The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-08-03

and she went gaily forth. Hearlnl
laughterin the street peered through
the blinds, and beheld her seated In
r gorgeous barouche beside very hand
some young man, whom l had fol
some weeks suspected of being too in
| innate with her. And now what was
1 to do? At all eVeSts, would moi
accede to the proposition of the rich
lady. Iregarded that idea with loath.
ing. I had been unfortunate; but
felt that in my inmOst heart was
virtuOus. l determined to find some
employment. IkneW that apart from
my not having been educated to any
trade, 1 would find great difficulty in
getting work, because everything was
monopOliZed by women. So sailed
forth. Unwilling to be parted from
my precious charge, who al
ways stretched his little arms implOr-
ingIy to me when left him, or when
his mother took him from me and
dangled him in that aWkard way now
customary among women, carried
him with me. I stopped first before
a newspaper bulletin, among crowd
of similar unfortunate fathers with
babies in their arms-half of them
| Chinese-to see whether there was
any chance for me in those OVercrOWd-
ed avOcatiOns, now the almost sole
| dependence of single men. l found
| column after column of wants under
! the head "male," and very few
under "female." There were hundreds
| of men wanting situations as cooks,
! chambermaids, iaundresses, walters,
and ladies' Wallets, and I could see,
with my limited knowledge of Chi
nese, that hundreds more were apply
! ing for the same positions in the Chin
ese columns. The fact is the Orientals
| haYe long since so oVercrOWded these
| branches in Boston, that there is but
small chance for native man to get
| fair play, especially if like me encum-
beree with child. But taking note
of several of the advertisements. de-
termined to try my chances. So l
went forth towards the elegant quar-
| teTs of the city. I passed great rows
| of warehouses, where sharp-lOOking
ladies were smoking and chattering.
There were scarcely any men to be
seen, except in the capacity of pOrters
and draymen. AS noticed how these
ladies stared at me, and what rude
remarks they made upon me, and how
cruelty they laughed when they saw
me compelled to carry my own baby,
while Chinese were so plenty. I hur-
ried on towards those streets inhabited
by small shop keepers, where I might
hope to see more of my own sex, from
whom l might expect q little sympa-
thy. heard one very stylish dame
say, "GOOd-lOOking fellows must be
getting plenty, when such beauty as
that has to take his own brat" But ]
remembered that "virtue is its own
re yard" and closing my ears at all
their ribaldry, and my eyes to their
seductive smiles, 1 hastened on. l
went the rounds of all my advertise
ments without success. I found the
gentlemen, as usual, in parlOr, smOk-
ing-rOOm, bil1iard-rOOm, and nursery,
gOssiping over their small affairs; but
everywhere met the same Tebuff-"nO
work for men with incumbrences.
Everywhere was the same suspicion
the same searching questions.
Was L married? where was the
child's mother? ? why does she not sup
port it? One kindly looking man told
me that it was useless for me to apply
for such situations. 1 was so hand
some no husband would agree to have
me in the house. The Chinese SER
wants were very rough and abusive.
The Chinese women especially annoy
ed me exceedingly by their imperti-
nent questions and rude fami1iarities.
At last, weary and fOrlOrn, retraced
my steps. 1 was glad to hear, on
reaching my abode, that the great
lady, after waiting two hours for me,
had left word that she would call the
next day. I vowed that she should not
set eyes on me again. So early in the
morning / made up a small bundle of
clothes, and taking up the child fled
from the house and city, determined if
l must perish it should be among the
green fields. Nearly penniless, Icould
not afford to ride, and set out on foot
towards my native village, determin-
ed to cast myself upon my mothers
mercy, though I had not dared to write
to her since had discovered how cru
ely had been betrayed. 1t was har-
vest-time. AS passed field after field
l saw the men working laboriOusly.
Many of them had their infants with
them. Some whose children needed
especial care had them secured beside
them on their reaping machines. 9th
| ers would run occasionally to the
trees, where their little ones were re-
posing, to attend them. Most Ofthem
seemed to regard me with great con-
| tempt, as q man who had no one to
care for him. AS I passed the farm
houses, / could observe that those of
| the ladies who were not away at the
I
quaintances, were reading or writing /;
while every family had couple of chi-
namen to do houSe-WOrk, the China
women being mostly mOnOpOliZed by
| city families. So trudged on two Wea-
ry days, sleeping in barns at night,
and buying the cheapest food to save
my remaining money. I was subject
to many insults along the road by
those who called themselves ladies;
but at last arrived, unframed, in sight
of my native village. It was just be-
| fore sunset, the time when every body
| is relaxing, and looking for objects of
| interests. AS [ passed up the main
/ street, the few who cOndescended to
notice me at all, bowed stiffiy. Some
! of the young men snickered. The girls
/ generally regarded me with a con-
! temptuOus Indifference, which seemed
/ to say ''Served him right" A crowd
OF children, seeing their elders whis-
! pering about me followed at short
| distance, talking very busily among
| themselves. My heart sank. 1 saw
! that one there would aid me. All the
4 old friends with whom had been an
especial favOrite skunk away. Those
who were inclined to pc civil were re-
1 strained by the fear of the rest. /
wandered through the town, hesitating
for some time about visiting my moth
er's house. Finally I approached the
garden gate. My parents were both in
the front yard. My father started and
turned pale at sight of me, and looked
beseechingly towards my mother.
She stood there, cold as marble. AS L
reached the gate, the child as If indls-
tinctvely preceiVing the relationship,
Ieaped in my arms and reached out
toward my father. He sprang forward,
but my mother detained him by grasp
: ing his arm. Bursting into tears, he
turned away. My mother said, in a
|. violent way, "Begone! you are the
disgrace of the whole family. Never
|, show yourself here AGAIN.