The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-22
LIFTING UP.

rouse her, and frighten her out Of all this
weakness and misery at once.
For truly it was poor, miserable life
that she was living now; and the way
out of it did not appear. Ten years be-
fore, nan and woman had stood up, and
promised fidelity and honor toward each
other, with as high hopes as any two peo-
pie, with the world all before them, and
their home to make in it, could have.
Five years of honest, hearty effort,
home just beginning to be theirs, four
DAYS OF illness-and 8 widow, with mort
gagged house and three babies, was left.
At first grief for her loss, remorse for
the light appreciation of what had been
hers, the desire to do for his children
what he hsd meant, sustained her; and
she worked hsrd and necessarily. First
in q factory, where she had been q weaver
before her marriage. The trouble was
about leaving the children. She let her
house, al but three rooms; got girl to
come il through tie day, but il did not
answer. Annie WAS burned; Harry fell
down the cellar stairs; and the baby got
sick. After several trials Susan found
middle-aged woman, who was out OF
work, and had no permanent home, and
who agreed to stay through the winter
on condition that che could tske IN sewing
and knitting when she could get them to
do. So here the case stood; Susan had
sixty dollars rent for her house; twenty
five dollars she had to pay for interest,
twelve more for insurance and taxes, leay-
ing twelty-tbree dollars for repairs on
the house, which were sure to come, and
for clothing for herself and children. She
earned i've dollars, sometimes when the
work went well, six dollars, week. That
went for food aad fuel. Five people were
TO be warmed and fed.
Mrs Marshall, the old lady, soon came
to love the little fatherless things, and
took good care of them She made TIE
most OF their mothers little means COOK
ed comfortable meals, kept tie house tidy,
taught Annie her letters; Susan washed
and ironed evenings, and felt as though
Paradise-sll that could be in this world
without Henry-was Tegained, and dared
not think OF what would be IN spring. So
winter passed; they had known the real
comfort Of home. Spring came, Mrs.
Marshall was called to gcOG place, and
the reign OF disorder began again. Very
young girls were the only hOusekeepers
that Susan could afford each made fresh
havoc, and each change was equal to a re-
moVsl. There is saying that three re.
movals are equal to one fire. Poor Susan
her crockery vas broken, they had barely
dishes enough TO put On the table, Odd
things at last. The children's clothes
were scorched spoons were thrown out
IN the dishwater; knives and forks had
their handles taken of 5y hot water
towels disappeared and left 10 trace.
Susan had no. been an economist or a
no f..if hat hart Sh hsI
tina. interest which ones own property
insDireg, and had never thrown Ter thing g:
away.
1ne last attempt at a housekeeper va:
foolish girl who was said TO be teacba
bic and go0d-tempeTed. Alas for tht
teachableness; only while you stood ovel
her, TO point out the very place and work,
could she Go anything. And very sooI
the whole matter eliminated by her let
ting the baby fall out of g high chair.
must give my notice, and take IL
sewing" said Susan which she did. She
sewed for sale shops, and for such per
sons In the mill as she knew, who oOull
afford to put cut work. For month OF
so ali went well; she had s little money
LETT OF her wages, and some months rem
she did not owe. After that the pull be
gan Dy working all day, and som,
hours into the night, she could earn tire:
dollars week, and get through with hel
mouse work. But it is hard to suppOT
1OIr people On three dollars; it acqs,
Should saT, fO- this vas before the var
Then there we're weeks when she had un
pT0n,30lc work, Or when there was wort
only part Of the time, so that she only
earned two dollars, perhaps only one
do.l2r and a half. She then took extrs
WORK when she could get it, and sat IA
into the night 70 get it done. 1t was new
and, for her, harder than mill work, thi
sitting hour after hour, with crampe;
limbs, strained eyes, srd weary fingers
Soon taere were little debts that 81,
couidn'e meet; she grew discouraged, be
Came irritable, the children's noise craze.
her; she gave them S push, sometimes. il
her hurry and anxiety to finish her task
About the middle OF the following win
ter her tenants moved, and the house Lar
empty. She spent much time in shoVinI
the rooms, and il talking to applicants
But as time passed, end nobody YES suit
cd, Susan's heart sank. One Ssturds,
night, ct the end OF most untort,,uat'
week, her grocer pressed her for The nav
ment OF his bill, and almost refused I
trust her Tor more goods. 1t was the frs
TINE II Eer lie that such thing had han
pened to her, and she xas ready 10 SIM
under the hUmiiiatioa-though Thankful
that one drop of bitterness was spared
the middle-aged clerk, who usually waite,
on ner, was lot b she could not hay
Dorne that. Yet when, an hour later,
large package was brought to Ter door b.
the pleasant faced boy OF the establish
ment, ard she was asked humbly to sc
cept IL, Susan did not send IL back, as sh
had done things from the same quar.e
before. The children's necessities. he
own jided, discouraged state, prepare,
her, when this hour OF temptation came
TO yield. What was the use Of prid
while her children wanted bread; whel
soon the house that their father worke,
80 lard Tor would refuse them shelter
And could she ever earn enough to pa,
rent snd FEED and clOthc them all? S0be
fore summer she was married to Dill
Powers, The middle aged clerk st Mi
Ranson's, and the old life became thin
OF the past Mr. Powers paid off tn
mortgage on the house; he bought neg
furniture IN place of the broken, disable,
stuff; but he let some rooms, instead q
having all to themselves, as Susan ha
hoped.
No two persons could begin life t.
gether with less realization OF what eacl
was to bear and to forbear The husband
now pass forty, had been a bachelor
waited on as g person Of consideration, il
the house where he had boarded for fiji
teen years. Susan's first husband hat
treated her with tenderness snd corsid
Grafton, Eorch az ifshe were child. Nov
these two had come together, one be
cause sweet face, made interesting b,
It's black surroundings, had chsrmec
him; the other because she wanted prC
vision for her children. When the haze
places came they were the harder tina
neither had any stock of experience
to draw from. Mr. Powers hsd NJ
thought Of reconstructing his habits Z.
suit house with three young children i.
1t. Susan hsd no intention Of keepir.
her children from noisy play, or of send
ing them to bed early to suit his whiJns