Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-04-23
The lighter Burden.
ny 7. 9. ARTnuR.


A pleasant family sitting room Time,
evening. From the small brouzsd chan.
deller hangs II droplight over a centre ta'
ble covered with books. The warm air
comes in through an open register, giving
to the apartment genial summer temper
ature. The room is not large, nor is the
furniture costly. Everything is plain, but
good aud comfortable. Three young chi.
dren, who have closed their eyeniug game
of romps, have just passed oul with their
mo- her--it is their bedtme-aud the father
sits alone. A few minu'eS ago smiles lit
up his face, caught from the ch ldrens
gIuduess; but these smiles have faded; a
cloud has dropped down over bis counte-
uance; be is gloomy and troubled.
THUS sat M. Catherwood, when his
wife returned from The chamber where she
angels. Her heart was ligh; but q hand
seemed laid npon her bosom the moment
she came back into her husbands presence
A feeling of care and anxiey oppressed
her. She 10, ked earnestly at her husband
and saw that his brow was clouded.
Whit troubles You? she asked | hope
no'hrg g has goI e wong!
Everything is going wrong! Mf Clth
erwood answered. How We are 10 make
both ends meet is more than | can tell
Coal has gone up 10 twelve dollars ton.
To twelve Golars!
Yes aud everything else in proportion
Food, clolhing, take, nearly oil double
what they were; c;-aod today | received
nouce that our rent woald be raised liou
four, TO five hundred dollars.
M s Cathera ood drew quick, signing
breath.
To five hundred dollars! she responded
she trouble IN her face growing deeper.
Yes; but if that were all, said her huS
oand, we might get along easily enough
1t is the udvaucemnnt on every item o
personal and household expenditure that is
going to break US down.
Don't say break US down, Henry. Mrs
Calherwood's voice was clicked.
do say break us down. he replied
slh fretful emphasis. What is to hIu
der? Everything breaks down when ih
burden goes beyond the strength.
We mnst begin TO limit GU selves, sal
| Mis- CaibeIwood. We must tighten tn
burden by throwing over all snpe, huities
and even some OF our comforts. Bette
this, than 10 break down.
| wish the war was over. Mr.. Gather
wood spoke with gloomy impaIience. L
it goes on much longer we shall hav
nothing left.
lmuk answered Mrs. Caiherwood, in
gentle, suggestive Ione, that, compaIe'
with many others, the war, so far, ha
louchea us very lightly. We have no
suffered the abridgement of single CON
fort.
The ablidgement is to 5ome. 1t is eve
now at our door, said Mr. CaiherwooG
And if the war continues, IL will go Of
Iunti absolute want stares US in the lace
Ifneed be that we suffer for our countr.
let us do it patiently. replied Mrs, CATH
rrwood. who was of more hopeful d
position than her husband. She ha
already risen above the depressing inhuanc
of his state. In any event our circumstaI
stances are such, that we shall never b
called to suffer even tthe OF the pal
that will be laid on thousands OF stricke
hearts. Anu II OuT po'tOu VI Wv ""
mon burden be so very light in comparso
with our neighbours burden, is II well ic
us 10 complaint With so much left to
thankful for is it not sin TO murmur--
I thought of tire starving Union prisoneI
in Richmond, as sat at our plentiful tan
this evening; of the fathers there WI
had left children at home as dearly love
as oursi OF the husbands there, whose wiS'
weep for them bitter and unavslIng tear
Oh. Henry! for US to complain is slnl
Mr.. Catherwood made no reply to th'
dropped his eyes away from bis wlles ia'
and looked down at the floor Thougl
went to The starving prisoners in klchmor
TO the homeless meD, women aud chlidr'
who we're suffering aud in exile for love
country, TO the thousands who had saeT
/, ticed their all; 10 the sick and wounded
hospitals; TO the sorrowing ones scatter'
sl over the country who mourned the
loved aud lost. He felt rebuked.
. The door OF the room was opened wi
! Jerk. aud servant came in, Her ma
ner was excited. es....s
What's wantedf ssked Mrs. Catherwo'