North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-03-23

1T Is OF no use. Maria, have tried e
cry where
"But you are not going to give u,
Peter?''
"Give up? how can help it? With
four days l have been to every book bint
lery in the city, and not bit of work On
II get."
"But have you tried any where else
"What else can I try?''
"Why, anything that you can do
"les, I've tried other things. hav
be.n to more than dozen of my friend
and offered to help them if they woul
hire me-
"And what did you mean to do 70
them?''
~ offered to post their accounts, max
out bills. or attend to the counter
Mrs. Stanwsod smiled as her husban
thus spoke.
"What makes you smile?'' he asked.
''To think you should imagine that 70,
would find work in such places. But hov
is Mark Leeds?''
"How so?"
"He has nothing in his house to eat.
1t was a shudder that passed oyer tn,
wife's frame now.
"Why do you tremble, wi:e?'
because when we shall have eaten on,
breakfast tomorrow morning we shall
have nothing"
"What!" cried Peter Stsnwood, hal
starting from his chair. "Do you near
that?"
II do" ...
"But our four?'
"All gone. baked the last this after
aoon.'
"But We have pork"
"You ate the last this noon."
"Then we must starve ~ groaned the
poor man starting across the room.
Peter Stanwood was book binder by
trade, and had now been out of employ
ment over moth. He was one of those
who generally calculate to keep about
square with the world, and who consider
themselves particularly fortunate if they
keep oat Of debt. lie was now thirty
eight years 'f age. and had been married
eight years. He had three children to
provide for, besides himself and his wife,
and this, together with house rent, was a
heavy draught spon his purse, even when
work was plenty, but now, nowhere
was nothing.
"Maria," he said, stopping and gazing
his wife in the face, "we must starve l
have not single penny in the world
"Bus do not despair. Peter. Try again
tomorrow for work. You may find some.
thing TO do. Anything that is homes,
will .e honorable. Should you make bu,
a shilling day, We should not starve.''
''But our house rent?"
"Trust me for that. The landlord shall
not turn US out II you will engage to
find some work to do, I'll SEE that we
have house reom.'
ON try one more,' uttered Peter, de-
sparingly.
But you must so prepared to do any
thing" y
Anything reasonable, Maria."
"Bur what do ysu call reasonable ?"
"Why-anything decent"
The wife felt almost inclined to smile,
but the matter was too serious for that,
and cloud possed over her face. She
knew her husbands disposition, and felt
sure he would find no work. She knew
he would look about for some sort of work
that would not lower, him in the social
scale, as he had once or twice expressed
it. However, she knew it would BE- Of no
use to say anything to him now, and she
let the matter pass.
On the following morning the last bit of
food in the house was put upon the table.
Stanwood could hardly realize that he
was penniless and without food. For
years he had been gay, thoughtless and
fortunate, making the most of the present,
forgetting the past, and leaving the fu-
ture to take care of itself. Yet the truth
was naked and clear; and when he left
the house he said something must be done.
No sooner had the husband gone than
Mrs. Stanwood put on her hat and shawl.
Her oldest child wss a girl seven years
old, and her youngest four. She asked
her next door neighbor if she would take
care of her children till noon. These
children were knewn to be good and quiet,
and they were taken cheerfully. Then
Mrs. Stanwood locked up her house and
went away. She returned at noon, bring.
ing some dinner for the children, and then
went away again. She got home in the
evening before her husband, carrying .
heavy basket on her arm.
"Well, Peter" she asked after her hus>
band had entered and sat down, "what
luck?''
"Nothing F! nothingw he groaned, l
made out to squeeze dinner out OF an
old chum, but can't find work.
sand where have you looked to-day ?"
"Oh Everywhere. have been to q
hundred places, but it is the same in ey-
cry place. 1t is nothing but enc eternal
NO! Nor I'm tired and sick Of it."
"But what sort CT work have you offer
ed to do p
"Why, l even went so far as to offer to
tend in liquor store down town."
The wife smiled.