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

Then "Don't stay late tonight"
Out Of work:
OR, WHAT A GOOD WIFE CAN DO.
"It's no use, Maria; have tried
everywhere" is E
e,e"But you are not going to give up,
Peter"
"Give up? How can I help it?
Within four days I have been to
every -bindery in the city, and
not a bit of work can get!"
"But have you tried anything
else?'' - re-
"What else can I try?''
"why, anything that you can do"
eyes, I've tried other things. l
have been to more than a dozen of
my friends, and offered to help them,
If they would hire me-"
Sand what did you mean to do
for them?"
~ offered to post their accounts,
make out bills, or attend at the coun-
teri
Mrs. Stanwood smiled as her hus-
band thus spoke.
"What makes you smile?" he
asked. gkrs a.
"To think you should have imag-
ined that You would find work in
such places! But how is Mark Leeds?"
"Worse off than am"
GLOW sop -
4 "IIe has nothing in his house to
eat!n as
It was shudder that crept over
the wife's frame now.
"Why do you tremble SOP"
because, when we have eaten our
breakfast tomorrow morning, we
shall have nothing!"
- "What!" cried Peter Stanwood !,
half starting from his chair, "Do you
mean that" =
IdO." E8E
"Then we must surely starve!"
groaned the stricken man, starting
across the room.
Peter Stanwood was book-binder
by trade, and had now been out of
employment for over month. He
was one of those who generally cal
culated to keep about square with
the world, and who considered them
selves particularly fortunate if they
keep out of debt. He was now thir-
ty years of age, and had been mar
ried eight years. He had three chill
dren to provide for, besides himself
and wife; and this, together with
house-rent, was q heavy draught up
on his purse, even when work was
plenty; but now there was nothing.
"Maria," he said, stopping and
gazing his wife in the face, tive must
starve. I have not single penny
In the world!"
"But do not despair, Peter. Try
again TO- morrow for work. You may
find something to do. Anything
that is honest will be honorable.
Should you make but shilling q
day, we shall not starve."
"But our house-rent?"
''Trust me for that; the landlord
shall not turn US out. If you will
engage to find work to do, I'll see
that we have house-room."
"I'll make one more trial." mutt
tered Peter, despairingly.
"But, Peter, you must 60 prepared
TODD anything.'' SESEs
anything reasonable, Maria"
"But what do you call reasonabIe?'
."Why, anything decent"
The wife felt almost inclined to
smile, but the matter was too serious
for that, and a cloud passed over her
face. She knew her husbands dis
position, and she felt sure that he
would find no work. She knew that
he would look about for some sort of
work which would not CLOVER him In
the social SCALE" as he had once or
twice expressed It. However, she
knew 1t would be Of no use to say
anything to him now, and she let the
matter pass. a4Z aaa Ht.l4
On the following morning, the last
bit of food in the house was put upon
the table. Stanwood could hardly
realize the fact that he was penniless
and without food. For years he had
been gay, fortunate and thoughtless,
making the most of the present, for
getting the. past, and leaving the flu
ture to look out for Itself Yet the
truth was naked and clear; and when
he left the house, he said, "s0me-
thing must be DONE, ggsa
No sooner had the husband gone,
than Mrs. Stanwood put on her bon
net and shawl. Her eldest child was
a girl seven years old, and her young
cot four. She asked her next-door
neighbor II she would take care Of
ner children until noon. These chill
dren were known to be good and
luist,anAtheyvesstakeacheorialiy.
Their Mrs. gtanwood 5ecEed mp her
ara,ao as,A want ARav 0hn 0nknrned