Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1867-08-07
THE POOR WAsHERwoMAN.

81 declare, / have a mind to put this
bed quilt into the wash to-day. 1t does
not really need to 60, either but l think
I'll send it down"
"Why will you put it in, Mary, if it
does not iced to go?' asked her good
old aunt in her quiet and expressive way.
"Why, you see, aunt, we have but a
small wash to-day so small that Susan
will get through ct one o'clock at the la
test, and shall have to pay her the same
as though she worked till night; So"
"Stop moment, DEAR" said the old Ia
dy gently, "stop moment and think.-
Suppose you were in the same situation
as poor Susan is, obliged, as you tell me,
f. toll over the wash tub six days 9ut Of
would you rot be glad once In while to
get through before night, to have few
hours of daylight to labor for yourself
and family, or better still, few hours to
rest? Mary, dear, it is bard, hard way
for woman to earn a living; begrudge
not the poor creature an easy day, This
is the fourth dav in succession she has ris-
en- by candle light, and plodded through
the cold here and there to her customers
houses, and toiled away existence. Let
her 60 at noon, If she gets through who
knows but that she may have come from
the sick bed of some loved one, and counts
the hours, yes, the minutes, till returning
fearing that she may be one too late p
Put it back on the bed, and sit down here,
while / tell you what one poor washerwo-
man endured because her employer did
as YOU would to make out the wash" And
the old woman took off her glasses and
wiped away the tears that from some
cause had gathered in her aged eyes, and
then with a tremulous voice related the
promised story,
"There was never more blithesome
bridal than that of Ada r. None ever
had higher hopes more blissful anticipa-
tions. She married the man of her choice,
one of whom any woman might be proud.
Few, few, indeed, had a SUMMER life in
prospect than she had.
"And for ten years there fell no shadow
on her path. Her home was one Of beau
tv and real comfort; her husband the
same kind loving man as in the days of
courtship; winning laurels every year in
his profession adding new comforts to
his home. and new joys to his freside.-
And besides these blessings God had Civ
en- another: little crib stood by the bed
side, its tenant golden haired baby boy,
the image of its noble father, and dearer
than ought else could offer.
seBut / must not dwell on those happy
days, my story has to do with other days.
Il was with them as it has often been with
others Just when the cup was the sweet
est il was dashed away. A series of mis-
fortunes and reverses occurred very rap
idlv, and swept away from them everything
but love and their babe Spared to each
other and to that, they bore brave heart,
and in distant city began a new fortune
Well and strongly did they struggle, and
at length began once more to see the sun
light Of prosperity shine upon their home.
| But little while it stayed and then the
shadows fell. The husband sickeued and
laid for many months upon weary couch.
languishing not only with mental and bodi
| ly pain, but oftentimes for food and medi'
cine. All that she could do the wife per-
formed with faithful hand. She went
from one thing to another, till at length.
she, who had worn a satin garment on her
bridal day, toied at the washtub for the
scantiest living. In dreary winter, long
before light she would rise morning after
morning, and labor for the dear ones of her
only home. Often she had to set off
through the cold deep snow, and grope- her
way to kitchens which were sometimes
smoky and gloomy and toll there at rub
bing, rinsing and starcbing, not unfrcqnent
ly wsding knee deep into the drifts to hang
out the clothes that froze even ere she had
fastened them to the line And, when night
came, with her scanty earning she would
erope through the cold and snow to hel
oftimes lightless and freless home, for he'
husband was too sick to tend even the fire
| or strike light, And oh, with what