Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-06-24

AA~S0sy3SsS>~y y
basket on her arm. aeU
swell Peters, she asked, after her
husband had entered and sat down,
...what luck?" ''ssja Aa
"Nothing! nothing!" groaned Pc
ter. 81 made out to squeeze a din
ner out Of an old chum, but I can't
And work."
"Where have you tried?''
ooh! everywhere. / have been to
a hundred places, but it's the same
in every place. 1t is nothing but
eternal no: no! no! I am tired and
"But what sort of work have you
offered to do?" aa..4.ae
"Why, I even went SO far as to Of
fer to tend in a Hquor-store down
town." 81. ~ ~ ss4
The wife smiled.
"Now, what shall we do?" uttered
Peter, systematically.
"Why, we'll eat supper first, and
then talk the matter over"
Supper! Have you got any?"
eyes, plenty of i'll"
"But you ioid me you mad nome"
"Neither had we this morning; but
1 have been after work today, and
found some"
"You! You been after work."
uttered the husband in surprise.
eyes" RI Ir =
"But how? where? what?"
"Why, first went to Mrs. Shows.
1 knew her girl was not well, and !
hoped she might have work to- be
done. / went to her, and told her
my story, and she set me at work at
once doing her washing. She gave
me food to bring home for the chill
dren, and paid me three shillings
when L got through"
"What! you haven't been out
working for our butchers wife,"
said Peter, looking very much sur
prised.
"Of course l have, and have there
by enough to keep US in food through
tomorrow, at any rate; SO tomorrow.
you may come home to dinner!'
"But how about the rent?"
ooh! have seen Mr.. Stimson, and
told him just how we are situated,
and offered him my watch as pledge
for the payment of our rent within
two months, with the interest on all
arrears up to that date. l told him
that I did the business because you
were away, hunting for work."
$50, he's got your watch?"
"No; he wouldn't take it. He said
if would become responsible for the
payment he would let it rest"
"Then we have got a roof to cover
us, and food for tomorrow. But what
next?' Oh! what a curse these hard
times are!"
"Don't despair, Peter; we shall not
starve. I've got work enough en-
gagged to keep US all alive"
"Ah? eh? What's that" f"
"Why, Mr.. Snow has engaged me
to carry small packages, baskets,
bundles, &c, to rich customers. He
has had to give up one of his horses"
"What do you mean, Maria?"
"Just what l say. When Mr..
Snow came home to dinner l was
there, and asked him if he ever had
light articles which he wished to
send round to his customers. Never
mind all that was said. Heidi hap
pen to want just such work done,
though he meant to call upon some
of the idlers who usually lounge
about the market. He promised to
give me all the work he could, and
am to be there in good season in the
morning."
"Well, this is pretty 60! My
wife turned butcher-boy! won't
do any such thing!'
"And why not?''
"Why not! Because-because-
"Say, because it will lower me in
the social scale!'
swell, and so it will"
"Then it is more honorable to do
nothing and starve, and see ones
children starve, too, than to earn
honest bread by honest work! ! tell
you, Peter, If you cannot work, l
must. We should have been with
out bread tonight had l not found
work today. You know all kinds of
light, agreeable business are seized
upon by those who have particular
friends or relatives engaged in them.
At such a time as this it il not for us
to consider what kind of work we
will do, SO long as it is honest. oh!
give me the liberty of living upon
my own deserts, and the indepen-
dence to be governed by my own
convictions of right" .-.s5l .
"But, my wife, only .think-you'
carrying out butchers stuff! Why,
II would sooner go and do 1t myseif"'
eff vou Wifi on ~ roplied the wife.