The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-17

, tenderly endaevored 10 break der husban
y from the habit he had acquired but 81
}. attempted il h vain He believed hin
I . Y to be one ef the most frugal and il
e dustrious tradesmcn in the town and notl
lag but bringing the fact plainly and broad
ly before bin, seemed sufficient to con
VINCE him that there was arsht of cxpen
: slyeness in his habits. But bis wife, NOR
delicatcly and efficiently, did 50 convinc
him. They we're talking together Of man
} things, and their conversation lent wings :
the short hours, when, an opportunity Offel
ing, she related to him an anecdote, whic
brought home to himself bis nightly atten.
dance at the club; and, rs | know the Stor
to be no allegory, nor child Of tie brain. bu
fact shall relate It to you.
| " In town." said she, mot many mile
south Of the Border, there dwelt man wh'
was BY trade mechanic, and who was tn
father u seven children. For sixteen year
he bad never wanted employment when b
chose to WORK, } and his earnings averaged
from five and-thirty shillings to two pound
week. But, with number of associates
be was in the habit of attending. daily anC
nightly, what they termed their house o
call. In the morning, as he went to hi.
labor, he could not pass it without having
what be called his 'nipper, or what some o.
the good people in Scotland called theiI
morning, which, being interpreted, mean.
eat glass of gin, rum, or whisky (For
gently as Hannah was, there was sprink.
ling Of the wag in her character " Al
mid day." she added, she had to give il
another call I; and to pass it on returning
home from his work at night was out Of the
question. Sometimes, and not unfrequent-
ly, when be called in for bis 'nipper' in the
morning, be sat down--in a room which
had two windows. looking east and west
and forgot to rise until, after he had seen
from the one window the sun rising, be be-
held il set from the other But it was the
force of habit-it bad grown iu upon him,
q he said and what could the poor man
do?
He beheld bis wife broken-hearted, go
ng almost in rage, and their affection had
changed into chickering's and reproaches
His children, too, were half starved, i'll
clad, and unschooled and for what educa-
6ea they got, be thought not Of paying the
schoclmaster be felt nothing in band for
bis money, and therefore could not see the
force Of tke debt But the poor man could
not belpit 1t was true he earned about
two pounds g week, bat which way the
money went be could not tell He did not,
as be thought deserve the reproaches of
bis wifss His morning was only iourpence,
his cah ct mid day the same, and his eve
Iing pipe aud gl-ss a shilling or eighteen
pence-that, be thought, was nothing, for
q man working so bard as he did; and when
be did take day now and then, he said
that was not worth reckoning, for his clay
could not keep together without moisture
and as for thei glass or two be took on
Sunday, why, they were not worth men
tioaing.- Thus be could see no cause for
the unhapPiness Of bis wifa, ;he poverty Of
bis house, and the half-nakedness Of his
family. He had 10 do as other people did,
of be migbt leavetheir society ! and he at
tfbuted a 10 bad management somewhere,
ttat not on his part. But one Sunday
morning be bad fingered in their house of
call longer than bis companions, and he was
sitting there when the churchwardens and
parish officers went their rounds, and came
to the house To conceal him from them
their, and avoid the penalty
"fTom,' said the lsndlady, here the
wardens a-comin.' If they find thee here,
lad, or meet thee goin' out, then wilt be
fined, and me too and it may give my
house bad name. Come up stairs, and
win show thee through the house, while they
examine the tap and the parlor."
$50 saying, Tom the mechanic followed
the hostess from room to room, wondering
q what be saw; for the furniture, as be said
to himself, was like a Dobleman's, and be
mArvelled how such things could be and
while be did 50, he contrasted the splendor
be beheld around him with the poverty and
wretchedness Of his own garret. And,
after showing him through several rooms,
she at last, with look Of importance, ush-
cred him into what she called the drawing
rOOm-but, nowadays, drawing-roOms
have become as common as gooseberries
and every house with three rooms and a
kitchen has one. Poor Tom the mechanic
was amazed as be beheld the richly -colored
and fancy figured carpet be was afraid to
tread on it-and, indeed, he was told to
clean his feet, well before be did SO. But
be was more astonished when be beheld a
splendid mirror, with brightly gilded and
carved frame. which reached almost from
the ceiling to the floor, and in which be
beheld his person, covered with bis worn
ont and un-holiday like habiliments, from
top to toe, though they were his only suit
Yet more was be amazed, when the ostenta.
tatious mistress of the house, opening what
appeared to him door in the wall, display.
Cd to him rows # shining silver plate. He
raised bis eyes, he lifted up bis bands
Lack |! Ma'am = says be, how d We get al
these mighty fine thingsr
And the landiady, laughing at bis sim
plisity, said-<Why, lad, BY fools pennie,
10 be sure."'
But the words''fools' pennies" touched
his heart as if a sharp instrument had
pierced it ; and be thought unto himself
L am one Of those fools; and be turned
away and left the house with the word,
written upon his conscience and, a. ht
went, be made a vow unto himself that
until the day twelve months be would
neither enter the house be had left, nor any
other house of q similar description-bui
on that day twelve months he would visi
it again When he went home, bis wifi,
vas surprised at his Homecoming !; for 4
was seldom be returned during the day
he had two shillings left and king then
from his pocket, be gave them to one Of hi
daughters desiring her to 70 out and pur
chase . quartern loaf and quantity of tea
sugar. and butter. His wife was silent from
wonder. He took her hand and said
Why, thou seemest to wonder at me. oI,
lass; but | tell the wbat-I have had
lesson this mornin, that aA.x.st c.. -