too much profit she returned 4
:: saw Just such buch of fish in market Yesterday
for three fps sea -
Yes. but remember replied, that here are
the fish at your door. You neither have to send
for them, nor bring them home yourself -
ooh, as to that she answered. I've got a
waiter whose business it is to carry the marketing
II is all the same to me. So if you expect to
: sell your things, you must put them at market
prices l will give you three fps for that bunch
Of fish, and no more
l had walked great DEAL and sold but little.
. was tired and half sick with dreadful head
ache. 1t was time for me to think about getting
home SO said
w ell ~ I
,, but It leaves me only mere triHs for my prof.
its r.
A servant standing by took the fish. and the
lady handed me quarter. and held out her
6 hand for the change. first put into it Q FIVE
cent piece. She continued holding it out. until
searched about in my pocket for penny.-
This next placed in her hand.
SO you've cheated me out of a quarter of
cent, at last she said, half laughing, and half
in earnest. You are a sad rogue
9 little boy was standing by. Here. Char
t ley she said to him. lis penny have just
saved. You can buy candy with it,
AS l turned away from the door Of tho large.
beautiful house in which that lady lived. 1 felt
1 something rising in my throat and choking me.
had bitter thoughts OF all my kind. Happily.
where next stopped, met with one more con.
siderate. She bought two bunches of my fish
: at my own Prce-spoke very kindly to me. and
even went so far. seeing tina, was jaded out,
to tell me TO go down into her kitchen. and rest
myself for little while. Leaving my tray Of
/ fish in her yard, accepted the kind offer. Il
so happened that the cook was making tea for
some one in the house who was sick. The lady
: asked me ifI would not like TO have . cup.
G said yes-for my head was aching badly, and
l felt faint. And, besides, had not tasted .
cup oftea for several days. She poured il out
e for me with her own hands, and with her own
u hands brought it to me. think never tasted
; such cup of tea in my life. 1t was like cor
}, dial. God bless her! When I again went out
y upon the street. my headache was gone. and l
Q felt as fresh q. ever 1 did in my life. Before
q stopped at this kind lady house, was 20 worn
: down, and out of heart, that determined tc 20
u !, home. even though not half my fish were sold.-
But now / went on cheerfully with confidence.
In an hour my tray was empty, and my fish
L sold for fair prices.
: You do not know. ma'am.' continued the
woman. how much good few kindly spoken
words, that cost nothing. little generous re
gard for Us. does our often discouraged hearts.
/, Much oftener we are talked to har.hlT about our
exorbitant Prices-cslled g cheating set. or some
!, other such name that does not sound 80 very
: pleasant to our ears. That there a.e many
: among rs who have no honesty. nor. indeed.
any care about what il right is too frus. Bat
all are no, so. To judge rs al. then. BY the
xors. of our class. is not right IL would not
be well for the VOL # all wsrs thus Judged
IF Indeed. ii would os.' said. almost involun-
Ill