Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-05-28
From the Methodist Protestant
POOR WID0W.

Mrs. Port was poor and pious Christian !
She had been once well to do in the world, but |
unfortunately her husband became drunkard,
and after spending everything in theworld they |
both had, he filed an inebriate's grave. Mrs.
Port had sir little children who were depend
ent upon her for support, and she was de-
pendent on her needle and health for the
wherewithal to support them and pay her
rents, &c. She was member of the
church, and so was Mr.. Grinder, the grocer,
and so was Mr.. Wealth, the lawyer.
One day Mr.. Wealth came TO Mr.. Grind
er's store to purchase some family consump-
tiyes.
low much do you want of the articles You
speak Off said MIR. Grinder.
90, Twill take bag of coffee, bag of SUI
gar, bag Of -four, gallon of molasses, and
hogshead Of bacon said Mr.. Wealth.
well, SIR said Mr.. Grinder, as you buy
by the quantity, and pay cash, l will knock OFT
five per cent. on the current prices.'
'No,' said Mr.. Wealth q have not the mo
ney just nowi but you just make ticket of it,
and put 1t in your cash drawer
Very WE'LL said Mr.. Grinder; it is all |
right
Mr.. Wealth had not left the store long be- |
fore Mrs. Port went to lay in her weeks pro-
visions, or as much towards it as her scanty |
income would allow.
Il want said the widow, 'one and half
pound and half of bacon, three pounds of
-four, and a quart of mOlasses; | have only
NIFTY cents to pay you down, but l am making
some shirts for Mrs. Strycr, and shall have
them done in few days, and will then bring
you the rest Of the money!
Grinder gave grunt, and looked as suicn
as mad bear, and said. fifty cents to buy all
that Well, have more debts of that sort
out now than shall ever collect. Why didn't
yon wait till you got the money before you
come 10 make such bill?,
Nell,' said the poor woman, sjust let me
have htty cents worth Of meat and flour, as
you are afraid to trust me = and she gathered
up the corner Of her apron and wiped the big
tear that crept from its hiding place and went
stealing down her pale, emaciated cheek.
mo- said Grinder; I'll let you have it all
this time but You needn't come here for an
other cents worth till you pay this bil,' and
turning of; he began TO Woisl ont and ss,assss-s
tue difteveht articles.
:Well,' said Order to himself, bacon is
worth twelve cents by the hundred weight,
cash, bit can't afford to cut it up by the
small for less than four,een cents; then must
add On something for credit, SO I'll put it
down to her for fifteen cents per pound And
with all Of the other articles lie did likewise ;
then making out the bill, he presented it to her
with special injunction not 10 forget that it
was to be paid in few days.
The poor woman glanced her eyes over it,
and seeing how much above the usua prices
she had been charged, and that too by i man
who was q member Of the church, and who
made long prayers and spoke land in class
nieetingsi-it made her heart bleed within her.
But Size could not complain at his tGnrhitant
prices; no, that would not do. She as poor
and dependent and her little ones were in
want, and fer their sakes she would endure it
ALI but thank God, said she, there is rest
whclF remains to the people of God and were
hnl hal Nnr I
would not care how soon the Lord would
call me from this coid-hearted and Gnleeling
world
The clock had struck twelve. The candle
was still burning in Mrs. Ports little ROOM
shirt half finished was lying on her lap, and
industriously did she ply the needle whilst her
foot kept the cradle in motion, for her infant
was dangerously i'll.
so said she as her head burned and the
little babe threw its fever-scUrched limbs
about, what shall / do 2 This shirt ought to
have been done yesterday, and now its mid
night and after, and my poor child don't look
as lit Will live till morning. | have no one
to send for the DOCTOR and if had, should
never be able to pay him. q, my God, my
only friend, help me in this my dark hour Of
DISTRESS and falling upon her knees, she
poured out her soul into the open ear of him
who counts tho signs, and bottles the tears Of
all his pious and oppressed children.
~ last INC hnAlobS ana MUCH dreaded ulV
came Her child was better, but her heart
burned and her head throbbed, and the gnaw-
ing worm Of hunger made her sck still she
Piled the needle. 1t was about nine o'clocl;
when Mrs starver opened the poor widows
door, all robed in gorgeous silks and satins,
with Jewery enough about her person to have
purchased the poor widow an humble, but
quiet home.
Her first salutatiou was:
Pray, Mrs. Port, and why have YOU no
brought those shirts home Really, don
think shall ever let you have any more ofmy
work, unless | can dispense with its compile
ton six months. Can it be possible that yo,
have mot finished the first six YETI
Ny dear madam said Mrs. Port, hay
been up and trying to get this, the last one {
the first half dozen, completed, but my chilt
has been extremely i'll, and that is the caus
Of my not finishing them before this
when will you get them done,' said Mr.
s., as she took up those that were finished an
began to turn them over, pull the stitches, an
open the seams, trying, il possible TO I'll
some fault, so that she might knock oil a pa
Of the price she was to pay for the making
them.
F.. 1t will take me until two O'Clock, said Mr.
Port, to finish this one.
Well, said Mrs. StaTver, : l will tnke I,
five that are done, though they are badly mad
and here is fifty cents. When You finish hi
rest VIII pay you the haIance, provided
uOh uhu any ldull Win llieln.
NMy dear Mrs Starver,' said the poor W
man, my life almost depends on the MONEY
am am to get from you for those shirts /
them ali stay till this evening, and | will bri
them round to you, when you can pay me
for the six. 1 am almost starved now, not hayi
had as much wholesome food as / could ,
for two days, and my poor little children 4
as bad off as myself. Besides, the last nj
visions / bought was on the condition thai
should pay for them out Of the money | q
pected to get for these shirts, and now if |
to be disappointed in this, the Lord have m
cy on me. o, Mrs. Starver, for the sake
that Saviour whose death and love YOU co
memorated last Sunday at the sacred tai
have mercy on one of his poor unfortun
children and falling on her knees, the
tear drops fell thick and fast from her stres
ing eyes.
Wel,' said the unfeeling woman, her,
dollar, take this, which guess will pay
your bill, and with that she took the five sh
and hastened home.
After trying to work for some time the D
widow found it impossible. She was too n