The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-09-30

amount. Would pay on Monday
thin, pale, weary looking woman
opened the shop door at this ,uomeut,and
came IN. She carried a basket on her
arm, from which she to,k bnndIe of up
pers that she had taken 20 close and
| bind.
Here Is the work, Mr.. Barker she
said, in detected voice. Il hone Won
will lind 1t ali right. Tney have been
ready two days ago, but my husband is
very sick, and I've had to be up with
him all night for three nights.
The shoemaker did not see the quality
o the work rs he took the 'uppers' from
/ the w"mam's baske: and made a show Of
examining them. lie was only thinking
OF the womam's need and expectations
She had performed her part, but not a
single dollar had he in the house, and
how MAS he to perform his part.
How is your husband to dav 2 he ask
ed kindly, showing more than sympathy
to give.
Not so we'll replied the woman. Il
/ have run down fora few minutes, aud lief,
NM alone, quite as much to get the mon
ey Tor my work AS 10 brin : il home. The
/ doctor has ordered little wine, and I
must get it for him, if it takes all have
earned this week
How much does your work come to q
Two dollars, answered the woman.
The shoemaker went TO his desk. and
opening 1t took out lis little cash box.
aud made pretence Of disappointment
AS he turned IL towards the woman. Il
did not contain single copper. Then
every compartment WAS examined, but
with no better success
You are "a little too early, Mrs. B,ythe.'
/ he SAID, smiling, yet regretfuIv, IA Ht,Ie
too early. haven't received nv collec
tons for ,he day. Shall send YOU up
! ia" money 2
The woman sighed and booked very
much Disappointed.
imv"ry sorry. Mr> B'vthe'-,he shoe
maker drd not manifest The slightest i'm.
! patience. f"r lIe urdcr.tnnl' the case per
iectly-'hLt we fad 1t very hard some
times. to Get IL our h,ll>. I've had An
drew running around all the morning
and he hasn't collected single doIar so
tar. LIS strange how little rich men
! think ~ their obNga'r"r,r TO Us poor me.
chanics, who live u"arlv all the while
from hand tu mouth. II could ALWAYS
get ~ my small bills. would be very
comfortable. As it Is, | am always in
/ troube Hhuut money
! Mrs. Blythe stood very still, and an
swerrd no, word. II was hardly posi-.
! bic Tor her 10 leave h,r husband again.
and moreover, she had promised to bring
( hIm home the wine.
i am very sorry, Ms. Blythe repeat
ed the shoemaker: but what is, cannot
be helped
True, true. | learned that long ago
SAID the woman with half disparinr
sigh. The lessons OF poverty sink deep
enough into the memory
1 viii send YOU up the money in the
course of AN hour or two. Andrew is
gong out with some more bills. | will
not trouble you 10 come down again, as
/ your husband is so ILL.,
Still Mrs. Blythe fingered. How could
she return to her sick, exhausted hus.
bard, without the vine that was to send
through all the courses OF his blood n
! quickcnirg spirit! She had felt as if this
wire WAS To be to him the very eliIer oi
/ il'e, aud since 1t had been mentioned by
The doctor. shc had seen that he. hus
bands thoughts were resting upon il, to
the exclusion of everything else. TO rn
! home without it, therefore, was n serious
! thing, and might involve evil conseauen
! ces for his condition was one of extreme
prosIraiion, and the slightest cause might
! destroy the even balance of life Just AT
tamed, and throw preponderance upon
I the wrong side.
Slowly, at length, she moved towards
! the door
You will send up The money right soon,
she SAID. turning partly around, and look.
ing back al the troubled shoemaker.
The IN rment receive it, Andrew is
going out with some bills Immediately. ;
The door opened nojselessIy with
noiseless steps dropping figure went out,
and noiseIessly the door was shut again.
The only sense that took record Of the
circumstance was that OF sight
! Mr. Red sooJ, the Merchant who
, thought his shoemaker's bill Of so little
consequence that he would not take the
trouble to draw a check to cancel it, left
his store some two hours after the visit OF
Andrew, and started home to his late
dinner. On his way he passed wine
store, and dropped in to order :. case OF
choice Amonlilado, tie flavor of which
he had tried and approved.
Send it home within an hour. | wish
a bottle for my dinner said Mr.. Red.
wood. as he took out bis pocket book 10
pay for the wine.
1t shall be done WAS the ready an.
swer.
As the merchant replaced his pocket
book, and was buttoning his coat over his
breast, poorly dressed, worn and feeble
/ looking woman came into the store, and
walked back with an air of timid irreso
luton, to where the two men-the wine
dealer and his custnmer-were standing.
well, what's wanted = said the wine
dealer, in short, imperative voice.