Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-03-21
Mistellantons.
OUT OF WORK.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

DuI Ou @lO NV SOAN5 ~ ~
terH
Give up? How can help it, Within
four DAYS have been to every book bind
ery in the city, and not bit of work can
get
But have you tried anything olseP
what else can try"
why, anything that you can do
yes, I've tried other things. I have
been TO moro than dozen of my friends,
and offered to help them if they would hire
me-
And what did you mean to do for themF
d offered to either post their accounts,
make out bills. or attend to the counter
Mrs. Stanwood smiled as her husband
thus spoke.
rWhat makes you smile 2 he asked.
TO think you should have imagined that
YOU would find work in such place. But
how is Mark LeedSF
He Is worse off than l am
How seq
He has nothing in his house to cat
A shudder crept over his wifo's frame
now.
'Why do you tremble wife?
Because when We shall have eaten our
breakfast tomorrow morning, we shall have
nothing
What ? cried Peter Stanwood, half start
ing from his chair. Do you mean thatF
i do
But our four'
"All gone. l baked the last this after
noon
But we have pork'
you ate the last this noon
Then we must staryep groaned the
stricken man, starting across the room.
Peter Stanwood was book-binder by
trade and had now been out of employment
about month. He was one of those who
generally calculate to keep about square
with the world, and who consider themselves
particularly fortunate if they keep out OF
debt. He was now thirty years of age, and
had three children to provide fer, besides
himself and wife, and this together with
house rent, was a heavy draught upon his
purse, even when work was plenty; bat now
there was nothing.
Maria sold he, stopping and gazing his
wife in the face, we must starve. l have
not a single penny in the world
But do not despair, Peter. Try again
tomorrow for work. You may find some
thing to do. Anything that is honest IS
honorable. Should you make but shil-
ling dav. we should not starye.'
But our house rentF
Trust to me for that. The landlord
shall not turn US out. Ifyou will engage
to find something to do, will see that we
have house room.
Tllmake one more trial. uttered Peter,
despairngly.
But You must go prepared to do any
thing
Anything reasonable, Maria
what do you call reasonableF
'Why-anything decent
The wife felt inclined to smile, but the
matter was too serious for that, and cloud
passed over her face. She knew her hus-
bands disposition,and she felt sure he would
find no work. She knew that he would
look for some kind of work which would not
lower him in tho social scale, as he had once
or twice expressed it. However, she knew
it would be of no use to say anything to
him now, and she let the matter pass.
On the following morning, the last bit of
food in the house was put upon the table.
could hardly realize that he was
penniless and without food. For years he
had been gay thoughtless and fortunate,
making the most of the present forgetting
the past, and leaving the future to take care
of itself. Yet the truth was naked and
clear; and when he left the house he said
must be done.
No sooner had the husband gone than
Mrs. Stanwood put on her bonnet and shawl.
Her eldest child was a girl seven years old,
and her youngest four. She asked her next
door neighbor if she would take care Of her
children till noon. These were known to
be good and quiet, and they were taken
cheerfully. Then Mrs. Stanwood locked up
her house and went away. She returned
at noon, bringing some dinner for her chill
dren, and then she went away again. She
came home in the evening before her hus-
band carrying heavy basket upon her arm.
Well, Peter she asked, after her husband
had entered and sat down, what luckP
Nothing nothing ? he groaned. Imade
out 10 get dinner of an old chum, but l
could not find work.
'And where have you looked to-day?
%, everywhere. I've been to a hundred
places, but its the same story in every place.
It's nothing but one eternal no-no-no
I'm sick and tired of it.
what have you offered to doP
why, even went so far as to offer to
end liquor store down town.
The wife smiled.
Now what shall we doF uttered Peter
spontaneously.
'Why, we will eat supper first, and talk
he matter over.'
Supper! Have you got anyP
'Yes-plenty of it.
But you told me you had none