The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-08-08
EBENsBURG, PA, THURSDAY, AUGUST s. 1867.

that froze even ere she had fastened them
to the line. And, when night came, with
her scanty earning she would grope through
the cold and snow to her oftines lightless
and fireless home, for her husband was too
sick to tend even the fire, or to strike
light. And oh. with what shivering
heart would she draw near, fearing she
would be too late! 1t is iast that for six
weeks at one time she never saw tie face
of her husband or her child, save by the
lamp-light, except on Sunday. How glad
she would have been to have had, once in
a while, small washing gathered for her
''One dark winter morning, as she was
preparing a frugal breakfast, and getting
everything ready before she left, her hus
band called her to his bedside.
''Ada,' said he, almost in whisper,
4 want you to try and come home early
tonight be home before the light goes,
Ada
"'Tll try, answered she, with choked
utterance.
"'Do try, Ada have strange de-
sire TO see your face by daylight. To-
day is Friday have not seen it since
Sunday. must look upon it once again
'''Do you feel worse ? asked she anx-
iously, feeling his pulse as she spoke.
"'No, no, think not, but l want to
see your face once more by sunlight. L
cannot wait till Sunday
s'Gladly would she have tarried by his
bedside till the sunlight had stolen through
the little window but If might not be.
Money was wanted, and she must 90
forth to labor. She left her husband.
She reached the kitchen of her employer,
and with troubled face, waited for the
basket to be brought. a smile played on
her wan face as she assorted its contents.
She could get through easily by two
o'clock yes, and, if she hurried perhaps
by one. Love and anxiety lent new
strength to her weary arms, and five min
utes after the clock struck one she was just
about emptying the tubs, when the mis-
tress came in with a couple of bed quilts,
saying:
GO 'As you have small wash to-day,
Ada, l think you may do these yet
After the mistress had turned her back a
cry of agony, wrung from the deepest foun-
tain of me waSher-woman-s hGarI, gushed
to her lips. Smothering it as best as she
could she set to work again, and rubbed,
rinsed and hung out. 1t was half past
three when she started for home, an hour
too latc!' and the aged narrator sobbed.
can hour too late,' she continued, after
pause. "Her husband was dying yes,
almost gone! He had strength to whisper
few words to his half frantic wife, to
tell her how he longed to look upon her
face; that he could not see her then, he
lay in the shadow of death. One hour
she pillowed his head upon her suffering
heart, and then he was at rest.
''Mary, Mary, DEAR" and there was a
soul touching emphasis In the aged wo-
mans words, ''be kind to your washer
woman. Instead of striving to make her
days work as long as may be, shorten it.
Tighten it. Few women will go out wash
ing daily unless their needs are pressing.
No woman on her bridal day expects labor
in that way and be sure, Mary, when
she is constrained to do so, it is the last
resort. That poor woman, laboring now
SO hard for you, has seen better days no
doubt, and | know she has passed through
terrible trials, too. can read her pale
face. BE kind to her, pay her what she
asks, and let her 60 home as early as
possible
''You have finished in good time TO-
day, Susan said Mrs, NJ, az the washer
woman, with her old cloak and hood on,
entered the pleasant room to get the money
she had earned.
eyes, ma'am, have: and my heart,
maam, is relieved of n heavy load. ]
was so afraid 1 should be kept till night,
and l am needed at home"
sis there sickness there % said the aunt,
kindly
Tears gushed to the woman's eyes a:
! she answered: ''Ah, ma'am l left my
baby almost dead this morning; he will
be quite so tomorrow. know it, l have
seen it too many times and none but q
child of nine years to attend to him. Oh
| l must go, and quickly -
And, grasping the money she had toilec
for while her baby was dying, she hurried
to her dreary home. Shortly after they
followed her-the young wife who hat
never known sorrow and the aged matror
whose hair was white with trouble-fol
lowed her to her homel She was not tot
late. The little dying boy knew hi
mother. But at midnight he died, anc
then kind hands took from the mother th
lifeIess form, closed the bright eyes
Strengthened the tiny limbs, bathed tn
cold clay, and folded about it the pur
white shroud and did more-they CAV
what the poor SO seldom have, time to weep
"Oh, aunt" said Mrs, NJ, with tear
in her eyes, elf my heart blesscs you hoy
much more must poor Susan's. Had
not been for you she would have been to
late. 1t has been a sad but holy lesson
1 L L IL