Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-09-23
THE TWO HOMES.


This has been very hard day." said Mr..
Freeman, in a gloomy voice. And as thew
walked homeward they discouraged each other
and made darker the clouds that obscured their
whole horizon.
Good evening" was at last said, hurriedly:
and the two men passed into their homes
Mr. Walcott entered the room where his wife
and children were gathered, and without speak
ing to any one, seated himself in a chair and
leaning his head back, closed his eyes His
countensnce wore a sad weary, exhausted look
He had been seated thus only few minutes,
when his wife said in fretful voice:
" More trouble again"
:. What is the matter now?" asked Mr.. WAL
colt, almost starting.
John has been sent home from school"
What" Mr.. WalOett partly rose from his
He has been suspended for bad conductr ~
"Oh, dear. groansd Mr. Walcott; where is
"Up in his room; sent him there as soon as
ne came home. You'll have to do something
with him. He'll be ruined if he goes on this
way I'm out of all heart with him"
Mr.. WalcOtt, excited as much by the manner
In which his wife conveyed unpleasant infor-
mstlOn as oy the information ITSELF started up.
under the blind impulse of the moment and
gong to the room where John had been sent ON
coming home, punished the boy severely, and
tuls "l'nout listening to the explanation which
Father, said the boy, with forced calm
ness, after the cruel stripes had ceased, II was
not 10 blame; and II you will go with me to the
teacher, can prove myself innocent"
Mr. Walcott had never known his son tell An
his heart. f-
Very well-we will see about that" he an
s"ered, with forced sternness and leaving the
room, be went down stairs, feeling much moro
uncomfortable than when he went up. Again
he seated himself in his large chair, and again
leaned back his weary head and closed his
heavy eyelids. Sadder was his face than be-
fore As he sat thus his eldest daughter, in
her sixteenth year, came in and stood by him.
She held paper in her hand
Father he opened his eyes
Here my quarter bill can't I have the
money to take to school with me in the morn.
inso'
Il am afraid not" answered Mr. WalcOtt,
half in despair.
Nearly all the girls will bring in their mo-
ney tomorrow. and it mortifes me to be be-
hind the others" The daughter spoke fret
fully. Mr.. Walcott waived her aside with his
hand, and she went of muttering and pouting.
1t Is mortifying, said Mrs. Walcott, lit
Tie sharply 'and don't wonder that Helen
feels annoyed about it. The bill has to be paid
and don see why it may not be done as well
To this Mr.. Walcott made no answer The
words bat added another pressure TO the heavy
burden under which he was already staprer
ing After silence of some moments, Mrs.
W. said
The cosis are all gone"
impossible" Nj Walcott raised his head
and looked incredulous ~ laid in sixteen
tons"
II can't help it,. if there were sixty tons in
stead OF sixteen, they are all gone The girls
nad hard work to-day to scrape enough to Keep
There has been a shameful waste some-
wnere, said Mr.. WalcOtt, with strong empha-
SIS, starting up and moving about the room in
very disturbed manner
80 you always say, when anything runs
out answered Mrs. Walcott rather tartly
The barrel of -four is gone, also, but sun
pose you have done your part, with the rest, in
using il up"
Mr.. Walcott returned to his chair. and again
seating himself, leaned back his head and |
closed his eyes as at first How sad, and weary, |
ana noPeiess ne felt The burdens of the day |
had seemed almost too heavy for him but he |
nad borne up bravely- To gather strength for |
renewed struggle with adverse circumstances
be had come home. Alas, that the process of |
exhaustion should still 20 On-that whore opIy
strengtn could be looked for on earth, no |
strength was given.
When the tea-bell rung, Mr. Walcott made
no movement to obey the summons
Come to supper, said his wife, coldly.
But be did not stir
Are you not coming to supper ?" she called |
70 MIN, as she was leaving the room
-" don't wish for anything this eveninu
NY mead aches very much" he answered
IN Ine dumps again '" muttered Mrs Wal |
colt to hersel. ITS as much AZ ones life il |
worth to ask for money, or to say anything is |
wanted And she kept on her way to the |
dining room. When she returned her bns~
band was still sitting where she had left him,
Snall bring you cup Of tea ?" she asked |
No: don't wish for any thing"
"nat the matter, Mr.. Walcott What |
do you look 80 troubled about, as if Won |
nsdn 7 q friend a friend in the world? What
have done TO you ?"
There was no answer, for there was not a |
snade Oh real sympathy in the voice that made |
the queries, but rather of querulous dissatis- |
faction A few moments Mrs Walcott stood |
oenind her husband, but be did not seem |
to be inclined to answer her questions. she
turned away from him, and resumed the EN-
pioyment which had been interrupted bv the
ringing Of the tea-bell
The whole evening passed of without the &C.
earrenee Of a single incident that gave |
nean.nlui pglsaiion to the sick heart of Mr. |
mac9tI NO thoughtful kindness was mani |
tested by any member of the family; but. ON |
the contrary; narrow regard for self and
looking TO him only that be might supply the |
means Of disqualification.
NO wonder, from the pressure which was on |
him, that Mr.. Walcott felt utterly discou rared.
he retired early, and sought to fnd that relief
from mental disquietude in sleep which he had
yalnly hoped for in the bosom of his family.
But the whole night passed in broken slumber
and disturbing dreams. From the cherries
morning meal, at which he was reminded of the
quarters bill that must be paid, of the Goals
ana nour that were out, and Of the necessity of
supplying Mrs Walcott's empty purse, he went
forth to meet the difficulties Of another day,
iaint az neart, and almost hopeless of success
,;oa ooHnaent .I. sPLit' sustained by home affec
tlons, would have carried him through; but.
unsupported "a he was, the burden was too
heavy Tor hlm, and he sank under it, The day
that opened so unproPitiousIy, closed upon him
ruined man! A-'
Let us look in for a few moments unon NJ,
Freeman, a friend and neighbor of Mr.. Wal
colt He, also, had come home weary. dis
pirlted, and almost sick. The trials of the dav