Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-12-26
BETTER THAN AIMS

1 q
woman, in weak, pIaiutive voice, that touch
the feeling of Mr.. Oldfeld and caused
his hand to move, involuBtarily towards hi
vest pocket. 4 glance from his wife asked
as plainlysas if words had been spoken that ht
would not interfere in the case. So he lifteC
his book and held the page before his eyes
not TO read however.
N"Wbat is the age Of your child p asked Mrs
dfela.
Ol"FOur years ma'am."
Have you a husband?"
"No-ye-yes ma'am. That is, I had q
husband, but he went off two years ago, and
I've never seen him since"
why did he leave you?"
The woman put her hand to her face, as il
overcome by feeling; in few moments tears
came over her cheeks. Mr.. 0ldield was NOV
ed TO deep pity, and showed his state of mind
by crossing and recrossing his legs two OF
teree times in quick succession.
He wasn't a steady man." sobbed the wo-
man.
"Too bad Too bad 10 probe poor wretch
in this wayF' said Mr.. Old6eld to himself
why don't Fanny give her the help she asks
for, and let her go? 1t seems to me down.
right cruel"
1t was as much as be could do to keep from
thrusting a dollar into the Woman's hands, un :
der the impulse of blind consideration. But
Mrs. Old6eld has passed through some expert
ence in that direction, and the recollection
caused him to remain passive.
"And since he went away" said Mrs. Old
field, you have had to support yourself and
child.'
"Yes, ma'am," answered the woman, in a
tene that went to the heart of Mr.. Oldfeld,
but didn't make any impression on the feelings
of bis wife.
"How have you done this ?" There was moth
ing unkind, or unsympathizing in the voice of
Mrs. Oldield. But she was in earnest in her
inquiries.
"By sewing ma am, when 1 could get plain
work, and sometimes by washing and iron
ing"
"You can earn enough in this way to sup
port yourself and child, 1 presume?"
"If my health was good, aud l could always
get enough to do"
"'Then your health is not goOd?"
"No ma'am' And the woman put on a
look of suffering that would have been worth
two or three dollars to her if Mrs. Oldfield had
not been in the room.
I've all havesour trials in this way" replied
Mrs. Oldfisld. "There are very few days in
which ] do not suffer from pain, or an oppress-
i've sense OF weakness; and yet there few
days in which am not employed in some way
! from morning ill night. We cannot give up
ana depend on others merely for lack of health
Indeed, we teel better in most cases, when
usefully employed than idle. This is my expe
rience, and yours also, doubt not. How is
| it? Think q moment"
| 1t was not just agreeable to think in this
direction but she had fallen into the hands
Of lady whose charity went beyond mere
alIns- giving, and who felt interest enough in
her case TO relieve it, if it were possible to do
so in the right way The woman did not
present the appearance Of an invalid. She
bad not the lock ofYigorous health, it is true !;
| but it was plain TO the eyes Of Mrs. Oida eld
that she was fully able, SO far as physical
strength was concerned, to maintain herself
and child without the solicitation OF aims.
Your own experience, am sure, is in
agreement with mine" said Mrs. Odfeld, see
| ing that the woman did not answer. "And
am also sure that you will agree with me
when say, that the bread earned by indie
pendent work is as sweet again as that which
comes through the humiliation OF alrHs-seck
ing"
III were able to work ma'am." The We
mans voice was faint and pitiful.
'You are able to work" There was kind
encouragement, net cold reproof, in the voice
of Mrs Old6eld. Not as capable, perhaps
as some, but quite as able as several poor Wo-
men know, who have two, three, or four
children to support, and who never ask help.
You have entered the wrong way depend up
on it, and beg Of you to get out Of it with
as little delay as possible. Better take the
barest nscessaries of life, honestly gained in
useful work, than full basket at the price Of
womanly Independence. Set your child a bet
ter example, if you desire him to become an
industrious, honest, honorable man."
This last remark touched the right chord,
and Mrs. Oldfed saw it.
eff" she added, "you do not,- in your own
actions, illustrate for your child the value of
industry and independence he may grow up an
ider and a vagabond a curse to you, him
self and Society. Think of this. AS moth
er appeal to you. Take heart again, and
for the sake of your child, let no bread, except
that procured by honest labor, pass his lips,
| if it be the coarsest bread, and scant at
that. Let it never be cast into his teeth by
wicked boys to shame him, and it may be, to
drive him to vice and crime, that his mother
was beggnrp
The womans face flushed. Mr.. Oldfeld
saw it, and felt more provoked at his wife
for what seemed to him little better than
taking advantage of poor wretch to lecture
her instead of extending the aid it was plain
enough she needed. How his fingers itched
for the privilege Of thrusting coin into her
hand.
81 do not say this" continued Mrs. Old
field, "to hurt you; but to help you see what
is best to be done, looking to the future as
to the present. We gain present ease at too
price, if it be at the cost of misery in the fu-
ture have suggested more in regard to
your son than is likely to happen? VIII it
not be known that you lived on aims, instead
of procuring your bread by patient toll p
And will not there be some to throw this
singing, humbling reproach into the teeth
of your boy. causing him to blush in shame
for his mother"
ait shall never be ~ exclaimed the woman,
rising from the chair in which she had been
seated, aud showing much disturbance of mind.
al never thought of that. Throw it into
the teeth of my boy that his mother was
beggar. No-not while l have strength TO
move a foot or lift finger"
"Spoken like true mother" said Mrs.
Oldheld encourageingly. Il was certain that
you had not looked at this question on all
sides, and now if you are really in earnest, con-
slider me your friend, Let me know your name