The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-06-18

with mental and bodily pain, but
oftentilnes for food and medicines. -
All that she could do, tho wife per-
formed with a faithful hand. 'q,She
went from one thing to anothes till,
Iat length, she who had worn a ATTN
4 garment on her bridal day, toi at
the wash tub for the scanticst living.
In a dreary winter, long before light,
she would rise morning after lAprn.
ing, and labor for the dear orlGs OF
her lowly home, Often size had 10
set off through the cold, deep snow,
and erope her way to Kitchens,
which were sometimes smoky and
gloomy, and toll at rubbing, .riusins,
Istarchin1. not ""'io oqncntly whhiEg
knee deep in the diiits, to hang ont
the clothes that irozc even ere she
had fastened them to the line. And
when night came, with her scanty
earnings, she would ag lin gropc
through the cold and snow to her
1T times liehtlcss and hrcl ss home;
TOR her husband was too sick, much
OF the time, 10 tend even to the fire
or strike IL light. And, o, with
what Il shivering heart she would
2 draw near, fearing ever she would be
too late. 1t is II fact, that for six
weeks, at one time, she never saw
the face OF her husband or her child,
save by candle light, except only on
the Sabbath. How glad she would
have been to have had, once in Il
while, a small washing gathered for
her!
"Ono dark Winter morning, as
she was preparing the frugal break
fast and getting everything ready
before she LETT, her husband callcl
her to tho bedside.
Ada said he, IN almost n whis.
! per, Il want you to try and get
home early to night; be home bcinre
tbs light goes: do, Ada
"I.iuy,' answered she, with chp-
ked nIiGranco.
"Dohy, Ada. | have strange
desire to see your iaco by day Iigii:
to-day is Friday: | have not seen it
since Sunday. must look upon it
oncg again
"'Do you feel worse.'' asked she.
auXioasly, ie,linS his pulse us she
spoke.
"No, no, | think not; but do
want - see your face once more by
sunlight. | can not wait til Sun
day,
Gladly would she have t'rrirl
by his bed side till sun Ii .ht ha s'o-
len through their little win low; Lnt
it might not be Money wa want
cd, AMI she must 60 forth to labor.
She lett her husband. She rcachr
the kitchen of her employer, ami
with n truuhlrd face waited tor tn"
basket t. e brouI Iht. i smile play
ed over her wan face as sh' assorted
lis contents. She could get through
easily by two o'clock; yes, and, il
she hurried, perhaps iy one. Love
ami anxiety lent ncw strength TO her
weary arms; aud five minutes after
the clock struck one she hung the
last gar cnt on the line, and was
Just about cmtying her tubs, when
the mistress came in with II couple
OF b 'd quilts. saying
AS yOu have so small n wash
to-day, Ada, think YOU may do
these yet After the mistress had
turned her back. 4 cry of agony
wrung from the deepest fountain OF
the washcr-womnn's heart, .uShci
to her lips. Smothcring it as best
she could, she set to ntain, and rub.
bed, rinsnl. and hung out. 1t was
halfpast three when she started for
home, an how t0o iate!' and the
aged narrator sobbCG.
"An hour too late" continued
she. after long pause. "llor hus,
band was dying; yes, almost gone
lie had strength given him to whis-
per II few words to the halt-irantic
wito, TO tell her now he had Iongod
I to look upon her face; that he could
not see her then, he lay in the shad.
Iow OF death. One hour she pillowed
his head upon her suffering heart;
and then -h6 qraS 0t resi-!
4 "Mary, Mary tie r." and tharo was
q soul-touchiug emphasis in the aged
woman's wlrls, "be kind to your
washer.woman: instead OF striving
to make her days work AS ong as
may he, shorten it, tighten it. Few
women will go out to washing daily,
unless their needs are pressing. No
woman on her bridal day expects to
labor in that way; and be sure, my
. niece, if she is constrained to do So
it is tue last resort. That poor wo
man, laboring now 80 hard. ior you
/, has not always been a washer wo
man. She has seen better days. -
; She has passed through terrible tri
; als too. | can read her story in he
pale, sad face. BE kind to her, pa,
her what she asks, and let her z,
homo as carly as she can"
- n
I "You have finished in good tim
a to-day. Susan" said Mrs. M, a
a tho washer woman, with her oil
n cloak and hood on, entered the pleas
ant room to get the money she ha
q earned. .H ..a tn (
h "Yes, ma'am, | have; and M
It heart, ma'am, is relieved of a heav
It load, too. was so afraid ! Ishoul
IS be kept till night, and am needle
r. 80 at home." "p.u' ~ .l.'- a .'..
h "Is there sickness thcre9" saidtll
y old aunt, kindly. ..rI dY sf'