The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-05-27
Anck until latc-somebody in upper ten
dom having N receDtiOn


dom having n reception.
There IS nothing for you to do she
continued, but to 90 homc,' and 1t was a
bitter pill TO swallow, i can toll you; for
needed the money badly, on account of
having q sister down sick with the infiam-
inatory rheumatism, and whilo i was out
to work was compelled to hire some one
10 take caro- of her. When 1 went home
that night had not fifty cents In the
world. We were out of coal, out of can
dies. out Of everything, and my poor lit
tie sister groaning with pain. / hadn't n
single friend of whom could borrow n
dollar. A silver ladle-which was the
only remnant of past luxury. and which /
had kept through all reverses-I hid un-
der my shawl, so that my sister needn't
be tho wiser for It. and marched to the
nearest pawnbroker's shop. / received
five dollars for II, and yellow ticket,
which made my blood turn cold to look
Mt. The next day. about noc:,, l present.
ed myself Mt the Office Of Mr.. -, tho
husband of the woman who had failed to
pay me. had considerable difficulty in
getting an audience.
well, young woman said he In an alb
stracted sort Of manner, what can l do
for youP s
Itold him rs concisely rs possible tho
history OF my grievances.
.Humphr he grunted, and then gavc
me n quizzical. half.gratificd look, which
scarcely understood.
Humph! well, yes; you have done q
very proper thing;' and he commenced
10 count out the amount.
Mark my words, young woman: You
will always find that your best friends are
among the men. Women never can be
business -like-it isn't in them.'
But they can be just l venturcd to re-
mark. Women can ut least refuse to
hire work done which they can SEQ no
way to pay for
Tut, tut, childp you don't know what
You are talking about. My wife had
money enough. to settle your little bill q
dozen times over, but she probably feared
she should come short on some OF her fix
ins; and the wretch laughed rs If nc
hnd said very smart thing.
Y Don't trust them, my dear, don't trust
them; / have lived on intimate terms
with one of the fair creatures for several
ycars-and can, therefore, speak from ex-
perience.'
pocketed tho money and walked
away, and walked away, leaving the
strange man muttering and laughing rs II
he or somebody else had done n very
smart thing. But I will tell you ono
thing, and that Is the tr-ith,-and the
dressmaker laid her work on her lap for
moment and looked ut mo stcadily-l
never yet asked man for money which
his wife owed me (and l have been COM
PEELED To do It several times) without re-
cciying tho full amount, and pleasantly,
too.
( Then, / suppose I qucried. that you
must have decided that men. generally,
are more honest than women
Not n bit of it. sho replied; Il have
decided that men, from l,ng business prac-
~tice, have accustomed themselves to meet
ing payments promptly, understanding
that this Is one secret of busincss-and
they are ashamed not TO do so. Men who
have paid mo money owed by their wives,
would, ten to one, refuse to let them have
the amOunt-bccause u man can cheat his
wife. and she will keep still about It.
while IN outsider would have no conf
junction in making the matter known.
That's the truth in u nutshell.