Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-07-06


/ months was the passage from theiI
own door to the hall.
/, The rooms selected for the tea were
near the Public, where most of the
7 company were accustomed to pass
: their evenings. The keeper stood in
: the door as the groups went by, utter
ing jeers, fiinging gibes after the COM
pany, but satisfied that he would have
: little custom that night. In the hall
! long tables were laid, running twice
I the length of the room, and bounte-
; GUS feast was spread. AT the close, a
: few verses were read from the Word
; of God; a short prayer offered, to
! which the whole company responded
heartily, "Amen;n the blessing was
; pronounced by q layman, quite n
! common thing in England, and the
company separated.
A few days later the ladies made q
tour among the families whom they
had invited to the tea. The visits
were made practical. Poor, toiling,
discouraged women were shown how
to do their work; how to make n how
el cleanly, comfortable and cheerful /;
how to make little money go a good
way; how to fill poor mans home
with comfort. 1t was a wonder to q
wife who all her days had been a
drudge, to look on these sisters of
mercy, well dressed and genteel, some
of them of the quality" doing up
her work. The quiet tread, the cheer
full manner, the magical change pro-
duced by q touch here and there; the
order brought out of confusion; the
sullen gloom and discomfort giving
] NrynN IN oh full
ful of coal gave out a warm and cheer
full glow, while the merry kettle sung
ON the hob.
To elevate the lowly, these ladies
felt it necessary that the poor should
be taught to help themselves. They
formed sewing meetings, and encour-
aged the women to make clothes for
their husbands and children. They
taught them to sew, and paid them
fair wages while they were making
garments for themselves. To teach
them self-respect and independence,
they sold the women cloth at small
price, and allowed them to pay in in
/ stalments.
Going their rounds, the ladies came
to the home of John Morey. 1.-The
destruction of the poor is their pow
| erty,n was the expression on their
lips, as our friends paused in front of
the untidy dwelling. Heaps of Gin
ders, piles of garbage and filth, the
accumulation of weeks, were piled up
in all directions. The gutter was full
of stagnant water, decayed vegetables
and carcaSSes of animals. The un-
clean step-stone was a type of the
house. In answer to the rap, a sharp
''come in" was heard. The door was
opened, and the visitors found them
selves in the unwholesome apartment
of John MOrey. The tea furnished 4
theme of animated conversation
Mrs. Morey complained of her hard
lot and her poverty stricken home.
Because you are poor, you need
not be unclean," said one of the Ia
dies. "Why dOyou sit moping here?
Why do you not put your room in or
der, and clean up your children and !
yourself?"
"Why should ?'' said the woman. |
"You should do it for your hus-
bands sake, and for the sake of your !
children"
81 should like to know what John |
does for me, that should put myself |
out for him. He earns but little, and |
that he spends in the ale-house. He |
brings me home abuses, curses and |
blows No: I will do nothing that / !
can help"
"But you may reform him." said |
one of the ladies. "You should heap |
Goals of fire on his head"
YES" said the woman, 'and burn
his brains out. would like to do
that !"
a long talk followed. Mrs. Morey
agreed for once to try the effect of
clean home and a kind welcome on
John. She went to work with will.
The ladies spent an hour in helping
her arrange her home. Before they
left John would not have known the
spot where he took his homely morn
ing meal. His wife not only made the
inside of the house tidy, but the step
stone was cleaned and whitened. So
unusual was the sight, that the rude
children of the neighbOrhood left their
play, and gazed with wonder on
Marin Morey's white step-stone. u
The children were transformed and
last of all, Mrs. Morey trimmed her.
self up and became, what she really
was, comely looking person.
Johns work came to an end quite
early that day. A carouse was to
come off at the Public, and the work. !
men were to be there. They separat-
ed early for the good time that was
coming. John hastened to his home !
to make himself presentable. He l
passed the Public without his usual
cup, knowing that he could make l
in the evening. His wages |
were in his pocket, and he felt de- l
gree of independence, for he knew G
that he could pay his way with the c
best. Full of the coming carouse, he 5
thought of nothing till he halted in q
'front.' of the clean step-stone. He was L
and began to doubt whether '
ne had not mistaken his own home. o
His wife, who was on the watch for v
him, threw the door open, and he was e
more bewildered at her transforma- a
ion than he was at the exterior of u
lis house. He leaped over the whiten- e
ID step-stOne, lest he should soil it Il
With his dirty shoes. An unwonted p
light broke upon him; 4 clean floor, a Il
idy room, a cheerful fire, his supper Il
aid in order, and his wife cheerful ii
nd cleanly to welcome him. 4
"Well, lass" said the astonished
ohm, "what does all this mean >
What fine company are ye expecting,
hat all is so nice in John Morey's Il
.ouse? You must expect company OF
o night, to be all fixed up!" a
mo, john" said Maggie, az expect bt
10 company but you. You are hard 81
7orking man, John. You have few OF
omforts. You do spend much time W
t the ale-house, and yer money, that al
7ould make your family comfortable, II
nth worthless men. But perhaps,
ohm, it is more my fault than yours. bt
'ou are q good man in the maiD John, CO
nd so thought would surprise you. al
'Ou know the good words spoken to
5 at the tea, and how it was said that til
oor folks could have many comforts. gr
md then the kind ladies whom you ST
now have told me how to do things We
nat I did not know. and I'll try to su
e better wife to you than 1 have tn
een.n SD
John listened with astonishment. as
some one had spoken to him from E
lother world. He laid his hand co
emily on Maggie's shoulder, and in so
mes which he had not used for years, du
i'd: br
"An' so, lass, you have done all this he
r me, brute, that has spent his an
oney in drink with bad men, and an
# you to suffer with hunger and cold: en-
Id L have not spared the curses at trC
ou. I'll see what l can do for you" IA,