Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-11-21
OUT OF WORK IN WAR TIME.

OUT OF WORK IN WAR TIME.
1T is no use, Maria, I've tried everywhere.
But you are not going to give up. PetcrP
Give up! how can help it? Within -four
days have been to every book. bindery in the
city, and not bit of work carl get
But have you tried anything else"
What else can | tryP'
'Why. anything you can do
'Yes, I've tried other things. / have been
to more than dozen of my friends and offered
to help them if they would hire me-
And what did you mean to do for themP'
4 offered to post their accounts, make out
their bills, or attend to the counter
Mrs. Stanwood smiled as her husband thus
spoke.
What makes you smile p he asked.
TO think that YOU should have imagined
that YOU would find work in such place. But
how is Mark LeedsP p
lie is worse off than am.
'lIow sop
'fle has nothing to cat
A shudder crept over the wite's frame, now.
'Why do you tremble, wife p
Because when we shall have eaten our
breakfast tomorrow morning, we shall have
nothing
WHAT cried Peter Stanwood half arting
from his chair, DO you mean that p
Il do
But our nour?'
'All gone. baked the last this afternoon
But we have pork
you ate the last this afternoon
Then we must starven groaned the stricken
man, starting across the room.
Peter Stanwood was a book binder by trade,
and had now been out of employment over a
month. He was one of those who generally
calculated to keep about square with the world,
and who consider themselves fortunate if they
keep out of debt. He was now thirty years of
age, and had three children to provide for, be-
sides himself and wife, and this, together with
the house rent was a heavy draft upon his
purse, even when work was plenty, but now
there was nothing
Maria said he, gazing his wife in the face,
I'VE must starve. l have not single penny
in the world
But do not despair, Peter. Try again to-
morrow for work. You may find something
to do. Anything honest is honorable Should
you earn but shilling day you would not
starve.
But our house rent p
Trust me for that. The landlord shall not
turn US out. If you will en- age to get some
thing to do, will see that we have our house
ROOM
iii make one more trial. uttered Peter dis
pairingly.
But you must go prepared to do anything.
Anything reasonable, Maria
what do you call reasonabe?
'Why, anything decent
The wife felt inclined to smile, but the mat
ter was too serious for that, and cloud passed
over her face. She knew her husbands dispo-
siton, and she felt sure he would find no work.
She knew he would look for some kind of work
that would not lower him in the social scale, as
he had once expressed it. However, she knew
it would be no use to speak to him now, and
she let the matter pass.
On the following morning :he last bit of food
was put on the table. Stanwood could hardly
realize that he was penniless, and without food.
For years he had been gay thoughtless and
fortunate, making the most of the present, for
getting the past, and leaving the future to take
care of itself. Yet the truth was naked and
clear, and when he left the house he said, Some
thing must be done
No sooner had her husband gone out than
Mrs. Stanwood put on her bonnet and shawl
Her eldest child was girl seven years old, and
her youngest four She asked her next door
neighbor if she would take care of her child
ren until noon. These children were known to
be good and quiet, and they were taken cheer
fully. Then Mrs Stanwood locked the house.
and went away. She reureed at noon. bring
ing some dinner for her child en-, and then
went away again. She came home in the even
ing before her husband, carrying heavy bas-
kerrlpon her arm.
well, Peter she asked after her husband
had entered and sat down, what luckP
Nothing, nothing? he groaned. Il have
made out to get dinner from an old chum,
but could find no work.
And where have you been to-day?
l. I
places, but it is the same in every place. 1t is
nothing but one eternal no-no Pm sick and
tired of it. ! even went so far as to offer to
tend a liquor store down town.
The wife smiled.
Now what shall we do p uttered Peter, spas
medically.
why, we will eat supper first, and then talk
the matter over
Supper! Have you got any?'
yes, plenty of it,
But you told me you had none.
Neither had we this morning, but I've been
after work to-day, and found some
you, been after work = uttered the husband
in surprise.
Yes
but how--where--wh p
'Why. first ] went to Mrs. Shows. | knew
her girl was sick, and hoped she might have
work to be done. | went to her and told her
my story, and she set me to work at once doing
her washing. She gaye me food to bring home
TO my children, and paid me three shillings
when got through
What-you have been out washing for our
butchers wife p said Peter, looking very much
surprised.
'Of course have, and have earned enough
thereby to keep us in food through tomorrow,
at any rates SO tomorrow you may come home
to dinner
but how about the rent?
'Oh, have seen Mr. Simson, told him Just
how we are situated, and offered him my watch
as pledge for the payment of the rent within
three months, with the interest on the arreara-
ges up to that date. told him did the bus
mess, you were away hunting up work.
80, he's got your gold watch p
NO, he wouldn't take il. lie said il | would
become responsible for the payment he would
be at rest
/ 'Then we've got roof to cover us, and food