Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1859-09-22
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THE PeOR WisuERW0MaN.

! L declare, | have mind to pu, thi. bed
qniit :nto the wash to-day IL does not re.
I ally need T. -. either but | tank [ will
send 1t down
Why will you put it in, Mary. if it does
/ not need TO 60 . asked her good old aunt 10
her quiet aud expressive way
y" hy. yol see, Aunt we have bat small
/ wash to-day, so small that Susan will get
through by one o'clock at latest. and I shall
Lave to pay her the same as though she
worked till night So
Stop m oment, dear sail the olII.ly.
gently, stop moment aud think Snppcse
you were 10 tho situation poor Susan is--ob.
hfed you tell me, TO toll over the wash-tub
SIX days out ofseyen for the bare neces.aries
OF Iife-uouid yeu not be glad ouee aud n
while. 10 get through before night To have /.
few hou:s Lf daylight TO labor Tor yourself
aud family, or better kiiIl a few houI. of
rest Mary, dear, II 10 hard way fCr a wo-
man 10 earn living 4; btgIudge 40, the Door
creature an easy day. This is the fourth time
she has risen by eandlvlight aud plodded
through the cold here and there to ber Gus
TONERS houses and toiled away existence.
'I.et her 90 at noon il she gets through
who knows but that she NAV have come
from the sick bed Of some loved one, aud sb.
counts the hours, yea, the mioutss Iill she
oan sstata. fearing that shs may BE osc toe
late Put il back on the b d. aud sit down
here while / tell you wha, the washrrwom.n
endured, because b;r employer did A. you
would do 70 make out the wash
An1 the old woman took her glasses and
wiped away the tears that from some cause
had gathered in her aged eyes and then.
With n ttemulous yoice. related the promised
story
There never was "a more bli bsome bridal
than that of Ais X None ever al high.
er hope, or more blis,ful suticipations -
Weddiog the man Cf her choice oae Of " bou
any woman might be proud, fsw. indeed bad
SUMNER lfe IN prospect than ,he
And for t6o years there fell o. shiIow on
her path Her hons vas one vf beauty AMI
rare comfort her husband the same Kind
gentle loving man a. ia the days Of court
ship, winning laurel. every year in hi. pro-
iession, adding new comforts 30 his honc,
and DsS joys TO bi. iresiic. AuI bssi!cs
these blessings. Gsd h5i given another a
little crib stood by the bedside. its tenants
golden haIied baby boy, the imsge Of 10. no.
bic father, aud deAter than sught else earth
could offer
Bat must cot dwell On ,hoas hsppy
days my story has 20 do w,th other one, -
II was with them A. IL has often been Ni'h
others just sheo the cup vas sveetc.i it wis
dashed away y series Of H,isloItupe.
aud reserscs occurred With siArtliBg Tspt1i-
~, and SWEPT away ffom them oyetything
hut love and the babe Spared 90 one An
other and % tLsi'they bore = brave heat
snd Ia distant ciiy bee,u new lrftuus
Well aud strongly dii they struggle aud At /
length bsgan again to see the sunlight II
property shoe upon their home But
little shile and then the shadows fslI The i
husband sickeucd aud lag fof many ruoa,b
upop weary couch, lsBgai,hiug DOT ouIy
w.,h mcbial and bodily raio. tut ofisutimss .
Tor food snd medicines ~ that she could .
do. the wifo pef.rmed wiih faithnl haad .
She went from one ibing q sno.hsr til ~
lengb shc ~ho hsd worn satin gsrueri o.
htf bridal day toiled - the sash tab .or
the scaniitft living H. dfcary uin,.f
latg befofo light. SO v.u'd rise marsins
afsr mafs.f < auI labor or tbs desr oaes n
her Iouly home Oitsb .be bad - sst OF i
through tbe deep. c,l1spou. ani gfops bcr
way a. ki,slsus Wbich ssre sometime. sn,,
kew aud gloomy aud ton ., rubbiag rinsiss
and starebisg, sod not usfrequsbuy uss,ng
knse deep " tie dnfs 10 hsbg cut the
clothes that ifote ere she bad fastened them
20 the lne Ard sbsu sish, came. Wiih hsr
scanty earnibgs shs vouid agsiu gropo
thfossh the cold shoe 70 her of,csume. I
hshtisss sod 6foless home fer her hasiana
vss too siok inoch Of ths tims. even o. tend
The ere Sf strike = light Ard % snh
shat asbiveriug bsaft sbe voul1 das o,ar.
fsauog shs wtuii bt too iait II is . fsct
that for sx weeks - gue time .ko hsvsr
ssW tts ises q her bu.h,p4 or sbill savs ~
lsmp-hght. sEcep, only ca the sabbath -
Hos gisd she you'd have been 70 hsvs bed
otes sBd sbilr smsii vs.hiBsl
One dsfk viptsf noF8isg. a. sbs uas pre-
psiisg The ffssAl bfeAkfsst sad gstipg sv- /
sryibibg ready before she left, hH hossasd I
called he's 70 toe bsdsids
Ads. sid be, slmos, 10 . vbispsr 4
sast you 70 try Sod gei tams sarlJ % bieh,
he home before ths light goes a. "a.
IN ny, sosvsrse he, uith shoke8 40