The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-11-12
THE iEE'.'ID DAY OF SMALL THINGS.
spBYi EDGAR L. HAMMOND. /,


1t was plainly furnished, poor
looking apartment in a small house in
the outskirts of the city !; and yet,
plainly furnished and poor looking as
it was, this room served as parlor,
sitting-room and kitchen, all in one, to
those who, until few months since,
had never dreamed of the ills Of pow
erty. It had single occupant, a pale,
sad, anxious looking, yet still beauti-
full woman, of some thirty-fve years,
clad in black garments, the robes of
widowhood. She was fair, and slen-
der, and delicate; her white, we'll
kept hands showed her unused to
toll; but, in the light of the sunset
she was stitching patiently and ear
nestiy away upon some coarse, heavy
work, ill-fitted for those slight fingers;
work such as is found in plenty in
close-piled ware=rooms, by starving
seamstresses, but for which is received
a pittance that is but the mockery OF
remuneration, that scarce serves to
keel, soul and body together. Work,
over which are shed bitter tears of
despair and heart anguish, by strained
afdstoil-wearied eyes, that must close
above their labor, even though mid
night loYertake, them, and the dawn
find them still plying their task, lest
the morr6w's bread be wanting, and a
more terrible fate shall come. I
But Emily selden, though her tired
heart might well give way, dared
not lot weep those tears that many an
other wept, pursuing tasks like this
They must be kept back, they were a
dangerous luxury, and she had a
strne eglel before her that they would
not help.
Six months since, ,inithe capital of "a
distant State, her husband had been a
rich and prosperous merchant; but
the tide of fortune has its turns for all
and the.a man who called himself
wealthy, wealthy though he be that
day, was a, beggar the next, Then he tll the
poverty-stricken family, the father ane
mother and one boy, came hither IL
the hope hhl9t of a change. There came s
change, indeed, in the guise of death
and left the mother and her son alone
t, battle with their fate, strangers in in
strange land. They had lived, ane
that was all, since then, and now theil
slender means, the little sum that Mrs
selden had left after her husband
funeral, was entirel exhausted,
For many a day back young Harr,
Seias6,i a boy iof1foureeens hadobeel
seeking employment His anethe
was glad to obtain even the wretche'
occupation that engaged her now bu
every anxious effort had been unavail
ing, and upon the miserhble sum sh
earned so painfully, it was impossibl
to subs;iist. What We're they to do?
Tonight Harry Selden, after a da
ofai,weary, heart-breaking, fruitlei
search for work, came home tired an
despairing, his frank, ingenious youn
face betraying his sad feelings. I'll
mothers anxious countenance que
toned him concerning his success,
she put aside her work to welcome tt
wear" lad; but she saw only disal
pointment in his dark eyes, and h
heart sank. ~ '-i ,5ga- = ...'aTes
"No better fortune to-day than ye
terday mother" he said with a ha
sigh !, 9 No one wants a clerk, no Of
a asalesma11. No one wants even &
errand boy" He smiled half-bitt
smile as he. said it.
aDid you ask to be that, Harry ("
Was the mother to be blamed that
secret pain filed her heart as she ask
the question? Her handsome, hig
bred, delicate boy-Edward Seldel
son, son. of f whom she had been SO proud
an oerrand boyi She had hoped
something little higher. But Har
himself checked the, rising spirit
humiliation that, for an instant, p'
.sessed the breast of each. He "
very young, and had both pride a
ambition but he had a liberal sh'
of strong good sense, as well; and
saw that pride and poverty, in