The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-31
OUT OF WORK.

'If you please, sir, John Yates wants to
rScs YOU y ....
"JOhn Yates" | said to myself, "John
Yates! What can he want thought
he was at work for Co"mb' { Plank.n
"Show him into Il liLcary, Jane; I'll
be there directly.n 80 p
"Well, y sir, said John, as ] came In, "rm
out Of work, That's what It is, and the
missis and two of tho little 'uns Is down
with 'auenza or feyer, or something Of
that sort; and truth is, sir, amt got n
penny, let lone shilling, to bless myself
with. / can bear It myself sir; 1t amt
for that as Pm come; but they amt had q
bit nor drop this blessed morning"
SLOW long have you been out Of work n
/ asked.
"About month, sir; leastways, month
CONE Saturday."
"a month"; exclaimed. was going
to say, "Surely ysu ought not to DO 30 bad
of as this, only month out Of work."
"What wagcs have you been earning ~
swell, sir, in a reg'lar way, it's five and
twenty sbillngs week but I'll tell you
all, sir, as you say. | made a good deal
overtime in tile Summer, and maybe,
iben, 1t was thirty, more or less.n
"Abeut that take one week with an.
othcr7n u
eyes, sir.n ......
Haven't you laid up anything against a
rainy day, John; anything in the savings
bslik, now, or building society ~
John WINGED and said, almost surlly, ~
shouldn't b. come. to you.iC had, sir.n
Then, as if he felt he hadn't been quite pO-
lite, he added: "P'raps | ought to have
done, but growing family is Tery Oxpen:
size, sir.n .f-g9f
1T is,n | replied. "fknow that myself I;
still, it's for their sakes after all that wO
save. Suppose now, John, that you had
five, ten or even twenty pounds in the
bank IN 'Is.N1
"Well, sit, only wish I had; but how's
the likes O. me- TO lay by7 .what with
rent being so high and meat and bread and
everything else, and clothes and firing, a
mans wagcs Is gone aiorc he knows what
he's about " Btt g4gE
He was beginning TO talk mere freely
now, and / tried to encourage bis doing so.
~ know Il Is 50, John,n | said. "The
times have been hard for most Of us. |
know it's been tight work for me, anyhow,
this last, yesr. But there will be bad
times rs well as good times, ard we must
make hay when the sun shines. Come,
now, times haven't always been SO bad,
have they ~
"Wcll, no, sir, I've no call to say they
have, I've had regular work, thank tod,
for good many years; aud been able to
pay my way, mostly, somehow or other,
hut there wasn't 50 many in the amily
them
'But suppose you had Something laid
by, or how could you have lived this last
month1n ''fIlf -ilg -n.
| knew pretty well how 1t was, and how
hc had never laid anything by; but, for
his own sake, wanted him to tell me.
"Well, sir, there, the truth must out
Most Of the things is gone up, sir, and
there amt no more to 20, I'm ashamed
on It, sir, and It's hard to me to say II,
but there's the truth"
Thirty shllllngs Week-h month OUT ol
work-no bread in the house-and every
thing OF value pawnedl We both sat ST.
lent for time. Then ] got up, and, tell
ing him to wait, went out Of the room
and sent basket to bis house. When ]
came back-thcre was no mistake about II
john had been crying, but he tried not
TO let me see II, and taking my pocket
book diary oifthe library table, pretend.
ed. to be looking at the almanac. was
really trying to think how could best put
John in the way of helping himself.
knew pretty well how Il was with him
and good many Others like him. Honest
Woodworking, good fellows, but neithel
thinking nor caring about the future, g
long as they can meet the demands Of th'
day, and whose money is always burning
holes in their pockets, But wanted Il
bring this fact home to him. -.
HJohn," ] said, putting my band on hi
arm, II want to say a word or two to 20,
very plainly. May do so ~ Irf.
"0ertainly, sir, Il you please"
swell, then, want you to tell me hov
yLd have spent your money. ] don't asl
from mere curiosity, but in ordor to bel
you. You are fipe to toll or not tell By
sou come to me 10 help you in your din
cultie., and want to do so In the mos
eleetual way.n
,IWell I don't know A I've spent