The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-05-26

eAt $50 t- -'A~ &NsH~@~~t~ 49,
ea .ssa raAs.DJ 70 e=MAeiayeE ess
unzrzzzilEz1s1sz
1he nsxt dag dswned clear aud frosty
Il was lively enough for those who sat b.
comfortable fires and dined Ut luxuriou
tables, but for the poor who shared none Q
these advantages 1t was indeed . bitter day
In an attic room, mssniy furnished, sss
young girl. pale and thin. She vas cover
ing over . scsnty wood hre, the best sh'
could afford, which heated the room very
insuficiently. She was sewing steadily
shiveriDg from tins TO time rs the cold BIAS
shook the window and found its way through
the creyices. tss. 81
Poor childl Life had very black sspsc
for her on that winter day. She was alone
in the world There was absolutely no ont
on whom she could call for assistance
though she needed it sorsly enough. Ths
thought came to her more than once in hel
discomfort, as II worth while living anJ
longer ?" But she recoiled from the sin O
suicide. She might starve to death, bu,
she would not take the life that God. had
given her.
Plunged in gloomy thought she contipued
to work. All at once step was heard as.
cending the staircase which led to her room
Then there was knock at the door. She
arose in some surprise and opened it think
ing it must be the landlady or one Of ths
servants
She sss right. It was servant.
:" Here's letter for you that the post boy
Just brought, Miss Norris"
A letter for mel" repeated Helen Nor
ris, in surprise, liking it from the servant
Who can have written to me
"May be it's valentine, MISS" said the
girl, laughing. You know this is Valen
tines day. More by token, I've got two
myself this morning. Ones a karakter Gear
icaturef) so mistress calls it. just look
at it,"
Bridget displayed n highly embsllished
pictorial representation Of a female hard al
work at the wash tub, the cast Of beauty
being deciG sdly Hihernian-
Helen Morris laughed aosently, but did
not open her letter while Bridget remained
"a little to the disappointment Of that Gu.
rious damsel
Helen slowly opened the envelope. A
bank note for ten dollars dropped from il to
the floor
She eagerly read the few words on the
paper. From 81. Valentine"
Heaven be praised she said, folding
her hands gratefully The sum will en-.
able me to carry out the plan which had
in view"
Eight years passed away Eight years
with their lights and shadows, their Joys
and sorrows They brought with them the
merry voices Of children, they brought with
them new made graves, happiness to some
and grief to others
Towards the last they brought the great
commercial crisis of 81, when houses that
seemed built upon q rock tottered all at
once to their fall Do not many remember
that all too well, when merchants with
anxious faces ran from one to another ia
solicit help, and met only averted faces
and distrustfnl looks And bow was % in
that time Of the universal panic With our
ftiends-Stacy 4 wllburs = y
Up to 1857 they had been doing an ex-
cellent business. They had gradually en-
larged their operations, and were rapidly
growing rich when the crash came
They Immediately took in sail Both
were prudent, and both felt that now was
the time when this quality was urgently
needed.
BY great efforts they had succeeded
keeping up till the l4th OF February, 1858.
On that morning a note of-two thousand
dollars came due. This was their last peril
That surmounted, they would be able to 20
on with assured confidence.
But this, alas was the rock on which
they had most apprehension. They had
taxed their resources 10 the utmost. They
had called upon their friends, but their
friends were employed in taking care oi
themselves, and the selfish policy was the
one required then.
Look out for number one," superseded
the golden rule for the time being.
As have said, two thousand dellars were
due on the 14th Of February. =
/" How much have you got toward il ~
asked Wilbur, as Stacy came IN at half past
eleven.
"Thrse hundred and seventy five dollars, y
was the dispirited reply.
"Was that all you could raise I" inquired
his partner, turning pale. $ Are you sure
you thought of everybody 2" ~
have been everywhere I'm tagged to
death" was the weary reply Of Stacy, as he
sank exhausted into chair
Then the crash must come" said vii.
bur, with gloomy resignation. =
+" suppose it must"
There was . silence. Neither felt in.
clined to say anything. For six months
they had been struggling with tie tide
They could see the shore, but in sight Of /,
they must 20 down.
AT this moment note was brought in by
. boy. There was no postmark. Evidently
he was special messenger.
1t was opened ut once by Mr.. Wilbur, t.
whom 1t was directed. It contained thes.
few words only: -.
II Mr.. John Wilbur will call immediately
at No. :, Fifth avenue, he viii learn some
thing to his great advantage"
There was no signature.
John Wilbur read il with surprise. ant
passed it to his partner. Whxt does n
mean do you think Z"
II don't know" was the reply, "but
advise you to 60 at once"
It seems to be in feminineAandwritine. ;
said Wilbur thoughtfully.
" Yes. Don't you know any lady OF
Fifth avenue 2"
"None."
" Well, it is worth noticing. !. We hay.
met with so little to our advantage lately
that it will be refreshing variety"
In five minutes John Wilbur jumped int
. horse car, and was on his way TO No.
Fifth avenue. a
He walked up to the door of masuiicen
brown stone honse and rang the bell ii,
- Al