Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-08-14
The Poor WasherwOman.
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. souLE.

BY MRS. CAROLINE a. sOuLE.
4 declare, I have half mind to
put this be&quilt into the wash to.
day!- it don't really need. to go either
but I believe that I'll send it down.
why will you put it in, Mary. i
it does not need to go?' asked hel
good old aunt Hannah, in her quiet
and expressive way.
why, you see, aunt, we have but
a small wash to-day; so small that
Susan will get through by one O'Clock
at the latest, and / shall have to pay
her the same as though she worked
till night, So
'Stopa moment, dear said the
old lady, gently, stop moment, and
think. Suppose you were in the sit
uation poor Susan is, obliged, you tell
me, to toll over the wash-tub six days
out Of the seven, for the bare neces-
saries of life, would you not be glad,
once in while, to get through be-
fore night, to have few hours Of
daylight to labor for yourself and
family, or better still, a few hours to
rest? Mary, dear, it is hard way
for a poor woman to earn a living,
begrudge not the poor creature the
half dollar. This is the fourth day
in succession she has risen by can
delight and plodded through the cold
here and there to her customers
houses and toiled away existence
Let her go at noon if she gets through;
who knows but that she may have
come from the sick couch Of some
loved one, and that she counts the
hours, yes, the minutes, till she can
return, fearing oversize may come one
too late. Put it back on the bed, and
sit down here while / tell you what
one poor washerwomen endured be-
cause her employer did as you would
to make out the wash And the old
woman took off her glasses and wip.
ed away the tear drops, that, from
some cause, had gathered in her aged
eyes, and then with tremulous voice
related the promised story:
There was never a more blithe-
some bridal than that Of Adaline
Raieigh's. There was never maid
en- who went to the marriage altar
with higher hopes, more blissful an
ticipations. Wedding the man of her
choice, he whose love tones had ever
thrilled her heart like a music gush
from the land of light, he who was
dearer to her than her own existence,
young, talented, noble fellow, one
of whom any woman might be proud,
it was no wonder that morn seemed
golden waif from Eden. Few, in.
deed, have SUMMER life in prospect
than she had.
sAnd for ten years there fell nc
shadow on her path. Her home was
one of beauty and rare luxury-hel
husband the same kind, gentle loving
man, as in the days of courtship
winning laurels every year, in bis
profession, adding new comforts tt
his home and new joys to his fresid'
,l--and besides these blessings, Got
had given another-a little crib s!oot
by her bed side, its tenant, golden
, haired baby-boy, the image Of his ne
BILE father, and dearer to those wed
, ded lovers, than aught else cart
: could offer.
g But / must not dwell on thos
e happy days; my story has to do wit
: other ones. It was with them as Of
] it is with others; just when the Gu
lis sweetest, it is dashed away; JUS
when the beam is brightest, the cloud
F gather. A series of misfortunes an
s reverses occurred with startling rapid
a ity and swept away from them every
e thing but love and their baby-boy.-
) Spared to one another and to tha
S thew bore brave heart, and in 8 di
n tant city began new fortune. We
IS and strongly did they struggle, an
: at length began once more to see Il
r sunlight of prosperity shine upe
E. their home, But little while
,e staid, and then the shadows fell
The husband sickened and lay i
many month upon a weary couc
,ollanguishing not only with mental al
H. bodily pain, but oftentimes for to-
n- land medicines. All that she cou
i. lido, the wife performed with faithl
It! hand. She went from one thing
h. another, till, at length she who b
worn satin garb and pearls up