Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-03-18


men on his way to Asia Minor, without deeming il
necessary to make any reply to Miss Leonard
note.
The sad catastrophe that had befallen Mr.. Leon
ard so wrought upon his previously delicate health
that he sank rapidly into decline; and three
months after the failure of the house, in which he
was the senior partner, he died, leaving his wife
and daughter dependent upon the hard mercies oi
an unsympathizing public.
Lizzie Leonard was girl Of much energy and
as soon as the sad event, depriving them of pro-
tector, brought the unwelcome truth Of their pow.
erty home to them, she and her mother held, as
they termed it, council of war"
Unlike most heroines, Lizzie was not an adept
in the art of music, neither did she consider her
self as quite fitted for governess; besides which,
she knew that the salary of a'governess, or music
mother; and as final alternative the needle was
resorted to. Lizzie took upon herself the humili.
ating task of going among her old acquaintance
soliciting needle.work. But, alas, for sunny-day
friends, she met with very poor success and day
after day glded by and brought the wolf nearer
the door.
At last, one day, late in December, she came
home from taking out some finished work, and
surprised her mother by saying, abruptly
Mother, I am @Ag, into the factory to work p
'What do you :aa&a, child2" exclaimed the
mother Hka.
Simply, MOTHER" she replied, ''that we cannot
live in this way. The winter is upon us, and this
is the only alternative left.
In vain the mother expostulated; her daughter 8
resolve was taken, and at last she obtained her
parents reluctant consent.
'But where do you intend to go?'' asked the
latter, when it was finally decided that go she
should
II have thought of several places" replied
Lizzie; "and as the one where I shall be most
likely to obtain employment, as we'll as be spared
the pain of meeting those who once were called my
friends, have chosen Woonsocket, in the State of
Rhode Island. There are quite number of mills
there, and have little doubt of obtaining situa-
ton in some of them.
"But the expense Of going there? and if you
should only fail ?" still urged the mother
''I have thought of that answered the coura-
geous girl; "there are the bracelets papa gave-I
meant to have kept them but, I am sure could
he look down from Heaven and speak to US, he
would say I should be doing right to dispose Of
them to assist me in obtaining means of support
for yourself and me, dear mother; and as for fail
ing, shall not fail I am sure of that
And so it was settled and so it was that the
young GIRL all unused to work, found her way to
the great brick mill, at the Social, one morning,
and applied for work at the Office.
''Have you ever worked in mill ?" inquired the
superintendent, when she had made known her
wishes.
''No, sir" she replied, "but think can soon
be able to perform my duties satisfactorily.
Her tone was so confident that the superinten-
dent was at once prepossessed in her favor and
being at that time short of hands, he engaged her.
A fortnight after found her busy at her looms, dis
playing much skill and judgment in her manage
ment of them.
She had obtained board in the boarding house
belonging to the corporation, and though little like
the quiet she had been accustomed 10 at home,
she had set her heart upon being contented; and
to certain extent she was So But still it was a
great trial to her to mingle with the promiscuous
company that congregate in factories, and listen to
the sometimes coarse language she was compelled
to hear.
She found, however, the impression that mill
operatives are always devoid of culture and educa
ton, was a very erroneous one, for she found
ladies-yes reader, do not smile-genune ladies,
of cultivation and education, that would put to
shame many an elegantly dressed miss that queens
it in some drawing room, working at the loom.
And there were gentlemen there, in every sense Of
the word, who, Intellectually and morally. were the
superiors of many who would blush to recognize a
mill hand" on the street.
Yes, they were there, weaving out the motley
thread of life, communing with their own noble
thoughts, as they wove the useful fabric, or spun
the silver threads. Noble men and women, for
they were making something useful living by their
own honest industry, and owing no man anything,
save the love we should bear each other
And so, amid these people, she was learning the
lesson of selfdefence and beside all that, support
ing an aged and invalid mother, and making
smooth her pathway through her declining years.
Was she happy? She who had reigued belle
in fashion circles? who had been petted child
in the house of opulence; had once felt no wish
ungratfed that wealth could bring? Could she
be happy in that noisy mill, working at the clatter.
ing looms from early dawn till night until every
nerve and fibre of her being ached for rest
Yes, she was happy-far happier than in other
days; and had no cloud rested on her heart; nc
bitter memory ever wet her pillow with tears, she
would have been fully content, and that is better
than wealth. But there came the sad thought
that her father was gone to return to earth no more
and her heart would be filled with sadness, unit
she would think of meeting him again in the bet
ter land, and she would no more be sad.
| Then sometimes would come the memory of him
whose image she could not yet etface from hel
woman's constant heart, and with that memory
came saddened tears, whose bitterness no one coulo
share, hours to which no friend could bring com
fort save the friend who said: $40 I am witt
you always, even unto the end
To the mothers anxious eyes the inroads tina
the unusual, unremitting toll made upon he
daughter, was fully apparent, and the loneliness o
her widowhood was made sad by the thought o
the dark future that lay before the daughter fo
whom she once had cherished such bright antici
pations. But she, too, had learned to rest he
burden upon the shoulders Of One mighty to save
and to the widows God she often sent up praye
for help
The burning days Of summer had come, and il
the hot rooms Of the factory the air was like fur
mace. The whir of the machinery, the dust ant
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