Maryland free press., 1866-07-12
seliiosay Of q Poor Mechanic.
!, BIZ 'ian,llck'' roxEnoY. 20,


How my back achesi alo5 fali
thAnd want q little more sleep but unless am
were when the seven o'clock bell speaks am not
anted. -, -
But I'll rest-nap-s -snooze here as rest, and
waken for few moments
That a0ise tn le kitchen! .aeif.f y
That Is my wife preparing breakfast. Good
woman-she did not go to bed till an hour or
more after did, and she Is always up an hour
before me. Her work is never done--nine is
never done. hear her step in another room.
hear the dishes as they placed on the table,
This pillow Is not as large some pillows, so TIL
double 1t up and rest my head on 1t. And this
enough for poor mani The feather bed is thin
the clothes are none too nice but then we are
better off than thousands know.
Way not hape bettr ones2
Simply because cannot affordft. -
o1,sd ps yoa Ssnssss sss these Do The sa
stiffened blunt fngers2 Well sir, they are marks
OF industry. go to the shop early. / wo rk
late. take my dinner inssthat little tin-pail.
work till my back aches. save my money
My wife helps me at home-she is prudent, sa-
wing, industrious and hopeful. My children are
not dressed as well as my neighbours children are
but they wear the best can get for them.
have no luxuries, my family must live, even
ifmy bed be hard, my pillow small the few feathers
and the bed clothes worn-the floors uncarpeted
Have scork? t -ts
of course have work, and have to pay for
1t. But money does not go SO far now as il used
to. Two dollars to-day are not as good as one
dollar six years ago My wages go for -four,
meat, potatoes, butter, when we can afford it
eggs, tea, coffee, sugar, cloth, medicines and tax
: Way purchase tea, coffee, butter, etc., -.
Why ivel I am tired at night and want
something can relish and cup Of tea gives me
nrfb ay,1 Al e. I .I..-..
out butter. And in the morning, with the .labors
OF the,day staring me In the face as they lead me
along to the grave have but little appetite,
cup OF coffee with sugar in land perhaps an egg
on my platetempts the worn out appetite and
thus gain strength for my toll. -
Be more savingl
am saving. My wife is saving. / have hard
ly a decent suit Of clothes. Ny wife does not
have more than two dresses year. She mends
and turns and patches and saves, and pieces:
and she uses our worn out garments to make
clothes for the children. And we have no lux
uries In the pantry or cellar-simple plain food.
A dollar does not go far in market now. do
not complain, but do get discouraged at times
and wonder why a poor maa was born-what
use there is in living? Everything costs so much.
Cotton costs five times as much now as six years
ago. Woolen goods ditto. Tea; coffee, -four,
meat sugar, rice, butter, eggs, tobacco, spices,
medicines, &c, &C., cost from three to five times
as much as they once did. And my wages are
notincrcased In proportion. And then the war.
All had saved for years went for war expenses
It was fifty dollars here-ffty dolors there-ffty
dollars then-twenty dollars more for the last
call-ffty dollars more for the next last call and
so on. had to sell my COW and silver watch to
raise bounty money.
=. Why didn't eniisf2 ..
Why didn't you? My son my brother" my
cousin, enlisted and they died or came home
crippled. was drafted-I mortgaged my house
and lot to raise money to send man in my place.
What made me2
To save the Union. They told me the South
wanted 10 get out of the Unon and that we must
whip them back. did not quite understand the
matter. wanted the Union restored, and !
Joined with the Republican party. But all this
was for nothing. We went to war-we lost half
million of men--we ruined the South SO it was
worth nothing TO the Union-they submitted
we disbanded our armies-the Sonth laid down
her arms and has gene to work, and now these
same Republicans say the South is out of the
Union, aud they are going to keep her out, for
fear she will vote against them. ! can't see what
we gained by war And find that the Demo-
crats were right, and that Democratic times were
the best for poor people. And the taxes-why
/ am now taxed-and taxed and taxed, must
support myself-my fmily-tmy poorer relatives
who came back from the 'war-i pay ten times
the city, state, town and county taxes did be-
fore-l am taxed to help support free negroes
who once worked, as had to, and supported
themseves-and, worse than all, am taxed TO
pay interest money to rich Dond-holders who
live in ease, whose hands are soft who pay no
taxes, yet live on what earn, and what all ofus
poor men earn. Now what chance has poor
man under such q republican government? A
chance to work hard and die poor.